Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09STATE44280
2009-05-01 01:06:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Secretary of State
how-toVZCZCXRO3956 RR RUEHAG RUEHAO RUEHAP RUEHAST RUEHAT RUEHBC RUEHBI RUEHBL RUEHBZ RUEHCD RUEHCHI RUEHCI RUEHCN RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHDF RUEHDH RUEHDT RUEHDU RUEHED RUEHEL RUEHFK RUEHFL RUEHGA RUEHGD RUEHGH RUEHGI RUEHGR RUEHHA RUEHHM RUEHHO RUEHHT RUEHIHL RUEHIK RUEHJS RUEHKN RUEHKR RUEHKSO RUEHKUK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHMA RUEHMC RUEHMJ RUEHMR RUEHMRE RUEHMT RUEHNAG RUEHNG RUEHNH RUEHNL RUEHNP RUEHNZ RUEHPA RUEHPB RUEHPD RUEHPOD RUEHPT RUEHPW RUEHQU RUEHRD RUEHRG RUEHRN RUEHROV RUEHRS RUEHSK RUEHTM RUEHTRO RUEHVC RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHC #4280/01 1210127 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 010106Z MAY 09 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS COLLECTIVE RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 7073
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 STATE 044280
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CMGT
SUBJECT: CONSULAR ISSUES CABLE -- APRIL 2009
TO CONSULAR SECTION CHIEFS FROM ASSISTANT SECRETARY
JACOBS
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 STATE 044280
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CMGT
SUBJECT: CONSULAR ISSUES CABLE -- APRIL 2009
TO CONSULAR SECTION CHIEFS FROM ASSISTANT SECRETARY
JACOBS
1. April passed quickly here in Washington. Between
complicated arrest cases in Iran and North Korea, the
H1N1 flu situation, and a myriad of visa-related issues,
this month brought many interesting and difficult policy
challenges. Secretary Clinton continues to take an
active interest in many of our issues and appreciates
the hard work and sacrifices you are all making on a
daily basis. During a recent Cabinet meeting to discuss
cost saving measures, the President cited several
success stories, including the National Visa Center's
plans to "Go Paperless" by implementing electronic
correspondence for immigrant visa processing, which will
save approximately one million dollars a year.
--------------
Green Committee Site Survey
--------------
2. The Green Committee continues to explore ways to
reduce our carbon footprint. Possible areas for
improvement include system efficiency, energy use,
everyday office conservation strategies, and recycling
programs. As this is a global effort, the Green
Committee hopes to receive input from as many of you as
possible. To that end, we produced a survey to solicit
ideas related to conservation in the workplace. We'd
like to ask all consular staff to share their ideas.
The survey only takes two minutes to complete and will
be accessible until May 15 at
http://ca.m.state.sbu/GreenCommittee/Lists/CA %20Green%20
Survey/overview.aspx
-------------- --------------
The Hague Adoption Convention One-Year Anniversary
-------------- --------------
3. April 1 marked the one-year anniversary of entry
into force for the United States of the multilateral
treaty on protection of children and cooperation on
intercountry adoption. Although the United States
issued fewer than 70 Hague visas during the first ten
months the treaty was in force, more than half of U.S.
intercountry adoptions are currently in Hague partner
countries and U.S. adoptions make up more than 50
percent of all intercountry adoptions world-wide. Our
implementation of the Convention is spurring other
countries' interest and many non-signatory countries are
now taking steps to improve their adoption programs. If
your contacts in child protection ministries seek U.S.
help, please refer them to adoption.state.gov. Send
specific questions to your country officer in the Office
of Children's Issues Adoption Division or email
AdoptionUSCA@state.gov. Detailed Hague visa processing
guidance is available in 9 FAM 42.21 N.14.
-------------- --------------
Upcoming Release of 2009 Hague Abduction Convention
Compliance Report
-------------- --------------
4. The 2009 Report on Compliance with the Hague
Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child
Abduction will be available online in May. The report
describes specific compliance problems the Department
identified in Convention partner countries and describes
the status of longstanding, unresolved return
applications. To prepare for the report's release, CI's
case officers will contact posts in countries cited in
the report, and CI will transmit an ALDAC with talking
points. After the report's release, we encourage posts
to review the contents of the report with their
respective host governments. Previous reports, as well
as the current list of Convention partner countries, can
be found at http://travel.state.gov/childabduction.
--------------
First Time Passport Applications, Updates
--------------
5. Posts may encounter first-time passport applicants
who present as proof of citizenship Consular Reports of
Birth lacking either a seal or signature. Such
documents are not necessarily fraudulent but may have
been improperly processed. If PIERS or ACS records
STATE 00044280 002 OF 004
confirm the initial citizenship determination, posts
should send the FS-240 submitted by the applicant under
cover of a memo to the Passport Vital Records Office,
1111 19th St. NW Suite 510, Washington, DC 20524, Attn:
Sherron Blanks. Vital Records will issue a free
replacement to the applicant.
--------------
ACS and Personal Identifiable Information
--------------
6. We remind all users of the ACS system that the same
rules that apply to PIERS access pertain to ACS and
other databases containing Personal Identifiable
Information (PII) for American citizens. It is
inappropriate to search ACS, CTF, or other databases for
case information on private individuals unless you have
a job-related reason to do so.
--------------
Outreach Outreach Outreach
--------------
7. The Department's blog -- DipNote ? is available at
http://blogs.state.gov/. CA successfully uses DipNote
to reach audiences with messages on Spring Break safety
issues, WHTI/passport compliance, and other ongoing
outreach campaigns. The "Spring Break Safety" video by
the consular team in Merida had more than 7,000 views in
the first two weeks it was posted. Other recent
consular entries on DipNote include an Embassy London
piece on wardens, and a piece on National Passport Day.
We invite consular sections to take a look at DipNote,
especially the consular content, and to be creative in
your use of this new avenue for outreach. You may
submit content ideas or questions to DipNote's editors
at blogs@state.gov. If you have consular related
content that you would like to have posted, please send
it to CA-P-Outreach@state.gov and CA/P will coordinate
with PA.
8. CA/P recently established a Public Affairs Working
Group comprising representatives of all CA offices to
coordinate public affairs activities bureau-wide and
better engage posts and CA domestic offices in outreach
efforts. Our goal for this group is to engage in
proactive outreach, make us better prepared to respond
publicly to events, and create a mechanism for sharing
best practices and outreach materials among posts.
9. Americans abroad want to hear from us! At a recent
meeting with the organization American Citizens Abroad
(ACA),representatives urged the Department to do more
outreach to overseas Americans, which was music to our
ears. Posts are encouraged to think creatively about
ways to reach out to your local American communities.
Town Halls are a great way to convey information, hear
from our citizens, and put faces to names. But we
encourage you to think of other ways to use DipNote, web
seminars, teleconferences, radio call-in shows, and
columns in local American newsletters or websites. If
you have great ideas for reaching out, please share them
with CA and your colleagues through ACS Plus Plus.
--------------
Updated Planning Tools
--------------
10. Expecting a visit from a Front Office Principal to
your post? Writing a briefing checklist (BCL) for the
upcoming consular bilateral meeting with Russia? The
Regional Outreach team in CA/P can assist by
coordinating document submission, obtaining clearances,
and compiling briefing books. We recently updated our
templates and example documents to help you select the
proper format and necessary content for your briefing
checklists. Check it out on CA Web:
http://intranet.ca.state.gov/offices/p/region al/9802.asp
x.
--------------
Fee Exemptions for USG-Funded J Participants
--------------
11. Posts are reminded that J-1 visa applicants
participating in U.S. Government sponsored programs with
program number prefixes that begin with "G-1," "G-2,"
"G-3," and "G-7" and their dependant spouses and
children are not required to pay the MRV and SEVIS fees.
Additionally, all U.S. Government sponsored J-1 visa
applicants and their dependents are not required to pay
any applicable reciprocity fees. We will clarify the
STATE 00044280 003 OF 004
guidance in 9 FAM 41.62 N9.2 ? N9.4 to reflect this.
For additional information, please contact VO/F/P.
--------------
Changes to H Visa Processing
--------------
12. We recently sent two ALDACS that provide guidance
on new DHS regulatory changes affecting H-2A and H-2B
visas (State 00044000 and STATE 00044004). A third
cable is forthcoming, outlining provisions of the
economic stimulus legislation that place conditions on
the employment of aliens in H-1B status by recipients of
funding under the "Troubled Asset Relief Program" (TARP)
or the Federal Reserve Act, and requires you to verify
that an employer has not received funding under TARP in
some cases. All three cables contained FAM notes that
are being added to 9 FAM and we urge you to review them
carefully.
13. Also new to H-1B processing: on April 15, 2009,
the Department of Labor launched the new iCERT system --
a portal for the electronic filing of labor condition
applications (LCAs) with DOL in H-1B cases. The iCERT
System allows employers to visit a single account to
prepare, submit, and check the status of the ETA Form
9035E LCA application. After a 30-day transition
period, use of iCERT will be mandatory for all LCA
filings.
--------------
FAM Sections Updated
--------------
14. The Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) Certification
Project, initiated by the Under Secretary for
Management, was launched last spring to identify and
update out-of-date information in the FAM. Similar to
the FAM-X initiative, Volume 9 FAM must be certified as
current annually. Subject matter experts throughout the
visa office took part in this project as well as our
colleagues from other Bureaus and DHS. As a result,
Volume 9 of the FAM is now current and supersedes
outdated SOP's and cables. If older cable guidance
contains information different from the recent FAM
update, ignore the old cable. Sections of the FAM will
be continuously updated to ensure compliance of this
annual certification initiative.
--------------
Overseas Responsibilities vis-a-vis PLOTS
--------------
15. CA/FPP reminds posts of their responsibility for
entering passport lookouts into PLOTS. Posts are
responsible for local scanning of documents into the ACS
case file and for sending the paper lookout file (and
relevant supporting documents) to the Department
(Passport Services Records Services Division) for PLOTS
scanning. Designated consular officers in ACS sections
and Fraud Prevention Managers (FPMs) have the authority
to enter certain categories of lookouts into CLASS via
PLOTS. For internal controls reasons, consular
supervisors should make certain that the paper lookout
files are sent to Washington on a weekly basis by
registered pouch. Any delays in shipment will prevent
users worldwide from seeing the case file. Additional
instructions on entering lookouts at post can be found
in 07 State 120430.
--------------
CA IT Systems Recognized
--------------
16. The American Council for Technology and Industry
Advisory Council (ACT-IAC) recently honored two CA
systems as finalists for Excellence.gov awards. ACT-IAC
is a non-profit group encouraging cooperation and
collaboration between industry and government IT
professionals. The two systems are the WHTI-(Western
Hemisphere Travel Initiative) compliant Passport Card
and Border Crossing Card, and our extensive website
presence through the TSG portal including: CEAC, the
Consular Electronic Application Center; IBRS, the
Internet-Based Registration System; Travel.State.gov;
EVAF, the Electronic Visa Application Form; and ATS, the
Adoption Tracking Service. The Excellence.gov awards
recognize best practices in the federal government's
management and use of information technology by honoring
federal programs and their managers who have achieved
exceptional results in the management of information
technology (IT) to support the USG's mission. It is an
STATE 00044280 004 OF 004
honor for two of our CST designed systems to be selected
as finalists.
--------------
Good Bye, ART!
--------------
17. After careful study, CST has decided to stop any
further development of the Ad Hoc Reporting Tool (ART).
You may continue to use the version of ART currently
installed on your workstation. You may also continue to
contact the CA Service Desk (supportdeskca@state.gov)
with any ART-related problems. CST is reviewing options
that would allow consular staff to create custom reports
for consular applications' data. They will not,
however, be accepting any ART change requests.
--------------
Systems Deployment Updates
--------------
18. NIV 04.06 - CST has started general deployment of
NIV 04.06. This latest version contains many important
new features including importation of on-line visa
applications from the Consular Electronic Application
Center (CEAC),increased integration with the Petition
Information Management System (PIMS),the ability to use
ten-print scanners for fingerprint verification and the
ability to use visa foils with alphanumeric foil
numbers. New versions of Ten-Print Live Scan (TPLS)
02.02.00 and Consular Systems Division Reusable
Components (CSD-RC) 01.03.00 are to be installed at the
same time and are included with the deployment package.
Prerequisite database upgrades should be completed by
May 8, and all NIV posts should complete the upgrade by
July 1. Additional details are in STATE 039780.
19. We anticipate deploying an accountable items
upgrade in early May that will change the way Posts
receive items into their AI inventory. Via the CCD, AI
will interface with the Department's Integrated
Logistics Management System (ILMS) used by CA/EX/GSD
(and your GSO). Officers will be able to accept
incoming inventory using the AI Transfer functionality.
This will largely eliminate the need for posts to enter
manually information about incoming items (item type,
container type, serial numbers, etc.) on the AI Receive
screen. We will inform posts when the upgrade is
implemented.
20. We remind post systems staff that the ACS 01.05.01
update (patch) is available for download at:
http://csdcm.ca.state.gov/CM/CST%20Systems/AC S+/010501/A
CS.asp. This upgrade includes changes in the
Citizenship Service functionality in ACS, including:
-- Receiving and QA'ing passports using the AIT reader;
-- Resolving delivered books stuck in the Awaiting
Delivery tab in CPAL;
-- Resolving the "null value" error on opening a new
citizenship service; and
-- Resolving the "phantom alias"/blank alias error.
CST strongly encourages all posts to install this patch
as soon as possible. It may be deployed gradually ? a
section may have some workstations running ACS 01.05.01
while others are still at 01.05.00 ? but posts should
install the patch on all their ACS machines. Contact
the Service Desk (supportdeskca@state.gov) in the event
of problems or questions.
--------------
WRAPS? QRG? EEDS?
--------------
21. Ever wonder what some of those crazy IT acronyms
mean? Help is now just a mouse-click away. The CA/CST
Terms and Acronyms Glossary contains most consular-
related IT terms plus clear explanations of what they
mean. The CA Service Desk regularly monitors and
updates this Glossary, which you can find on CAWeb via
the Related Contents links at:
http://intranet.ca.state.gov/systems/7505.asp x or
http://intranet.ca.state.gov/systems/user/con sular/7061.
aspx.
22. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.
CLINTON
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CMGT
SUBJECT: CONSULAR ISSUES CABLE -- APRIL 2009
TO CONSULAR SECTION CHIEFS FROM ASSISTANT SECRETARY
JACOBS
1. April passed quickly here in Washington. Between
complicated arrest cases in Iran and North Korea, the
H1N1 flu situation, and a myriad of visa-related issues,
this month brought many interesting and difficult policy
challenges. Secretary Clinton continues to take an
active interest in many of our issues and appreciates
the hard work and sacrifices you are all making on a
daily basis. During a recent Cabinet meeting to discuss
cost saving measures, the President cited several
success stories, including the National Visa Center's
plans to "Go Paperless" by implementing electronic
correspondence for immigrant visa processing, which will
save approximately one million dollars a year.
--------------
Green Committee Site Survey
--------------
2. The Green Committee continues to explore ways to
reduce our carbon footprint. Possible areas for
improvement include system efficiency, energy use,
everyday office conservation strategies, and recycling
programs. As this is a global effort, the Green
Committee hopes to receive input from as many of you as
possible. To that end, we produced a survey to solicit
ideas related to conservation in the workplace. We'd
like to ask all consular staff to share their ideas.
The survey only takes two minutes to complete and will
be accessible until May 15 at
http://ca.m.state.sbu/GreenCommittee/Lists/CA %20Green%20
Survey/overview.aspx
-------------- --------------
The Hague Adoption Convention One-Year Anniversary
-------------- --------------
3. April 1 marked the one-year anniversary of entry
into force for the United States of the multilateral
treaty on protection of children and cooperation on
intercountry adoption. Although the United States
issued fewer than 70 Hague visas during the first ten
months the treaty was in force, more than half of U.S.
intercountry adoptions are currently in Hague partner
countries and U.S. adoptions make up more than 50
percent of all intercountry adoptions world-wide. Our
implementation of the Convention is spurring other
countries' interest and many non-signatory countries are
now taking steps to improve their adoption programs. If
your contacts in child protection ministries seek U.S.
help, please refer them to adoption.state.gov. Send
specific questions to your country officer in the Office
of Children's Issues Adoption Division or email
AdoptionUSCA@state.gov. Detailed Hague visa processing
guidance is available in 9 FAM 42.21 N.14.
-------------- --------------
Upcoming Release of 2009 Hague Abduction Convention
Compliance Report
-------------- --------------
4. The 2009 Report on Compliance with the Hague
Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child
Abduction will be available online in May. The report
describes specific compliance problems the Department
identified in Convention partner countries and describes
the status of longstanding, unresolved return
applications. To prepare for the report's release, CI's
case officers will contact posts in countries cited in
the report, and CI will transmit an ALDAC with talking
points. After the report's release, we encourage posts
to review the contents of the report with their
respective host governments. Previous reports, as well
as the current list of Convention partner countries, can
be found at http://travel.state.gov/childabduction.
--------------
First Time Passport Applications, Updates
--------------
5. Posts may encounter first-time passport applicants
who present as proof of citizenship Consular Reports of
Birth lacking either a seal or signature. Such
documents are not necessarily fraudulent but may have
been improperly processed. If PIERS or ACS records
STATE 00044280 002 OF 004
confirm the initial citizenship determination, posts
should send the FS-240 submitted by the applicant under
cover of a memo to the Passport Vital Records Office,
1111 19th St. NW Suite 510, Washington, DC 20524, Attn:
Sherron Blanks. Vital Records will issue a free
replacement to the applicant.
--------------
ACS and Personal Identifiable Information
--------------
6. We remind all users of the ACS system that the same
rules that apply to PIERS access pertain to ACS and
other databases containing Personal Identifiable
Information (PII) for American citizens. It is
inappropriate to search ACS, CTF, or other databases for
case information on private individuals unless you have
a job-related reason to do so.
--------------
Outreach Outreach Outreach
--------------
7. The Department's blog -- DipNote ? is available at
http://blogs.state.gov/. CA successfully uses DipNote
to reach audiences with messages on Spring Break safety
issues, WHTI/passport compliance, and other ongoing
outreach campaigns. The "Spring Break Safety" video by
the consular team in Merida had more than 7,000 views in
the first two weeks it was posted. Other recent
consular entries on DipNote include an Embassy London
piece on wardens, and a piece on National Passport Day.
We invite consular sections to take a look at DipNote,
especially the consular content, and to be creative in
your use of this new avenue for outreach. You may
submit content ideas or questions to DipNote's editors
at blogs@state.gov. If you have consular related
content that you would like to have posted, please send
it to CA-P-Outreach@state.gov and CA/P will coordinate
with PA.
8. CA/P recently established a Public Affairs Working
Group comprising representatives of all CA offices to
coordinate public affairs activities bureau-wide and
better engage posts and CA domestic offices in outreach
efforts. Our goal for this group is to engage in
proactive outreach, make us better prepared to respond
publicly to events, and create a mechanism for sharing
best practices and outreach materials among posts.
9. Americans abroad want to hear from us! At a recent
meeting with the organization American Citizens Abroad
(ACA),representatives urged the Department to do more
outreach to overseas Americans, which was music to our
ears. Posts are encouraged to think creatively about
ways to reach out to your local American communities.
Town Halls are a great way to convey information, hear
from our citizens, and put faces to names. But we
encourage you to think of other ways to use DipNote, web
seminars, teleconferences, radio call-in shows, and
columns in local American newsletters or websites. If
you have great ideas for reaching out, please share them
with CA and your colleagues through ACS Plus Plus.
--------------
Updated Planning Tools
--------------
10. Expecting a visit from a Front Office Principal to
your post? Writing a briefing checklist (BCL) for the
upcoming consular bilateral meeting with Russia? The
Regional Outreach team in CA/P can assist by
coordinating document submission, obtaining clearances,
and compiling briefing books. We recently updated our
templates and example documents to help you select the
proper format and necessary content for your briefing
checklists. Check it out on CA Web:
http://intranet.ca.state.gov/offices/p/region al/9802.asp
x.
--------------
Fee Exemptions for USG-Funded J Participants
--------------
11. Posts are reminded that J-1 visa applicants
participating in U.S. Government sponsored programs with
program number prefixes that begin with "G-1," "G-2,"
"G-3," and "G-7" and their dependant spouses and
children are not required to pay the MRV and SEVIS fees.
Additionally, all U.S. Government sponsored J-1 visa
applicants and their dependents are not required to pay
any applicable reciprocity fees. We will clarify the
STATE 00044280 003 OF 004
guidance in 9 FAM 41.62 N9.2 ? N9.4 to reflect this.
For additional information, please contact VO/F/P.
--------------
Changes to H Visa Processing
--------------
12. We recently sent two ALDACS that provide guidance
on new DHS regulatory changes affecting H-2A and H-2B
visas (State 00044000 and STATE 00044004). A third
cable is forthcoming, outlining provisions of the
economic stimulus legislation that place conditions on
the employment of aliens in H-1B status by recipients of
funding under the "Troubled Asset Relief Program" (TARP)
or the Federal Reserve Act, and requires you to verify
that an employer has not received funding under TARP in
some cases. All three cables contained FAM notes that
are being added to 9 FAM and we urge you to review them
carefully.
13. Also new to H-1B processing: on April 15, 2009,
the Department of Labor launched the new iCERT system --
a portal for the electronic filing of labor condition
applications (LCAs) with DOL in H-1B cases. The iCERT
System allows employers to visit a single account to
prepare, submit, and check the status of the ETA Form
9035E LCA application. After a 30-day transition
period, use of iCERT will be mandatory for all LCA
filings.
--------------
FAM Sections Updated
--------------
14. The Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) Certification
Project, initiated by the Under Secretary for
Management, was launched last spring to identify and
update out-of-date information in the FAM. Similar to
the FAM-X initiative, Volume 9 FAM must be certified as
current annually. Subject matter experts throughout the
visa office took part in this project as well as our
colleagues from other Bureaus and DHS. As a result,
Volume 9 of the FAM is now current and supersedes
outdated SOP's and cables. If older cable guidance
contains information different from the recent FAM
update, ignore the old cable. Sections of the FAM will
be continuously updated to ensure compliance of this
annual certification initiative.
--------------
Overseas Responsibilities vis-a-vis PLOTS
--------------
15. CA/FPP reminds posts of their responsibility for
entering passport lookouts into PLOTS. Posts are
responsible for local scanning of documents into the ACS
case file and for sending the paper lookout file (and
relevant supporting documents) to the Department
(Passport Services Records Services Division) for PLOTS
scanning. Designated consular officers in ACS sections
and Fraud Prevention Managers (FPMs) have the authority
to enter certain categories of lookouts into CLASS via
PLOTS. For internal controls reasons, consular
supervisors should make certain that the paper lookout
files are sent to Washington on a weekly basis by
registered pouch. Any delays in shipment will prevent
users worldwide from seeing the case file. Additional
instructions on entering lookouts at post can be found
in 07 State 120430.
--------------
CA IT Systems Recognized
--------------
16. The American Council for Technology and Industry
Advisory Council (ACT-IAC) recently honored two CA
systems as finalists for Excellence.gov awards. ACT-IAC
is a non-profit group encouraging cooperation and
collaboration between industry and government IT
professionals. The two systems are the WHTI-(Western
Hemisphere Travel Initiative) compliant Passport Card
and Border Crossing Card, and our extensive website
presence through the TSG portal including: CEAC, the
Consular Electronic Application Center; IBRS, the
Internet-Based Registration System; Travel.State.gov;
EVAF, the Electronic Visa Application Form; and ATS, the
Adoption Tracking Service. The Excellence.gov awards
recognize best practices in the federal government's
management and use of information technology by honoring
federal programs and their managers who have achieved
exceptional results in the management of information
technology (IT) to support the USG's mission. It is an
STATE 00044280 004 OF 004
honor for two of our CST designed systems to be selected
as finalists.
--------------
Good Bye, ART!
--------------
17. After careful study, CST has decided to stop any
further development of the Ad Hoc Reporting Tool (ART).
You may continue to use the version of ART currently
installed on your workstation. You may also continue to
contact the CA Service Desk (supportdeskca@state.gov)
with any ART-related problems. CST is reviewing options
that would allow consular staff to create custom reports
for consular applications' data. They will not,
however, be accepting any ART change requests.
--------------
Systems Deployment Updates
--------------
18. NIV 04.06 - CST has started general deployment of
NIV 04.06. This latest version contains many important
new features including importation of on-line visa
applications from the Consular Electronic Application
Center (CEAC),increased integration with the Petition
Information Management System (PIMS),the ability to use
ten-print scanners for fingerprint verification and the
ability to use visa foils with alphanumeric foil
numbers. New versions of Ten-Print Live Scan (TPLS)
02.02.00 and Consular Systems Division Reusable
Components (CSD-RC) 01.03.00 are to be installed at the
same time and are included with the deployment package.
Prerequisite database upgrades should be completed by
May 8, and all NIV posts should complete the upgrade by
July 1. Additional details are in STATE 039780.
19. We anticipate deploying an accountable items
upgrade in early May that will change the way Posts
receive items into their AI inventory. Via the CCD, AI
will interface with the Department's Integrated
Logistics Management System (ILMS) used by CA/EX/GSD
(and your GSO). Officers will be able to accept
incoming inventory using the AI Transfer functionality.
This will largely eliminate the need for posts to enter
manually information about incoming items (item type,
container type, serial numbers, etc.) on the AI Receive
screen. We will inform posts when the upgrade is
implemented.
20. We remind post systems staff that the ACS 01.05.01
update (patch) is available for download at:
http://csdcm.ca.state.gov/CM/CST%20Systems/AC S+/010501/A
CS.asp. This upgrade includes changes in the
Citizenship Service functionality in ACS, including:
-- Receiving and QA'ing passports using the AIT reader;
-- Resolving delivered books stuck in the Awaiting
Delivery tab in CPAL;
-- Resolving the "null value" error on opening a new
citizenship service; and
-- Resolving the "phantom alias"/blank alias error.
CST strongly encourages all posts to install this patch
as soon as possible. It may be deployed gradually ? a
section may have some workstations running ACS 01.05.01
while others are still at 01.05.00 ? but posts should
install the patch on all their ACS machines. Contact
the Service Desk (supportdeskca@state.gov) in the event
of problems or questions.
--------------
WRAPS? QRG? EEDS?
--------------
21. Ever wonder what some of those crazy IT acronyms
mean? Help is now just a mouse-click away. The CA/CST
Terms and Acronyms Glossary contains most consular-
related IT terms plus clear explanations of what they
mean. The CA Service Desk regularly monitors and
updates this Glossary, which you can find on CAWeb via
the Related Contents links at:
http://intranet.ca.state.gov/systems/7505.asp x or
http://intranet.ca.state.gov/systems/user/con sular/7061.
aspx.
22. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.
CLINTON