VZCZCXRO2798
RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHMS #0235/01 0870333
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 280333Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY MUSCAT
TO GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0260
RUEHPNH/NVC PORTSMOUTH NH
INFO ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 0020
RUEHMS/AMEMBASSY MUSCAT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 000235 
 
SIPDIS 
DEPT ALSO PASS TO KCC; POSTS FOR FRAUD PREVENTION MANAGERS 
ATHENS FOR DHS/ICE AND DHS/CIS; ROME FOR DHS/ICE 
DHS/CIS 
AND 
DHS/CBP; NEA/ELA FOR D. MCNICHOLAS; CA/FPP FOR S. SEXTON; CAIRO FOR RCO CROWAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFRD CVIS CPAS CMGT ASEC MU
SUBJECT: FRAUD SUMMARY - MUSCAT, SEPTEMBER 2008-FEBRUARY 2009 
 
REF: STATE 74840 
 
¶A. (U) COUNTRY CONDITIONS:  The Government of Oman estimated its 
population at 2,340,815 in its 2003 census, but the current number is 
likely to be significantly higher due to an influx of expatriate 
workers in numerous sectors of the economy. The CIA World Factbook 
estimates Oman's population to be 3,311,640 in its latest on-line 
update (March 5, 2009). 
 
Oman's long history of trading between the east coast of Africa and 
the Indian subcontinent has produced considerable ethnic, linguistic, 
and cultural diversity in the population, although a majority of 
Omani citizens are ethnically Arab. Arabic is the official and most 
widely spoken language. English, Hindi, Urdu, Swahili, Baluchi, Loti, 
Telagu, Malayalam, and local dialects are also used. Many government 
officials and most merchants dealing with the expatriate community 
speak English. 
 
Like other countries in the region, Oman relies on imported labor to 
support and carry out its development plans. With ambitious public 
works, tourism and industrial projects begun throughout the 
Sultanate, the last two years have seen a rapid increase in the 
number of expatriates working in the Sultanate. In March 2008, 
according to Omani Central bank figures, the expatriate workforce was 
approximately 680,100, up from 511,000 in 2006. While a substantial 
increase, indications from several sources suggest the official 
number of expatriate workers in the Sultanate is understated. 
Americans hold a handful of positions in the private sector, mostly 
in the oil, education and banking sectors, but technical advisers and 
managers are mostly from Europe and the Indian subcontinent. Although 
the majority of third country nationals come to Oman to work, some 
transit illegally to other countries. 
 
The majority of third country national (TCN) NIV applicants are from 
Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, 
Philippines, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Syria. 
 
Post's IV applicant pool is small, but similarly diverse. Post's IV 
processing has decreased considerably since FY 2007 when processing 
for nurses slowed due to a rollback in eligibility dates. Prior to 
that, IVs for nurses accounted for 90% of Post's IV workload. 
Presently, the bulk of IV processing is family- based petitions and 
diversity visa applicants. 
 
¶B. (U) NIV FRAUD:  Post processed approximately 2,064 non-immigrant 
visas from September 2008 to February 2009.  Fifty percent of these 
were B1/B2 applications from Omanis and Indians traveling to the U.S. 
for business and training sponsored by employers in Oman.  Post did 
not encounter any fraud with these and other NIV categories processed 
during the reporting period. 
 
¶C. (U) IV FRAUD: Post received 31 IV petitions and applications 
during the reporting period. Most were in the immediate relative and 
family-based categories.  Only one case of potential fraud is 
currently under investigation. Post uncovered information indicating 
that a Filipino IV applicant who has an F2B petition pending may have 
been hiding a previous marriage. 
 
¶D. (U) DV FRAUD:  From September 2008 to February 2009, a total of 15 
DVs were processed and issued.  Post reports no fraud during this 
period. 
 
¶E. (U) ACS AND US PASSPORT FRAUD: The American Citizen Services unit 
did not encounter any incidents of ACS fraud. 
 
¶F. (U) ADOPTION FRAUD: None. Post received no adoption applications 
during this period.  Only Muslims are permitted to adopt in Oman. 
 
¶G. (U) USE OF DNA TESTING:  Post did not recommend any cases for DNA 
testing during this period. 
 
¶H. (U) ASYLUM AND OTHER DHS BENEFIT FRAUD:  Post did not process any 
cases during this period. 
 
¶I. (U) ALIEN SMUGGLING, TRAFFICKING, ORGANIZED CRIME, TERRORIST 
TRAVEL: No cases were reported for the period. 
 
¶J. (U) DS CRIMINAL FRAUD INVESTIGATION: No cases were investigated 
during this period. 
 
¶K. (U) HOST COUNTRY PASSPORT IDENTITY DOCUMENTS, AND CIVIL REGISTRY: 
 
MUSCAT 00000235  002 OF 002 
 
 
Oman maintains a national identity card for both Omani citizens and 
expatriates. Post is not aware of any fraud related to host country 
passport identity documents or any civil registry fraud. 
 
¶L. (U) COOPERATION WITH HOST GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES: As post has not 
experienced any fraud this quarter, Post has not raised any fraud 
concerns with the Omani government. The embassy has excellent 
relations with the Royal Oman Police (ROP) and the consular section 
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). The ROP and MFA communicate 
with the embassy whenever they encounter fraud that impacts the 
embassy's operations. 
 
¶M. (U) AREAS OF PARTICULAR CONCERN: None. 
 
¶N. (U) STAFFING AND TRAINING: The Fraud Prevention Manager is Vice 
Consul Stephen F. Ibelli. The FPM attended the fraud course at FSI in 
July of 2008. The senior FSN, Peter Menezes, received fraud training 
in 2003. Post plans a fraud briefing led by the British Embassy in 
Oman's Regional Risk Assessment Manager for the end of March. The 
briefing will cover such topics as common forgery methods, bank 
statements, educational certificates and signature verification. 
Local American consular staff will participate in it, as well as a 
number of EU consular colleagues. 
GRAPPO