REF: VA-10-12
Recruiter: U.S. Embassy
AA/EE: Not Applicable
Contract: Permanent
Location: Nairobi
Available: Immediately
Category: Administrative / Clerical
Offer: FP-6; FSN-8
Introduction
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The Consular Section has an opening for the position of Consular Assistant. The position will be
available immediately.

Minimum Requirements
• Bachelor’s degree in International Relations, Law, Business Management, Political Science
or Economics is required.
• Four years experience in an office environment translating for the public as needed,
handling administrative duties and providing customer service is required.
• Level IV English, Level IV Kiswahili and Level V Somali ability is required.
• Must have strong writing skills (will be tested).
• Must have strong computer skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Power Point (will be
tested).

JOB SPECIFICATION
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.