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
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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
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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
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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