US embassy cable - 04KINSHASA1502

UNCLAS KINSHASA 001502 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR CA/VO/F/P 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CVIS, ETRD, BEXP, CG 
SUBJECT: CONGO-KINSHASA BUSINESS VISA FACILITATION PROGRAM 
 
REF: 04 STATE 166108 
 
1.   Summary.  A low level of trade between the United 
States and Congo-Kinshasa, a short average NIV appointment 
wait time and open channels between the consular and 
economic sections form the basis of informal mechanisms used 
at post to facilitate business visa issuance.  Legitimate 
business travelers face little to no impediments obtaining 
visas by following standard procedures.  Per reftel, post 
will reach out to local American businesses with interests 
in Congo-Kinshasa to solicit feedback on current mechanisms 
and to explore ways to further facilitate legitimate 
business travel to the United States.  End summary. 
 
2.   Years of civil war and mismanagement have left Congo- 
Kinshasa one of the poorest countries in the world despite 
its abundance of natural resources.  Trade between Congo- 
Kinshasa and the United States is comparatively small -- 
approximately US 119 million, most of which is from the 
petroleum sector.  Principal American companies with 
interests here include Chevron-Texaco, General Motors, Ford 
and Caterpillar.  Manufacturers of cellular 
telecommunications equipment are potential sources of 
business with the United States, while American sellers of 
used aircraft sometimes have need for Congolese business 
visitors. 
 
3.   NIV workload in Kinshasa is approximately 3,200 
applicants per year and appointment wait time averages three 
to five days.  Legitimate business travelers with proper 
documents and a history of prior travel receive full and 
timely attention for visa requests.  In instances where an 
unknown or poorly documented person is applying for a visa 
for business travel to the United States, the U.S. firm 
often contacts the consular section either directly or 
through the economic section to confirm the legitimacy of 
the proposed trip.  With high levels of NIV fraud and a high 
refusal rate, vice consul prefers to individually examine 
any questionable applications or new travelers. 
 
4.   Based on these factors, post's standard visa 
appointment procedures and informal verification mechanisms 
for business travel have well served the American business 
community here.  There are no lengthy delays for prospective 
travelers to obtain a visa interview, and cooperation 
between the consular and economic sections on identifying 
legitimate business travel is good. 
 
5.   Per reftel, post will look at formalizing and expanding 
these mechanisms by inquiring with local representatives of 
American companies about additional measure to facilitate 
business visas.  Embassy-sponsored business roundtables will 
be ideal forums to gather such feedback.  Post will invite 
interested companies to submit names and contact information 
of staff that consular personnel could contact in order to 
verify the bona fides of prospective travelers and the 
legitimacy of the travel agenda.  Other pertinent 
information such as the names and passport numbers of any 
regular travelers also could be included in these post- 
maintained files. 
 
 
MEECE