Inspection of U.S. Interests Section Havana, Cuba

The Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, in coordination with the Office of the Under Secretary for Political Affairs and the Bureaus of Overseas Buildings Operations and Diplomatic Security, should establish an interagency working group to develop and implement a strategic plan that addresses operational and program issues affecting the U.S. presence in Cuba.

The Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs should require the director of the Office of the Coordinator for Cuban Affairs to visit Havana at an early opportunity.

The U.S. Interests Section Havana should request that the Bureau of Consular Affairs provide long-term temporary duty officer support.

The U.S. Interests Section Havana should request that the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations and the Bureau of Consular Affairs expedite their consideration of a major reconfiguration of the consular section.

The U.S. Interests Section Havana, in coordination with the Bureau of Overseas Building Operations and the Bureau of Consular Affairs, should implement no-cost and low-cost changes to improve consular section facilities.

The U.S. Interests Section Havana should put in place a plan to review local consular staff performance and skills, verify that staff members have all requisite skills, and implement improvement plans, where appropriate.

The U.S. Interests Section Havana should require the Class B cashier to provide the accountable consular officer with an OF-158 receipt for consular deposits daily.

The U.S. Interests Section Havana should perform all required nonimmigrant visa adjudication reviews in a timely manner.

The Bureau of Consular Affairs, in coordination with the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, should support the U.S. Interests Section Havana’s proposal that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services take responsibility for processing parole cases for Cuban nationals and move much of the casework to the United States.

The Bureau of Overseas Building Operations should implement a comprehensive plan to address security, structural, fire safety, and space planning deficiencies at the U.S. Interests Section Havana annex building.

The Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, in coordination with the Bureau of Human Resources and the Office of the Legal Adviser, should determine to what extent local Cuban staff can be treated as U.S. Government employees eligible for additional benefits.

The U.S. Interests Section Havana, in coordination with the Bureaus of Human Resources and Consular Affairs, should determine whether Cuban nationals employed by the mission qualify for special immigrant status and, if so, reinstate the program.

The U.S. Interests Section Havana should implement a motor pool policy in compliance with Department of State guidance.

The U.S. Interests Section Havana, in coordination with the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs and the Bureau of Information Resource Management, should establish a staffing plan that addresses technical capability and language ability.