9 FAM 602
Cultivating Visa-Related Working Relationships
9 FAM 602.1
Visa Contacts
(CT:VISA-710; 11-20-2018)
(Office of Origin: CA/VO/L/R)
9 fam 602.1-1 general guidance on
visa contacts
(CT:VISA-661; 08-16-2018)
a. Building Teamwork and Contacts:
(1) See 9 FAM 602.2
on working with the Department of Homeland Security and other U.S. Government
contacts. 7
FAH-1 H-252 addresses teamwork with posts Front Office, the Country Team,
and the Department, as well as teamwork within the consular section.
(2) Cultivating effective professional contacts with
foreign government officials and key members of the local community is equally
important to your success. See additional information on visa reciprocity in 9 FAM 403.8.
7 FAH-1 H-253
provides additional information on external contacts with foreign government
officials, private sector contacts, the local American community and local U.S.
military bases.
b. National Security Coordination
and Cooperation:
(1) You must cooperate with other offices and agencies
of the mission or post to ensure the greatest effectiveness in promoting
national security and ensuring only bona fide applicants receive visas. Please
refer to 7-FAH-1 H-226 for information on national security coordination and
cooperation. See also information on the Visas Viper program in 9 FAM 304.4-4.
c. Additional Resources: See 9 FAM 601.8
for information on handling referrals from representatives of other U.S.
Government entities overseas. 9 FAM 603.1
addresses protecting and sharing visa information and records, and 9 FAM 601.7
covers correspondence with various types of parties. See also 9 FAM 601.9
on public diplomacy and outreach to visa-related contacts.
9 fam 602.1-2 guidance on
specific types of visa contacts
(CT:VISA-510; 03-12-2018)
a. Congress and Congressional Staff,
Proactive Congressional Relations: For information on Congressional
contacts please see 7 FAH-1 H-843.
See 9 FAM
601.7-3 for additional information on Congressional correspondence, and 9 FAM 601.9
on outreach and Congressional offices.
b. Attorneys and Representatives of
Record: Each post has discretion to establish its own policies
regarding the extent to which attorneys and other representatives may have
physical access to the consulate or attend visa interviews, taking into
consideration such factors as a particular consulates physical layout and any
space limitations or special security concerns. Whatever policies are set must
be consistent and applied equally to all. For example, either all attorneys at
a particular post must be permitted to attend consular interviews or all
attorneys must be prohibited from attending interviews. See 9 FAM 601.7-3 for additional information on corresponding
with attorneys and establishing attorneys as applicants representatives of
record.
c. Media Contacts: See 9 FAM 601.7-3
regarding correspondence based on media inquiries. See also 9 FAM 601.9
regarding visa-related public diplomacy and outreach.
d. Unethical Conduct: See 9 FAM 602.1-3
below for information on unethical conduct by intermediaries.
9 FAM 602.1-3 unethical conduct
by intermediaries
(CT:VISA-710; 11-20-2018)
a. Attorneys and Intermediaries Based
in the United States: In cases where the principal consular officer
believes that all or any part of the privileges (physical access to the
Consulate, attending visa interviews, and/or correspondence on behalf of an
applicant (see 9 FAM 603.2-9)
must be denied to any attorney or U.S.-based representative because of
unethical conduct or for other good reason, you must submit a cable slugged for
"CA/VO; CA/VO/L/A; CA/VO/F; CA/FPP." The report must contain the
reasons for denial of privileges and the proposed reply to the attorney or
U.S.-based representative, for the Department's final determination. In
addition, if the individual in question has previously been the subject of a
communication from the Department regarding unethical or fraudulent activity,
you must make reference to such communication.
b. Intermediaries Other than Attorneys
and U.S. Agents: All or part of the privileges mentioned above
(physical access, presence at interviews, correspondence, delivery of documents on applicants' behalf,
etc.) may be denied to any intermediary, other than an attorney, who is an
alien established abroad or to any category of alien intermediaries (for
example, consultants, travel agents, etc.), other than an attorney, whom you
have reason to believe has been engaged in unethical or fraudulent conduct
during the visa process. The post must report any such decision to the
Department with an explanation.
c. Abusive Use of Visa Information:
See also 9
FAM 603.2-7 on abusive use of post-supplied information by local
authorities and the release of information in violation of U.S. law.