VZCZCXRO6393
RR RUEHAST
DE RUEHPG #0527/01 1361435
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 161435Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY PRAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7354
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHBM/AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST 7242
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 0532
RUEHSF/AMEMBASSY SOFIA 0483

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRAGUE 000527 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR CA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CVIS PREL EZ
SUBJECT: CZECH REPUBLIC: BCWG MEETING ON THE VISA ROADMAP 
 
PRAGUE 00000527  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: The U.S.-Czech Bilateral Consular Working 
Group (BCWG) met May 11 to discuss progress on the Visa 
Roadmap toward eventual membership in the U.S. Visa Waiver 
Program. The Czechs confirmed that all passports issued in 
September 2006 and after will contain biometric chips. They 
announced the launch of a public relations campaign, which 
will feature public statements made by leading Czech 
politicians urging Czechs not to overstay their visas. 
Emboffs explained planned improvements in Prague visa 
application procedures and Embassy facilities. These changes 
should improve convenience and comfort, and shorten the wait 
time for obtaining a tourist visa. Emboffs also announced the 
launch of the 2005 baseline study of Czech overstays. 
Finally, the BCWG discussed minor irritants, including 
asymmetric Czech visa requirements for the adult children of 
U.S. diplomats, and the complaints of Czech visa applicants. 
End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Czech participants at the fifth BCWG meeting on May 
11 included Lubos Novy, Director General of the MFA's Legal 
and Consular Section; Tomas Haisman, Director of Interior 
Ministry's Asylum and Migration Policy Department; and Ivana 
Holoubkova, Deputy Director of the MFA's Americas Department. 
Embassy participants included Michael Dodman, Acting DCM; 
Richard Appleton, Consul General; Mario Mequita, Deputy 
Consul General; Sean Joyce, Legal Attache; and Jan Krc, 
Information Officer. The meeting focused on Czech compliance 
with biometric passport requirements, Prague visa application 
procedures, Czech public diplomacy efforts, status of the 
2005 baseline overstay study, Czech visa requirements for 
children of U.S. diplomats, and Czech visa applicant 
complaints. 
 
---------- 
Biometrics 
---------- 
 
¶3. (U) The Czechs announced that all Czech passports issued 
after September 2006 will contain the required biometric 
chip. Fingerprints will be added to passports in 2008. Given 
the ten year validity of passports, it will take that long to 
fully phase in the new system. 
 
---------------------- 
Czech Public Relations 
---------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Czechs launched a public relations campaign, 
which they claim will feature public statements made by 
high-ranking Czech officials urging Czechs not to overstay 
their visas. For example, FM Cyril Svoboda is expected to 
make a public statement that urges visa compliance when he 
returns from his May 16 meeting with the Secretary and 
members of the U.S. Congress. Emboffs urged the MFA also to 
consider the following forms of public outreach: (1) correct 
all misstatements about U.S. visas in the local press, and 
(2) respond in writing to articles regularly published in the 
local press about Czechs who overstay their visas and work 
illegally in the U.S. (Note: Post has not seen any official 
statement on visa compliance in the press to date, and is 
somewhat skeptical of the efficacy of the Czech campaign. 
Post previously provided a draft print campaign to the Czechs 
to use, but FM Svoboda failed to approve it -- presumably 
because he believed it could have a negative impact on the 
upcoming national election in June. Post will urge the Czechs 
to reconsider using the proposed print campaign after the 
election. End note.) 
 
--------------------------- 
Visa Application Procedures 
--------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) The Czechs said they compared Embassy Prague's visa 
application procedures with those of other U.S. Embassies in 
the region, including Athens, Bratislava, Budapest, Nicosia, 
Riga, Tallinn and Warsaw. On the basis of this comparison, 
the Czechs concluded the application procedures of other 
embassies must be better than those of Embassy Prague, based 
on their claim that the Czech Republic currently has the 
longest wait for a visa in the region. (The Czechs claimed 
that as of the date of their comparison, the wait in the 
Czech Republic was nearly four weeks.) 
 
¶6. (SBU) Emboffs explained procedures currently vary from 
post to post. Embassy Prague employs the application 
procedures recommended by the Department. These procedures 
were chosen to address post-specific problems identified in 
 
PRAGUE 00000527  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
the past, such as long lines at the Embassy. While wait times 
in Prague -- normally less than a week -- are currently 
longer than at the posts listed above, Emboffs said the delay 
is temporary and is due to unexpected staffing shortages and 
a spike in the number of visa applications that mark the 
onset of the summer visa season. The Czechs seemed satisfied 
with Emboffs' explanations. 
 
¶7. (U) Emboffs also said Embassy Prague will soon make 
changes to improve the convenience of applying for a visa. 
For example, the Embassy will implement new procedures, 
including the expansion of the current student application 
process to include journalists and preferred business 
travelers, and the option for Czech tourists to apply using 
the electronic visa application form (EVAF). (However, 
Emboffs cautioned that the EVAFs are not in Czech and will 
mean longer waits at the Embassy while applications are 
processed.) In addition, in fall 2006 Embassy Prague will 
have a larger waiting room, an additional vice consul, and 
two extra windows for interviewing applicants. These changes 
should permit the Embassy to schedule more visa appointments, 
which in turn should shorten the length of time between 
applying for and obtaining a visa. 
 
-------------- 
Overstay Study 
-------------- 
 
¶8. (U) The Embassy has started the baseline study of 2005 
Czech overstay rates as outlined by the Roadmap. Procedures 
for the study will be implemented in accordance with 
Department guidance. Emboff said the Embassy's previous study 
using 2004 data found a 3.5% overstay rate and noted the 
figure does not include a further 2% of Czech visitors who 
could not be located. Based on the 3.5% overstay rate, the 
Embassy is satisfied that adjudication in the Czech Republic 
is neither too strict nor too lax. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
Czech Visas for Kids of U.S. Diplomats 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Emboffs asked whether Czech visa requirements for 
the adult children of U.S. diplomats (ages 18 to 26) could be 
harmonized with U.S. requirements, which are more lenient. 
The Czechs claimed the current law cannot be changed, and 
applies equally to the children of all diplomats to the Czech 
Republic. Emboffs asked whether it would at least be possible 
to change the harsh requirement that U.S. adult children must 
first obtain admission to a Czech institution of higher 
education before they can obtain a visa. Czechs agreed to 
examine the issue. 
 
------------------------------- 
Czech Visa Applicant Complaints 
------------------------------- 
 
¶10. (SBU) The Czechs said they have noticed a spike in the 
number of complaints about the U.S. visa application process. 
The complaints fall generally into two categories: (1) 
unhappy because didn't receive a visa, and/or (2) unhappy 
because experience at the Embassy was "humiliating." Emboffs 
noted the spike may be a result of the attention the visa 
issue has received in the local press in the run-up to the 
national election on June 2. Nevertheless, the Embassy takes 
complaints seriously, and investigates all of them to ensure 
fair and respectful treatment of all applicants, and an 
overall experience that is as pleasant as possible. ADCM 
Dodman emphasized that customer service is a top priority of 
Ambassador Cabannis because the experience of applying for a 
visa may be the first interaction a Czech citizen has with 
the United States. Emboffs urged the MFA to forward all 
serious complaints to the Embassy for investigation and 
appropriate follow-up. 
 
¶11. (U) The meeting concluded with a warm farewell from Novy 
and the Czech delegates to departing CG Appleton. The next 
BCWG meeting will be scheduled in fall 2006 after the arrival 
of the Embassy's new Consul General. 
CABANISS