BASIC FUNCTION OF POSITION The incumbent screens a high volume of visa and passport applications, documentation and information from a variety of sources (public counters, National Visa Center, Department of Homeland Security, other Embassies, mail, email, and phone calls.) The incumbent organizes and tracks visa requests according to a complicated set of laws and procedures. He/she prepare visa cases for adjudication ensuring the legal requirements of the application have been met. The incumbent receives work assignments and tasks according to established standard operating procedures. These include, but are not limited to: inputting relevant data into applicant tracking tools, addressing public inquiries both verbally and in writing, and disseminating accurate information regarding consular processes and visa requirements. The incumbent tracks the status of applications through a computerized process and responds accordingly. The incumbent may also be required to print visas and perform other consular administrative functions as necessary. The jobholder translates from Swahili and Somali to English for the interviewing officers in visa cases and for American Citizen Services (ACS). They inform the officers about culturally appropriate queries; assess the conformity of client’s claims within religious and cultural boundaries, and advises the officers appropriately. The incumbent reviews all forms of printed documentation to ascertain the existence of claimed relationships for appropriate decision-making by officers. He/she assist the Fraud Prevention Unit (FPU) on Somali cases requiring further questioning or follow-up.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES - Receives, prepares and conducts pre-interviews of Immigrant Visa (IV) applicants prior to interviews by the Consular Officer. He/she ensures that the applicant has met the documentary requirements and qualifications for the visa category they have been assigned.
- Alerts the Consular Officer of any missing documents, irregularities and potential fraud indicators. Brings to the attention of an officer any particularly complicated, sensitive or improperly processed cases. All this requires detailed knowledge of applicable US Law and the local laws and civil documents.
- Determines whether the applicant has lived in any other country and what police certificate may be required. Provides applicants with information on how to obtain police certificates from other countries.
- Ensures that the applicant’s financial documents have been properly completed and notarized and reviews the applicant’s tax returns for suitability.
- Scrutinizes the applicant’s medical forms to ensure they have been completed correctly. In cases of any ineligibility, the jobholder brings it to the attention of the consular officer as well as preparing the appropriate documentation to be completed for waiver application.
- Provides information to petitioners and beneficiaries of immigrant visas on a wide array of complex matters regarding filing petitions and applying for the immigrant visa. Responds to petitioners’, beneficiaries’, congressional inquiries on the status of visa applications.
- Enters data into Immigrant Visa Operations System software package for approved IV applicants. Jobholder must be proficient at this, and several other proprietary software packages. Reviews cases entered in the IVO System by NVC and KCC verifying the applicant’s identity and the data inputted.
- Prints the immigrant visa and packets it in accordance with complicated Department of Homeland Security regulations. Distributes issued visas to the public and explains to the recipients the timelines and procedures for travel and use of their visa.
- Accounts for visas used and spoiled to the officer supervising the IV/DV unit.
- Maintains a log of active DV and IV cases, both electronic and physical files. This entails receiving files from National Visa Center (NVC) and Kentucky Consular Center (KCC), filing, data entry of new cases and file transfers to other requesting posts. Maintains files for nonimmigrant V, K1 and K3 visa applicants. Schedules appointments and sends out the packet of instructions.
- Drafts responses to congressional and attorney inquiries that demand immediate attention. Drafts Security Advisory Opinions, visa allocation requests, and other IV clearances as required. Assists Consular Officers and Consular Associates in drafting responses to inquiries from within the mission and the general public. Clarifies requirements for immigrants’ visas (as per the U.S. Immigration law) and explaining the SOPs involved in their processing. Also, drafts Consular Return/Case Transfer cover memo for cases requiring possible revocation, using proper legal terminology and citing relevant FAM and Federal Regulation sources.
- Organizes, maintains, and tracks visa requests according to relatively complicated set of laws and procedures so that the Consular Officer can make decisions.
- Co-ordinates fingerprinting requests from National Visa Centre with the Fraud Prevention Unit and FBI.
- In the instances where visa ineligibility is found, provides proper forms to applicants to process waiver applications and provides guidance on how to complete the process. Ensures that all documents are completed properly before forwarding to DHS (locally/abroad). Ensures all supporting documents are included with waiver request. Completes memo for transmission of waiver to DHS. Co-ordinates fingerprinting for waiver requests, provides. Necessary follow up with DHS and CDC to ensure waiver request is received, processed and that any decision is forwarded in a timely manner. Notifies applicant of any decision DHS has reached.
- Paternity testing: Provides applicants with correct forms and instructs applicants on the correct procedures for paternity testing. Ensures that the applicants have the DNA testing in a timely manner. Informs the applicants once the results are received.
- Transfers files to DHS, NVC, and other posts as requested.
- Tracks cases that may go on for several years with frequent follow-up requirements. Advise applicants of potential case termination through Termination letters. Ensures that purged files are destroyed appropriately
- Maintains 221(g) files for both Immigrant and Diversity Visa cases. Ensures that Diversity visa applicants process their cases in a timely manner before the program closes September 30.
- Advises applicants’ of the following: priority date, changes in visa category, missing/incomplete documentation for 221 (g) cases, and when applicants are found documentarily unqualified during prescreening process.
- Assists with sensitive adoption cases, giving the procedures and guidance to the applicants and officers.
- Responds to numerous varied telephone inquiries for information, procedures, case status, and disseminates information on how to schedule appointments.
- Alerts FPU and officers on questionable documents. Checks the accuracy of the standard information sheets and application forms pertaining to IV/DV.
- Drafts routine correspondence in response to a variety of inquiries from Congress, attorneys and other interested parties concerned with individual cases.
- Ensures that there is enough stock of consular immigrant visa forms and other items.
- Serves as a back- up for Non-Immigrant Visa, Cashier, Fraud Prevention Unit and other office duties as needed.
Translates from Swahili and Somali to English for the interviewing officers in visa cases and for American Citizen Services (ACS). Informs the officers about cultural considerations. Assess the conformity of client’s claims within religious and cultural boundaries, and advises the officers appropriately. Reviews all forms of printed documentation to ascertain the existence of claimed relationships for appropriate decision-making by officers. Assists the Fraud Prevention Unit (FPU) on Somali cases requiring further questioning or follow-up.
Selection Process:
WHEN EQUALLY QUALIFIED, U.S. CITIZEN ELIGIBLE FAMILY MEMBER (USEFMs) AND U.S. VETERANS WILL BE GIVEN PREFERENCE. THEREFORE, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE CANDIDATES SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THE REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS ABOVE IN THE APPLICATION.
Additional Selection Criteria:
à Management will consider nepotism/conflict of interest, budget, and residency status in determining successful candidacy. à Current employees serving a probationary period are not eligible to apply.
à Current Ordinarily Resident employees with an Overall Summary Rating of Needs Improvement or Unsatisfactory on their
most recent Employee Performance Report are not eligible to apply.
à Currently employed U.S. Citizen EFMs who hold a Family Member Appointment (FMA) are ineligible to apply for
advertised positions within the first 90 calendar days of their employment.
à Currently employed NORs hired under a Personal Services Agreement (PSA) are ineligible to apply for advertised
positions within the first 90 calendar days of their employment unless currently hired into a position with a When Actually
Employed (WAE) work schedule.
à Applicants must be available for an interview and for proficiency testing as required by the selecting official.
Selection Process: WHEN EQUALLY QUALIFIED, U.S. CITIZEN ELIGIBLE FAMILY MEMBER (USEFMs) AND U.S. VETERANS WILL BE GIVEN PREFERENCE. THEREFORE, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE CANDIDATES SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THE REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS ABOVE IN THE APPLICATION.
Additional Selection Criteria:
à Management will consider nepotism/conflict of interest, budget, and residency status in determining
successful candidacy.
à Current employees serving a probationary period are not eligible to apply.
à Current Ordinarily Resident employees with an Overall Summary Rating of Needs Improvement or
Unsatisfactory on their most recent Employee Performance Report are not eligible to apply.
à Currently employed U.S. Citizen EFMs who hold a Family Member Appointment (FMA) are ineligible to
apply for advertised positions within the first 90 calendar days of their employment.
à Currently employed NORs hired under a Personal Services Agreement (PSA) are ineligible to apply for
advertised positions within the first 90 calendar days of their employment unless currently hired into a
position with a When Actually Employed (WAE) work schedule.
à Applicants must be available for an interview and for proficiency testing as required by the selecting official.
The U.S. Mission in Nairobi provides equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in Employment to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, Political affiliation, marital status, or sexual orientation. The Department of State also strives to achieve equal employment opportunity in all personnel operations through continuing diversity enhancement programs.
The EEO complaint procedure is not available to individuals who believe they have been denied Equal opportunity based upon marital status or political affiliation. Individuals with such complaints should avail themselves of the appropriate grievance procedures, remedies for prohibited personnel practices, and/or courts for relief.
DEFINITIONS
1. Eligible Family Member (EFM): An individual related to a U.S. Government employee in one of the following ways: - Spouse or same-sex domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610);
- Child, who is unmarried and under 21 years of age or, regardless of age, is incapable of self-support. The term shall include, in addition to natural offspring, stepchildren and adopted children and those under legal guardianship of the employee or the spouse when such children are expected to be under such legal guardianship until they reach 21 years of age and when dependent upon and normally residing with the guardian;
- Parent (including stepparents and legally adoptive parents) of the employee or of the spouse, when such parent is at least 51 percent dependent on the employee for support;
- Sister or brother (including stepsisters and stepbrothers, or adoptive sisters or brothers) of the employee, or of the spouse, when such sibling is at least 51 percent dependent on the employee for support, unmarried, and under 21 years of age, or regardless of age, incapable of self-support.
2. U.S. Citizen Eligible Family Member (USEFM): For purposes of receiving a preference in hiring for a qualified position, an EFM who meets the following criteria: - U.S. Citizen; and,
- EFM (see above) at least 18 years old; and,
- Listed on the travel orders of a direct-hire Foreign, Civil, or uniformed service member assigned to or stationed abroad with a USG agency that is under COM authority, or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan; and either:
-
- Resides at the sponsoring employee's or uniformed service member's post of assignment abroad or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan; or
- Resides at an Involuntary Separate Maintenance Allowance (ISMA) location authorized under 3 FAM 3232.2.
3. Appointment Eligible Family Member (AEFM): EFM (see above) eligible for a Family Member Appointment for purposes of Mission employment:
· Is a U.S. citizen; and
· Spouse or same-sex domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610) or a child of the sponsoring employee
who is unmarried and at least 18 years old; and
· Is listed on the travel orders or approved Form OF-126, Foreign Service Residence and
Dependency Report, of a sponsoring employee, i.e., a direct-hire Foreign Service, Civil Service, or
uniformed service member who is permanently assigned to or stationed abroad at a U.S. mission, or at
an office of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), and who is under chief of mission authority; and
· Is residing at the sponsoring employee's post of assignment abroad or, as appropriate, office of the
American Institute in Taiwan.
· Does not receive a Foreign Service or Civil Service annuity
4. Member of Household (MOH): An individual who accompanies a direct-hire Foreign, Civil, or uniformed service member permanently assigned or stationed at a U.S. Foreign Service post or establishment abroad, or at an office of the American Institute in Taiwan. An MOH is:
- Not an EFM; and,
- Not on the travel orders of the sponsoring employee; and,
- Has been officially declared by the sponsoring USG employee to the COM as part of his/her household.
A MOH is under COM authority and may include a parent, unmarried partner, other relative or adult child who falls outside the Department’s current legal and statutory definition of family member. A MOH does not have to be a U.S. Citizen.
5. Not Ordinarily Resident (NOR) – An individual who: - Is not a citizen of the host country; and,
- Does not ordinarily reside (OR, see below) in the host country; and,
- Is not subject to host country employment and tax laws; and,
- Has a U.S. Social Security Number (SSN).
NOR employees are compensated under a GS or FS salary schedule, not under the LCP.
6. Ordinarily Resident (OR) – A Foreign National or U.S. citizen who: - Is locally resident; and,
- Has legal, permanent resident status within the host country; and,
- Is subject to host country employment and tax laws.
EFMs without U.S. Social Security Numbers are also OR. All OR employees, including U.S. citizens, are compensated in accordance with the Local Compensation Plan (LCP).
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