NEW AUSTRIAN EMERGENCY PASSPORTS - AUSTRIANS

UNCLAS VIENNA 003944 SIPDIS STATE FOR CA/VO/F/P - DLOPES DA ROSA; EUR/AGS - VVIKMANIS KELLER; DHS FOR MHARDIN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CVIS PREL AU SUBJECT: NEW AUSTRIAN EMERGENCY PASSPORTS - AUSTRIANS REQUEST DHS COMMENT REF: A) STATE 203819 AND PREVIOUS B) VIENNA 3636 ¶1. THIS IS AN ACTION CABLE. SEE PARA 7. ¶2. SUMMARY: THE GOA HAS NOW PROVIDED POST WITH THE POINT OF CONTACT REQUESTED REFTEL A, RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING THE SHARING OF LOST AND STOLEN PASSPORT INFORMATION. IN ADDITION, POST IS FORWARDING A REQUEST FOR COMMENT FROM THE INTERIOR MINISTRY REGARDING EMERGENCY PASSPORTS IN CONNECTION WITH BIOMETRIC PASSPORT CERTIFICATIONS. SEE PARA ¶6. END SUMMARY. LOST AND STOLEN PASSPORT REPORTING -------------- -------------- - ¶3. PER REF A, THE MOI HAS IDENTIFIED THE CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE SERVICE AS THE VWP POINT OF CONTACT RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING THE SHARING OF LOST AND STOLEN PASSPORT INFORMATION AND HAS PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING CONTACT INFORMATION: CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE SERVICE, SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT (SPOC),TEL. +43-1-24836/85025, FAX. +43-1- 24836/85190, E-MAIL: BMI-II-BK-SPOC@BMI.GV.AT. POST UNDERSTANDS THAT THE GOA REMAINS COMMITTED TO REPORTING LASP INFORMATION AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND IS VERY PLEASED THAT THE 2004 VWP REVIEWS YIELDED FAVORABLE RESULTS (REF B). NEW EMERGENCY PASSPORTS -------------- ¶4. THE INTERIOR MINISTRY HAS ALSO EXPRESSED ITS APPRECIATION FOR THE USG COOPERATION WITH REGARD TO THE RECENT BIOMETRIC PASSPORT CERTIFICATIONS AND HAS NOW RAISED RELATED QUESTIONS CONCERNING VWP BIOMETRIC PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS FOR EMERGENCY PASSPORTS. ¶5. POST UNDERSTANDS THAT AUSTRIA IS MAKING PREPARATIONS TO INTRODUCE A NEW, ICAO-COMPLIANT EMERGENCY PASSPORT STARTING IN 2007. THE MOI HAS REQUESTED DHS COMMENT ON WHETHER DHS BELIEVES EMERGENCY PASSPORTS WILL - IN THE FORSEEABLE FUTURE - BE SUBJECT TO VWP BIOMETRIC PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS AND WHETHER THE NEW AUSTRIAN EMERGENCY PASSPORT COULD MEET THESE REQUIREMENTS. EMERGENCY PASSPORTS ISSUED OVERSEAS WILL HAVE A LIGHT (OFF-WHITE) COVER, IN LINE WITH ICAO STANDARDS, AND WILL BE FULLY MACHINE-READABLE. THE BIOPAGE WILL BE PRINTED ON A FOIL AND WILL HAVE A DIGITAL PHOTO OF THE PASSPORT BEARER, WHICH IS SECURED BY LAMINATE. EMERGENCY PASSPORTS ISSUED DOMESTICALLY WILL HAVE THE SAME OFF-WHITE COVER BUT WILL HAVE A GLUED-IN PHOTO; THOSE VALID FOR SIX MONTHS OR LESS WILL NOT BE MACHINE-READABLE. ACTION REQUEST -------------- ¶6. ACTION REQUEST: POST UNDERSTANDS THAT - AT THIS TIME - EMERGENCY PASSPORTS ARE NOT/NOT REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH THE BIOMETRIC PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS BUT MOI WOULD WELCOME COMMENT ON WHETHER DHS BELIEVES EMERGENCY PASSPORTS WILL - IN THE FORSEEABLE FUTURE - BE SUBJECT TO VWP BIOMETRIC PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS AND WHETHER THE NEW ICAO-COMPLIANT EMERGENCY PASSPORT (BOTH DOMESTIC AND OVERSEAS' ISSUANCE TYPES) COULD MEET THIS REQUIREMENT. DHS IS REQUESTED TO FORWARD COMMENTS TO CONGEN CHARISSE PHILLIPS AT PHILLIPSCM2@STATE.GOV FOR FORWARDING TO MOI, OR TO COPY POST ON A REPLY SENT DIRECTLY TO THE AUSTRIAN EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON. CA/VO/F/P'S ASSISTANCE IN FOLLOWING UP ON THIS REQUEST AS APPROPRIATE WOULD BE APPRECIATED. MCCAW