FRAUD SUMMARY - IRELAND

UNCLAS DUBLIN 000120 FOR DEPT FOR CA/FPP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KFRD CVIS CPAS CMGT ASEC EI SUBJECT: FRAUD SUMMARY - IRELAND A) Country Conditions Ireland is a modern, technologically advanced nation, attracting investment from both Irish and foreign investors. Ireland is suffering from the global credit crunch and economic downturn particularly due to an over-reliance on the building industry during the years of the Celtic Tiger. Over the last six months the country has tumbled into recession. Each day brings more news of cutbacks, closures and redundancies affecting every business mode. The banking sector is being rocked by scandals, with accusations of cronyism and outright corruption between banks, investors and politicians. Unemployment has increased sharply, with 26,500 new entries on the unemployment register in February 2009, for a total of 353,000 registered unemployed, which does not count the underemployed. Some estimate that one third of all unemployed are third-country nationals. The government has announced there will be a supplementary budget in April 2009 to begin to address the issues. Ireland remains a low-fraud post with a large professional and established third-country national workforce. The number of asylum seekers coming to Ireland has dropped in recent years due to the availability of jobs, tightening controls, amendments to Irish law (denying non-national parents of Irish born children the right to live in the State by virtue of having an Irish-born child),and the implementation of the Dublin Convention, an E.U. law aimed at requiring asylum seeking to apply for that status in the first E.U. state entered and which prevents applications being made in multiple member states). . According to figures released by the Department of Justice, in 2008 there were 162 deportations to non-EU countries,271 transfers back to other EU states in 2008, and 519 who would otherwise have been deported but left with voluntary departure. The admittance of the accession states to the European Union in 2004 saw a large increase in the numbers coming to Ireland in search of employment, attracted by job opportunities, good pay and excellent social welfare benefits. With the growing recession, statistics are not yet available as to how many of these workers are moving on or remaining in Ireland in employment or claiming social welfare. B) NIV Fraud Dublin's NIV caseload includes 36 percent third-country nationals. The majority of visa refusals are under Section 214(b). Post has experienced an increased number of applicants in the E, H, and J visa categories applying for visas with new Irish passports in an effort to conceal previous overstays in the U.S. Post works closely with CBP Dublin in resolving these applications. Post continues to monitor with care and the assistance of FPU Chennai, Indian national H1-B applicants in the information technology (IT) sector who apply with a Indian primary degree and fail to make the grade in an accredited institution in the IT field in Ireland. Other incidents encountered relate to job letters and bank statements obtained fraudulently. c) IV Fraud No known incidence of fraud. d) DV Fraud No known incidence of fraud. e) ACS and Passport Fraud Passport applications that are not immediately verifiable through the PIMS system are given particular attention. In the past five years there have been only two known attempts by imposters to gain American passports. f) Adoption Fraud There are very few Irish children available for adoption and although it is legally possible for these children to be adopted outside the state, preference would be given to Irish adopting parents. No Irish children have been adopted by American parents within the institutional memory of the consular section. g) Use of DNA testing Post rarely uses DNA testing. There have been no particular problems or trends associated with DNA program. h) Asylum and other DHS Benefits Dublin does not generally deal with these cases. i) Alien smuggling, trafficking, organized crime, terrorist travel Dublin has not seen noticeable trends in these areas, but the consular section is now working with the political section to develop more contacts in these areas. J) DS Criminal Fraud investigations None currently. K) Host Country Passport, Identity document, and Civil Registry The new Irish passport was first introduced on 01 December 2004 on a phased basis. Older versions of the Irish passport will remain valid until their expiry date. The new passport incorporated enhanced security features, including laser-engraved MRPs with polycarbonate data page, laser-engraved photo, signature, personal data, and passport number. On 17 October 17 2006, the Government of Ireland commenced issuing ePassports containing a contactless IC chip that records a digital facial image as a biometric identified of the bearer in accordance with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The passports are produced in a state-of-the-art, purpose-built facility using the most advanced production techniques. Emergency passports can be issued at domestically or at missions abroad to facilitate Irish citizens who urgently require a travel document. This passport has a different set of security features, e.g., the cover is green, has gold block lettering with no reference to the European Union, it is pin-perforated and has a maximum validity of one year. Anyone born on the island of Ireland on or before 31 December 2004 is entitled to Irish citizenship. Citizenship of every person born on the island of Ireland on or after 1 January 2005 is governed by the citizenship of the person's parents at the time of the person's birth or the residency history of one of the parents prior to the birth. Since 1 October 2004, all children, regardless of age, must obtain an individual passport in their own name. Parents' passports issued before that date and which have included children will remain valid and need not be replaced. As part of the 1998 Northern Irish peace accords, persons in Northern Ireland who would be entitled to a British passport are also eligible for an Irish passport. Application forms for Irish passports include a Certificate of Identity that must be presented by the applicant in person at a Garda Station (police station) together with the relevant identification documents for verification of presence, photograph identity and true likeness. If satisfied, the Garda completes the certification, which is then signed and stamped prior to application to the Passport Office. Birth, marriage and death certificates are available through direct application to the Registrar, General Register Office, via online services at www.birthsdeathsmarriages.ie. Information is only available after the event has been notified to the local Registry Office. Commencing July 2003 under a modernization scheme, "new style" certificates were introduced on a phased basis. For births from 1900 and marriages and deaths from 1966 two kinds of certificates are being produced. "Landscape"-style certificates feature photographic images of the live event registration details copied from the relevant register. "Portrait" style certificates have all the life events details in typed format. Both the new and the old handwritten versions with dry seal are in circulation. Post has not experienced a problem with either form. As of 5 December 2005, hospitals no longer register births. Parents must present themselves at their local Registry Office to register the birth with photo ID and their PPS number. If parents are married, only one parent is required to be present at the Registry Office, while single parents who wish to register the father's name are both required to visit the Registry Office and provide the PPS number and photo identification. L) Cooperation with host government Cooperation with the Irish government offices and agencies is excellent. The FPM meets on a regular basis with representatives from government offices, the local law enforcement agency and U.K. embassy officers. The U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have pre-flight commercial inspection facilities at both Dublin and Shannon Airports and also participate at these meetings to help keep all informed and alerted to any emerging trends. M) Areas of particular concern None N) Staffing and Training Fraud Prevention Manager: Matthew Gillen, Visa Chief, Training taken: FSI Fraud Prevention for Consular Managers, July 2007 FSN FPU and E visa unit, Nuala Philips Training taken: Fraud Prevention Course for FSNs March 3-7, 2003. PIERCE