Croatian B1-B2 Visa Reciprocity Embassy Zagreb

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000176

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR CA/VO/F/P A. Rathweg and C. Kagarise,
EUR/SCE Brad Bell, and DS/IP/EUR

E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: CVIS PREL ASEC HR
SUBJECT: Croatian B1-B2 Visa Reciprocity Embassy Zagreb
Recommends Increase to 120 months

REF. (A) Zagreb 146 (B) Zagreb 129 (C) Zagreb 132

Sensitive but unclassified; please handle accordingly.


1. See action request, paragraph eight.


2. (SBU) SUMMARY: Embassy Zagreb proposes increasing the
current B1/B2 reciprocity of 60 months to 120 months for
Croatian citizens. Post bases its recommendation on the
steadily improving economy, post's low refusal rate (just over
four percent) for Croatian B1/B2 applicants, and the positive
results of our last two B1/B2 validation studies. As part of
preparations for its future goal of EU and NATO membership, the
the
GOC is showing steady progress in implementing necessary reforms
on all fronts; and with the delivery of indicted war criminal,
General Ante Gotovina, to the international war crimes tribunal
at the Hague, post sees no major political obstacles to
expanding visa reciprocity for Croatia at this time. With its
consular workload growing in other areas, post would welcome the
reduction in nonimmigrant workload that an increase in visa
reciprocity would yield. Post RSO has been consulted and
concurs in this recommendation. END SUMMARY.


3. (U) Croatian B/B2 visa applicants currently receive a
maximum of 60 months visa validity and post's consular officers
issue maximum validity in the majority of cases. Croatia's
economy is steadily improving and unemployment is slowly, but
steadily declining as the GOC implements wide-ranging economic
reforms in preparation for joining the European Union. Croatia
officially opened accession talks with the EU in October 2005,
but reforms in all sectors of society have been well underway
for the past few years, with significant progress more evident
since the change of government in December 2003.


4. (U) The improvement in the economy has been reflected in
Embassy Zagreb's declining adjusted refusal rate for Croatian
B1/B2 applicants, which has remained at just over four percent
for the last two fiscal years. What's more, NIV line officers'
decisions to issue more B1/B2 visas have been validated by our
last two B1/B2 validation studies. The latest study, (Ref B) in
which 100% of the applicants were contacted, resulted in an
overstay rate of only one percent, or three people out of the
373 applicants called.


5. (SBU) In addition to the concrete economic improvements and
the evidence that Croatian travelers are not overstaying their
visas in large numbers, Embassy Zagreb also believes that the
political timing is right for an increase in visa reciprocity
(see Ref A). For the past four years, the failure of the GOC to
locate and deliver a prominent Croatian general to face war
crimes charges at the International Criminal Tribunal for the
former Yugoslavia in the Hague, has bedeviled Croatia's
relations with the U.S., as well as with members of the E.U. In
light of the GOC's intensified cooperation with the Hague,
culminating in the December 2005 capture of Gotovina and his
delivery to the war crimes tribunal, we see no major political
obstacle to expanding visa reciprocity with Croatia.


6. (SBU) As reported in Ref C, Embassy Zagreb's immigrant visa
and American citizens consular workload is on the rise due to
increased immigration of immediate relatives of Bosnian
refugees, now U.S. citizens, in the United States, and to the
rising popularity of Croatia as a "trend" destination for
American tourists. The goal of handling our growing workload
while maintaining high standards of customer service, public
outreach, and management controls, will be harder to achieve in
the future with our three-officer consular section. Given the
improving economy, the low refusal rate and positive validation
study results, it makes good management sense to expand
Croatia's B1/B2 reciprocity to 120 months.


7. (U) American citizens may travel to Croatia for tourism or
business trips without a visa for a three-month period within a
six-month period.


8. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST: Post would appreciate favorable
consideration of our proposal to increase visa reciprocity. It
notes as well that A/S Harty's early March visit to Zagreb would
be an excellent opportunity to announce such a change.

FRANK