Summary
Date Posted: Tuesday, August 15 2023, Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
Duties
The Nonimmigrant Visa (NIV) Assistant performs a wide range of consular duties associated with delivering nonimmigrant visa (NIV) services, in accordance with the NIV unit’s standard operating procedures and established visa processing guidelines. Incumbent performs data-entry, document review, correspondence, passport manifesting, visa printing, and other general office work. Customer service focus is essential in a visa unit that addresses applicants in person daily. The position requires a high-level of attention to detail to spot trends or potential issues and escalate those as necessary.

Case Management – 70%
• Manages the process of scheduling, interviewing, printing, and visa delivery for applicants applying for various NIV classes, including rare and complex visas classes, and coordinates process for visa applicant groups.
• Applies knowledge of various visa classes and their exact processing requirements to ensure proper annotations and documentation requirements are met.
• Supports preparation of complex Security Advisory Opinion (SAO) requests for submission to the Department.
• Monitors receipt of responses from the Department for SAO and waiver requests and preparing passports for further processing.
• Downloads application information in NIV systems.
• Ensures applications and other required documents are submitted and completed correctly, and verifies electronic photo is acceptable.
• Ensures all required documents for petition-based cases are submitted and completed correctly, and that petition information is available in the Petition Information Management Service (PIMS).
• Downloads PIMS information for all petition-based visa applicants and runs it against PIMS batch report in the Consular Consolidated Database (CCD). Submits expedited requests for PIMS batch reports when needed.
• Groups cases based on family relationship and/or travel purposes electronically.
• Ensures birth certificates, marriage certificates, and other required documents are included when applicable.
• Initiates mandatory namechecks.
• Enters the proper nationality and notifies the applicant of the relevant reciprocity fees, if applicable.
• Notifies the adjudicating officer regarding special processing steps and of reciprocity fees, if any.
• Captures photos as needed of NIV applicants for the visa foil.
• Performs error and quality assurance check.
• Ensures cases have passed all clearances.
• Prints approved visas onto controlled, accountable blank visa foil sheets, ensuring there are no errors in biodata or print quality.
• Peels and applies approved visas into passports.
• Separates and organizes cases by foil number, as appropriate.
• Maintains logs of passports and foil numbers, as appropriate.
• Enters passport information into a local database to track passports sent to the courier, as needed.
• Checks the visas in individual passports and performs quality assurance checks to make sure they are error-free.
• Verifies each passport against local database before packaging, as appropriate.
• Screens for possible fraud trends in cases based on local context and norms and escalates cases as appropriate.
• Performs thorough screenings of applicant documents for certain visa classes and preparing clear and concise summaries of document contents as appropriate.

Communication – 10%
• Provides general and complex visa information to the public by responding to visa inquiries received in person and electronically.
• Contacts applicants directly to request additional information as needed to facilitate officer adjudication.
• Assists with creation of outreach materials. Providing the public with salient visa information in formal and informal settings.
• Participates in outreach events as a representative of the U.S. government.
• Assists with the scheduling and processing of high-level host country government contacts/applicants. Tracks cases and assists with drafting reporting for Post’s Front Office regarding important cases.
• Corresponds with other Department of State offices including the Visa Office, Kentucky Consular Center (KCC), Consular Affairs Systems and Technology (CST) on visa processing and petition verification issues when needed.
• Assists with interpretation, as needed.

Accountability – 10%
• Manages and safeguards personally identifiable information (PII) on a daily basis.
• Shares responsibility with other NIV assistants and supervisors when dealing with visa foils. Incumbent is personally accountable for receipt and safeguarding of numbered items. Department regulations require that some case files be maintained and appropriately secured.
• Separates cases that have expired, need corrections, and/or are open in the system.
• Updates and maintains Visa Unit documents and forms.
• Destroys documents at specified intervals.

Other Duties – 10%
The job holder also functions as a back-up supervisor or team lead, consular cashier, manages a specialize portfolio, or assists in other work units as assigned.

Qualifications and Evaluations
Requirements:
• EXPERIENCE: Minimum two years of experience involving the application of regulations and law, extensive public contact, customer service, or problem-solving experience is required.

JOB KNOWLEDGE:
Good understanding of local governmental organizations, immigration law and practices, and cultural and social practices.

Education Requirements:
Completion of High School is required.
Evaluations:
LANGUAGE:
English level III (Good working knowledge) Reading/Writing/Speaking is required.
Kiswahili level IV (Fluent) Reading/Writing/Speaking is required.
(This may be tested)

Skills And Abilities:
• Intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Word and Outlook, and basic knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Power Point is required. Must be able to perform work with accuracy at a quick, rapid pace. Must be able to deal effectively with the public, exercising tact, and be able to work under continuous pressure and time constraints. Must demonstrate attention to detail, ability to work effectively as a member of a team as well as independently with minimal supervision, and strong interpersonal skills. Must have good skills for drafting written correspondence in both English and local language. Must be able to apply good judgment in evaluating evidence and to apply regulations correctly.



Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 24

Level of Education: Postgraduate Degree

Job application procedure
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