VZCZCXRO0846
RR RUEHRG
DE RUEHBR #1485/01 2151520
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 031520Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9670
INFO RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO 0546
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO 4890
RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE 7018

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRASILIA 001485 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR CA/VO/F/P, CA/FPP, CA/EX 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CVIS KRFD CMGT BR
SUBJECT: EMBASSY BRASILIA CY 2006 CLASS B REFERRAL VALIDATION STUDY 
REF: (A) 04 STATE 172283, (B) 00 STATE 63463, (C) CA/FPP WEB PAGE 
 
¶1.  Summary: In July 2007, the consular section of Embassy Brasilia 
conducted a validation study of 475 class B Referral visas issued 
between January 1st, 2006 and December 31st, 2006.  Results from 
this random sample showed that 71% returned, 2% did not return, 23% 
never traveled; 4% were inconclusive. We also conducted a second 
study of all Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) class B Referrals. 
Within this smaller group, we found that 71% returned, 10% never 
traveled and no overstays were detected; 19% were inconclusive 
compared to 4% inconclusive cases in the first random sample.  While 
we estimated a 5% overstay rate for the overall B referral survey, 
we only found a 2% rate.  We initially believed that FAS cases were 
more likely to overstay, but the study proved that this assumption 
was incorrect as there were no confirmed overstay FAS cases.  We 
will follow up with FAS and DHS to determine the status of the 
unconfirmed cases.  End Summary. 
 
 
¶2.  Post classified the study results into four categories: 
confirmed return or current legal stay; confirmed overstay; never 
traveled and inconclusive - applicants unable to contact.  We 
followed CA/FPP guidance in developing the study.  Our target range 
was between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2006 and included all 
475 Class B referral visas issued during this period.  Our maximum 
estimate of overstays was 5% and our proposed sample size was 48 
with a sample interval of 10.  More details on statistical 
methodology paragraphs 6 & 7. 
 
 
 
Data Analysis General Observations 
 
¶3.  After conducting the study through telephone calls, we 
determined that 71% of Embassy Brasilia Class B visa Referrals used 
their visas appropriately leaving within six months of arrival and 
23% never traveled (90% had to cancel and 10% had no intention of 
traveling when they applied for their visas).  We confirmed that 
only one person overstayed, 2% and could not reach 4%. This overstay 
rate of 2% is less than we had estimated with our 95% confidence 
level (Para 6) 
 
¶4. The overstay was a male born in 1968 who received a class B 
referral from FAS after previous refusals. He is a farmer who was 
previously refused before being referred.  At both his first 
interview and his referred interview he claimed to be going to a The 
World Agriculture Expo in Tulane California.  FAS confirmed that he 
attended the conference.   We gave FAS the applicant's contact 
information to follow-up on his exact reason for overstay. 
 
The second study: FAS cases 
 
¶5.  After analyzing the confirmed overstay in greater detail, post 
decided to conduct an investigation of all FAS referrals using the 
same statistical methodology. The assumption that FAS referrals 
might be associated with more overstays was incorrect.  Post 
concluded that 71% of all FAS Class B visa Referrals who were 
interviewed by Embassy Brasilia in 2006 left the United States 
within 6 months (the same percentage as the 1st random sample). We 
found no confirmed overstays, though we had many more inconclusive 
cases.  There were 19% inconclusive cases in the FAS pool and only 
4% in the regular class B referrals.  This could be because rural 
phone numbers are less reliable, but we plan to work with DHS and 
FAS to better determine the status of these cases. 
 
Methodology 
 
¶6.  Post followed CA/FPP guidance for validation surveys per 
reftels. We organized a spreadsheet according to the following 
categories: Random Number, Sample Frequency, Gender, DOB, 
Nationality, phone number, alternate phone number, date to call, 
first call date, second call date (if missed on the first), third 
and final call date (if missed on first two) and four result 
columns: confirmed overstay, confirmed return, inconclusive, and 
never traveled. The sample size of all Class B referrals was 48. 
This was calculated using a 95% confidence level (95% certain) and 
the worst case scenario percentage of 50% per referral. 
 
¶7.  For the second study of the FAS referrals, post calculated the 
random sample using a 99% confidence level with 76 referrals.  After 
omitting cases from the original random sample and applicants under 
ten, 58 cases remained.  Post contacted 70% of these cases to 
conduct the second analysis.  Overall, we called 100% of the Class B 
visa referral holders in both random samples and reached 90% of the 
candidates. 
 
Conclusion 
 
¶8.  The point of this validation study was to test Embassy 
Brasilia's assumptions regarding potential overstay rates with Class 
 
BRASILIA 00001485  002 OF 002 
 
 
B referrals.  We estimated a 5% overstay rate with the initial 
random sample of 475 Class B referral visas, but there was only a 2% 
overstay rate.  We also believed that FAS cases would show a higher 
overstay rate but found no conclusive overstays. With both 
validation studies, 71% of the visa applicants returned, thus 
proving that the majority of Class B referrals are good cases. 
 
¶9. After examining this validation study in greater detail, consular 
officers at post noted the following: (a) although most referrals 
are good cases, they should never be guaranteed a visa; the same 
adjudication procedures for non-referrals should be implemented 
during the interview process; (b) when receiving FAS referrals, 
officers should ask detailed case-specific questions (i.e. number of 
employees on farm, precise occupation, land ownership) and obtain 
better contact information; (c) if referred cases were previously 
denied,  new evidence provided in follow up interviews should be 
given very close attention. Post sees many farmers in our district 
and we will continue to work with FAS as the agricultural economy in 
Brazil continues to expand. 
 
 
SOBEL