Interior Minister Lutsenko: Ukrainians entered US on illegal immigration visas

November17200920:07

The scheme was masterminded by a Ukrainian citizen, a native of Ternopil.

Jointly with employees of a Ukrainian travel agency, this man selected candidates for illegal visas, instructed them on how to behave and what to answer at interviews at the US embassy. The ring was helped by an unidentified female employee of the US embassy in Kyiv who is a Ukrainian citizen and who knew the procedures for obtaining visas.

All candidates had to have a Shenghen visa in their foreign passports and stamps indicating their previous stay in the EU.

So far, US and Ukrainian investigators have established some 20 cases of illegal immigration visa issuance.

Ukraine’s interior minister told journalists how a mole had been infiltrated to expose the whole chain of corrupt officials.

«We have now cleansed one embassy. Now we will tackle other embassies», the minister summed up.

• 03:3320.11.09 mcbain
• • maybe if the ukrainian government didnt treat its citizens like prisoners there wouldnt be such a problem?
• 06:2319.11.09 UK is no better
• • The UK is no better. You want to visit the UK for two weeks and there expect you to tick all the boxes as if your are immigrating or planning on getting married in the UK. You need a letter form your employer, a letter from your university and a notorised translaltion of all documents just to visit as a tourist. Its BS. The system itself is corrupt and certainly not managed professionally. Millions of dollars wasted in the process.
    
• 21:0618.11.09 Bill
• • Another item of disgust is a new practice instituted at the US Embassy in Kiev Ukraine that requires those applying for a visa to pay a "fee" of $12.00 US Dollars to telephone the Embassy and find out when their visa appointment is scheduled.
    This is another example of graft and corruption but unfortunately the scam is being perpetrated by the embassy itself. As a US citizen I find this practice absolutely unacceptable. This procedure did not exist 3-years ago as I myself telephoned the embassy in Kiev (at no charge) to find out the date of visa interviews.
    For those that may doubt the accuracy of this please use the internet address below and go to the Kiev Embassy Web-site and read about this disgusting policy yourself. http://kyiv.usembassy.gov/call_center_eng.html
    I am ashamed at this extortion of those who are unable to do anything except comply in order to obtain the visa they are entitled to.
    
• 02:5118.11.09 Number6
• • As a USA citizen I find it disgusting how hard our Government makes it for people of the Ukraine to visit the United States.
    It is also bothersome the treatment suffered by Ukrainian citizens at the hands of the USA Embassy employees. People who legitimately want to visit the USA are roughly treated, insulted, their integrity is attacked and they are denied visitors visas based on arbitrary standards.
    That is why people try "questionable tactics" to get a visa.
    We in the USA should open our borders to Ukrainian Citizens just as you have opened your arms to us visiting your country.
    As a citizen of the USA, I apologize for the actions of our embassy personel and hope that someday your citizens will be free to visit my country and see that we are truly nice people.