AUSTRIA'S VISA WAIVER PROGRAM CERTIFICATION

UNCLAS VIENNA 002646 SIPDIS STATE FOR CA:JARZT; CA/PPT FOR MHOLLY; CA/VO/F/P:DLOPES DA ROSA; DHS for MNEIFACH E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREF AU SUBJECT: AUSTRIA'S VISA WAIVER PROGRAM CERTIFICATION REF: A) STATE 125862 AND PREVIOUS, B) VIENNA 2332, C) VIENNA 2344 ¶1. ON AUGUST 4, POST RECEIVED THE REQUESTED EXEMPLARS OF EACH TYPE OF THE MACHINE-READABLE PASSPORTS AUSTRIA WILL BE ISSUING IN OCTOBER 2005. (NOTE: AUSTRIA CHOSE NOT/NOT TO INCLUDE THE EMERGENCY PASSPORTS WITH THE EXEMPLARS BECAUSE THEY WILL SHORTLY BE REPLACED WITH MACHINE-READABLE EMERGENCY PASSPORTS. THESE INTERIM MRPS WILL SHORTLY BE REPLACED WITH ICAO-CONFORMING EMERGENCY PASSPORTS.) REGARDING THE EXEMPLARS OF ORDINARY PASSPORTS, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT DUE TO TECHNICAL CONSTRAINTS THE SERIAL NUMBER IN THE UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER DOES NOT MATCH THE NUMBER IN THE ICAO MRZ. ¶2. AS REPORTED IN REFTEL B, AUSTRIA WILL NOT/NOT BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH LEVEL I STANDARDS BY OCTOBER 26, 2005. HOWEVER, AUSTRIA WILL BEGIN ISSUING E-PASSPORTS THAT WILL BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH BOTH LEVEL I AND LEVEL II IN MAY ¶2006. ON AUGUST 5, THE AUSTRIAN FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINSTRY PROVIDED THE CERTIFICATION LETTER, REQUESTED IN REF A, INCLUDING A DETAILED STATUS REPORT ON COMPLIANCE EFFORTS. PER DEPARTMENT'S INSTRUCTIONS, THIS CERTIFICATION LETTER AND THE PASSPORT EXEMPLARS HAVE BEEN SENT VIA UPS TO THE DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION POLICY AT DHS. POST WILL FAX AN INFO COPY OF THE CERTIFICATION LETTER TO CA/VO/F/P (202) 663-3897. VAN VOORST