Report to the Chairman and Ranking 

Minority Member, Committee on 

Science, House of Representatives 

United States General Accounting Office 

GAO 

February 2004 BORDER SECURITY

Improvements Needed 

to Reduce Time Taken 

to Adjudicate Visas for 

Science Students and 

Scholars 

GAO-04-371 
www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-04-371.

To view the full product, including the scope 

and methodology, click on the link above. 

For more information, contact Jess T. Ford at 

(202) 512-4128 or fordj@gao.gov. 

Highlights of GAO-04-371, a report to the 

Chairman and Ranking Minority Member, 

Committee on Science, House of 

Representatives 

February 2004

BORDER SECURITY 

Improvements Needed to Reduce Time 

Taken to Adjudicate Visas for Science 

Students and Scholars 

State Department (State) data are not available on how long it takes for a 

science student or scholar to obtain a visa. While State has not set specific 

criteria or time frames for how long the visa process should take, its goal is 

to adjudicate visas as quickly as possible, consistent with immigration laws 

and homeland security objectives. During this review, GAO found that the 

time it takes to adjudicate a visa depends largely on whether an applicant 

must undergo a security check known as Visas Mantis, which is designed to 

protect against sensitive technology transfers. Based on a random sample of 

Visas Mantis cases for science students and scholars sent from posts 

between April and June 2003, GAO found it took an average of 67 days for 

the security check to be processed and for State to notify the post. In 

addition, GAO’s visits to posts in China, India, and Russia in September 2003 

showed that many Visas Mantis cases had been pending 60 days or more. 

GAO also found that the way in which Visas Mantis information was 

disseminated at headquarters made it difficult to resolve some of these cases 

expeditiously. Furthermore, consular staff at posts GAO visited said they 

were unsure whether they were contributing to lengthy waits because they 

lacked clear guidance on when to apply Visas Mantis checks and did not 

receive feedback on whether they were providing enough information in 

their Visas Mantis requests. Another factor that may effect the time taken to 

adjudicate visas for science students and scholars is the wait for an 

interview. The wait time at posts GAO visited was generally 2 to 3 weeks but 

could be longer depending on the time of the year. 

Average Time Frames for Visas Mantis Adjudication Process, April to June 2003 

While State and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials 

acknowledged there have been lengthy waits, they report having measures 

under way that they believe will improve the process and that they are 

collaborating to identify and resolve outstanding Visas Mantis cases. In 

addition, State officials told GAO they have invested about $1 million to 

upgrade the technology for sending Visas Mantis requests. According to 

State officials, the new system will help to reduce the time it takes to 

process Visas Mantis cases. But despite State’s plans to improve the Visas 

Mantis process, challenges remain. For example, the FBI’s systems will not 

immediately be interoperable with State’s. GAO was unable to assess State’s 

new system since it was not yet functioning at the time of the review. 

Each year thousands of 

international science students and 

scholars apply for visas to enter the 

United States to participate in 

education and exchange programs. 

They offer our country diversity 

and intellectual knowledge and are 

an economic resource. At the same 

time, the United States has 

important national security 

interests in screening these 

individuals when they apply for a 

visa. At a hearing held by the 

House Committee on Science on 

March 26, 2003, witnesses raised 

concern about the length of time it 

takes for science students and 

scholars to obtain a visa and about 

losing top international students to 

other countries due to delays in the 

visa process. GAO reviewed 1) 

how long it takes a science student 

or scholar from another country to 

obtain a visa and the factors 

contributing to the length of time, 

and 2) what measures are under 

way to improve the process and 

decrease the number of pending 

cases. 

GAO is making a recommendation 

to the Secretary of State, in 

coordination with the Director of 

the FBI and the Secretary of 

Homeland Security, to develop and 

implement a plan to improve the 

security check process known as 

Visas Mantis. State commented 

that it had taken some action to 

improve the Visas Mantis process 

and it would study our 

recommendation to make further 

improvements. 
Page i GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

Letter 1

Results in Brief 2

Background 4

Length of Time to Adjudicate Visas Is Unknown; Security Check Is 

Major Contributing Factor 10

Agency Officials Cite Improvements 21

Conclusions 24

Recommendation for Executive Action 24

Agency Comments and Our Evaluation 25

Appendix I Scope and Methodology 27 

Appendix II Visas Mantis Cases for Science Students and 

Scholars 31 

Appendix III Visa Statistics from Seven Posts 33 

Appendix IV Distribution of Processing Time for Sample of 

Visas Mantis Cases 34 

Appendix V Comments from the State Department 39 

GAO Comments 46

Appendix VI Comments from the Federal Bureau of 

Investigation 48 

GAO Comments 50

Appendix VII GAO Contacts and Staff Acknowledgments 51 

GAO Contacts 51

Staff Acknowledgments 51

Contents 
Page ii GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

Tables 

Table 1: Number of Student and Exchange Visas Issued and Denied 

in Fiscal Year 2003 by Selected Nationality 9

Table 2: Visas Mantis Cases for Science Students and Scholars, 

April to June 2003 31

Table 3: Visa Statistics from Posts in China, India, and Russia 33

Figures 

Figure 1: Visa Adjudication Process 6

Figure 2: Average Time Frames for Visas Mantis Cases, April to 

June 2003 16

Figure 3: Distribution of Days from Transmission by Post to 

Receipt by FBI 34

Figure 4: Distribution of Days from Receipt by FBI to Completion 

of Clearance 35

Figure 5: Distribution of Days from Clearance by FBI to Receipt by 

State 36

Figure 6: Distribution of Days from Receipt by State to State’s 

Response to Post 37

Figure 7: Distribution of Total Days from Transmission by Post to 

Response from State 38

Abbreviations 

CLASS Consular Lookout and Support System 

FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation 

INA Immigration and Nationality Act 

OSTP Office of Science and Technology Policy 

SAO Security Advisory Opinion 

TAL Technology Alert List 

This is a work of the U.S. government and is not subject to copyright protection in the 

United States. It may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without further 

permission from GAO. However, because this work may contain copyrighted images or 

other material, permission from the copyright holder may be necessary if you wish to 

reproduce this material separately. 
Page 1 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

February 25, 2004 

The Honorable Sherwood Boehlert 

Chairman 

The Honorable Bart Gordon 

Ranking Minority Member 

Committee on Science 

House of Representatives 

Each year thousands of international science students and scholars apply 

for visas1

 to enter the United States to participate in education and 

exchange programs. Foreign science students and scholars offer our 

country diversity and intellectual knowledge and are also an economic 

resource. At the same time, the United States has important national 

security interests in carefully screening science students and scholars who 

apply for visas. At a hearing held by the House Committee on Science on 

March 26, 2003, various witnesses raised concerns about the length of time 

it takes for a science student or scholar to obtain a visa. Moreover, 

university officials in the United States have expressed concern about 

losing top international students to other countries due to delays in the 

visa process. Visa decisions need to be made as quickly as possible to 

ensure that the United States remains a viable place for study and 

scientific exchanges; at the same time, visa decisions must be consistent 

with immigration laws and homeland security objectives. 

You requested that we (1) determine how long it takes a science student or 

scholar from another country to obtain a visa and the factors that 

contribute to the length of time and (2) review what measures are under 

way to improve the visa issuance process and decrease the number of 

pending cases. 

 1

In this report, we use the term “visa” to refer to nonimmigrant visas only. The United 

States also grants visas to people who intend to immigrate to the United States. A visa is a 

travel document that allows a foreign visitor to present himself or herself at a port of entry 

for admission to the United States. Citizens of 27 countries that participate in the Visa 

Waiver Program; Canada and certain other locations are not required to obtain visas for 

business or pleasure stays of short duration. See U.S. General Accounting Office, Border 

Security: Visa Process Should be Strengthened as an Antiterrorism Tool, GAO-03-132NI

(Washington, D.C.: Oct. 21, 2002); and U.S. General Accounting Office, Border Security: 

Implications of Eliminating the Visa Waiver Program, GAO-03-38 (Washington, D.C.: 

Nov. 22, 2002). 

United States General Accounting Office

Washington, DC 20548 
Page 2 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

Based on our review of State Department (State) data systems regarding 

visas, we determined that visa data are collected for students (F visas) and 

for exchange visitors (J visas), but State’s data systems do not track 

science applicants within these categories. Thus, data are not available to 

report how long it takes science applicants to obtain a visa. However, we 

identified a security review procedure as the factor most likely to affect 

the timeliness of science student and scholar applicant visas. 

Consequently, we focused our review on the length of time it takes an 

applicant to acquire a visa if he or she must undergo a security review. 

Using State documents, we were able to compile data on science 

applicants for this analysis. We also reviewed relevant documents and 

interviewed officials at the Departments of State and Homeland Security 

and at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Washington, D.C. In 

addition, we observed visa operations and analyzed data obtained at seven 

consular posts in three countries—China, India, and Russia. We chose 

these countries in consultation with your office because they are a major 

source of science students and scholars visiting the United States. 

Appendix I provides more information on our scope and methodology, 

including limitations to State data we reviewed. 

State Department data are not available on how long it takes for a science 

student or scholar to obtain a visa. While State has not set specific criteria 

or time frames for how long the visa process should take, its goal is to 

adjudicate visas as quickly as possible, consistent with immigration laws 

and homeland security objectives. During our review, we found that the 

time it takes to adjudicate a visa depends largely on whether an applicant 

must undergo a security check known as Visas Mantis. Based on a random 

sample of Visas Mantis cases for science students and scholars sent for 

review between April and June 2003, we found that it took an average of 

67 days for the security check to be processed and for State to notify the 

post. In addition, our visits to posts in China, India, and Russia in 

September 2003 showed that many Visas Mantis cases had been pending 

60 days or more. We also found that the way in which Visas Mantis 

information was disseminated at the headquarters level made it difficult to 

resolve some Visas Mantis cases expeditiously. For example, in some 

instances, Visas Mantis cases sent by posts did not get to the FBI for its 

security check because of improperly formatted requests. Furthermore, 

consular staff at the posts we visited said they were unsure whether they 

were contributing to lengthy waits because they lacked clear guidance on 

when to apply Visas Mantis checks and did not receive feedback on 

whether they were providing enough information in their Visas Mantis 

requests. Another factor that may affect the time taken to adjudicate visas 

Results in Brief 
Page 3 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

for science students and scholars is the wait for an interview. The wait 

time at posts we visited was generally 2 to 3 weeks, and officials in 

Chennai, India, told us that the wait was as long as 12 weeks during the 

summer of 2003. 

While State and FBI officials acknowledged that there have been lengthy 

waits, they report having measures under way that they believe will 

improve the process and resolve outstanding cases. Both State and FBI 

have set up inquiry desks to answer questions about the status of pending 

visa applications. In addition, officials from State’s Bureau of Consular 

Affairs and the FBI told us they are working together to identify and 

resolve outstanding Visas Mantis cases. These officials also told us that 

State has invested about $1 million to upgrade its technology for 

transmitting Visas Mantis requests, and the system is expected to be 

functional later this year. According to State officials, the new system will 

help to reduce the time it takes to process Visas Mantis cases. However, 

despite State’s plans to improve the Visas Mantis process, challenges 

remain. For example, according to both FBI and State officials, the FBI’s 

systems will not be immediately interoperable with State’s new system. As 

a result, data exchange between State and FBI may continue to cause 

lengthy waits. FBI officials told us they are actively working with State to 

seek solutions to this problem but have not determined how the 

information will be transmitted in the meantime. We were not able to 

assess the system since it was not yet functioning at the time of our 

review. 

To help improve the process and shorten the length of time it takes for a 

science student or scholar to obtain a visa, we are recommending that the 

Secretary of State, in coordination with the Director of the FBI and the 

Secretary of Homeland Security, develop and implement a plan to improve 

the Visas Mantis process. 

We provided a draft of this report to the Departments of State and 

Homeland Security and to the FBI. In commenting on our draft report, 

State indicated that it had taken a number of recent actions to improve the 

Visas Mantis process and has started to implement portions of our 

recommendation. For example, State said that it has started to provide 

feedback to posts regarding the information contained in Visas Mantis 

cables and is providing expanded briefings on the Visas Mantis process to 

new consular officers. State also said that it would study our 

recommendation to explore possibilities for further improvements to the 

Visas Mantis security check process. The Department of Homeland 

Security and the FBI did not comment on our recommendation. 
Page 4 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

The 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), as amended, is the 

primary body of law governing immigration and visa operations.2

 Among 

other functions, the INA defines the power given to the Attorney General, 

the Secretary of State, immigration officers, and consular officers; 

delineates the categories of and qualifications for nonimmigrant visas; and 

provides a broad framework of operations through which foreign citizens 

are allowed to enter the United States. The Homeland Security Act of 2002 

establishes the role of the Department of Homeland Security in the visa 

process, and a subsequent Memorandum of Understanding between the 

Secretaries of State and Homeland Security further outlines the visa 

issuance authorities.3

 According to the memorandum, the Department of 

Homeland Security is responsible for establishing visa policy, reviewing 

implementation of the policy, and providing additional direction, while the 

State Department is responsible for managing the visa process and 

carrying out U.S. foreign policy. 

 2

The 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act (P.L. 82-414; 8 U.S.C. §1101 et seq.) has been 

amended several times, most recently by the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant 

Responsibility Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-208), the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-56), the 

Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-173), and the 

Homeland Security Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-296). 

3

Memorandum of Understanding Between the Secretaries of State and Homeland 

Security Concerning Implementation of Section 428 of the Homeland Security Act of 

2002, September 30, 2003. 

Background 
Page 5 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

The visa adjudication process has several steps (see fig. 1). Visa applicants 

generally begin the visa process by scheduling a visa interview.4

 On the 

day of the appointment, a consular officer reviews the application, checks 

the applicant’s name in the Consular Lookout and Support System 

(CLASS),5

 and interviews the applicant. Based on the interview and a 

review of pertinent documents, the consular officer determines if the 

applicant is eligible for nonimmigrant status under the Immigration and 

Nationality Act.6 If the consular officer then determines that the applicant 

is eligible to receive a visa, the applicant is notified right away and he or 

she usually receives the visa within 24 hours.7

 4

Depending on the post, applicants can set up a visa interview by calling a designated 

number or using an online scheduling system. There are some special programs at posts 

where an applicant does not need to call for an appointment and can appear at the post on 

designated days or at designated times for a visa interview. In addition, in select cases, 

some applicants may not be required to appear for an interview. 

5

CLASS is a State Department name check database that posts use to access critical 

information for visa adjudication. The system contains records provided by numerous 

agencies and includes information on persons with visa refusals, immigration violations, 

and terrorism concerns. 

6

The term nonimmigrant generally refers to a foreign national seeking to enter the United 

States temporarily for one of the specific purposes allowed under the INA. The most 

common reason for denial of a visa is that the applicant intends to come to the United 

States and remain. Section 214(b) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act presumes 

that every alien is an immigrant until he or she establishes that he or she is eligible to 

nonimmigrant status under the INA. Often this means establishing, in addition to other 

criteria, that the alien has sufficient social or economic ties to compel him or her to return 

home after visiting the United States. See 8 U.S.C. §1184(b) and 8 U.S.C. §1101(a)(15). 

7

At some posts the visa is issued to the applicant shortly after the interview or in the 

afternoon if the interview was in the morning, while at other posts, the visa is issued the 

next day. 

Process for Adjudicating 

Visas 
Page 6 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

Figure 1: Visa Adjudication Process 

In some cases, the consular officer decides that the applicant will need a 

Security Advisory Opinion (SAO), which provides an opinion or clearance 

from Washington on whether to issue a visa to the applicant. SAOs are 

required for a number of reasons, including concerns that a visa applicant 

may engage in the illegal transfer of sensitive technology. An SAO based 

on sensitive technology transfer concerns is known as a Visas Mantis and, 

according to State officials, is the most common type of SAO applied to 

U.S. Embassy

U.S. Consulate

Consular

section

Application is 

reviewed by 

consular officer 

and name entered 

into CLASS

Applicant interviewed 

at post

SAO not needed

SAO needed

Consular 

officer 

decides to 

issue or deny 

visa to 

applicant

Applicant 

goes to 

post

Process begins when 

applicant schedules

a visa interview

Consular officer 

determines if the 

applicant is eligible 

to receive a visa, including 

using discretion to determine if a 

Security Advisory Opinion (SAO) 

may be needed, (this would include 

looking on Technology Alert List 

[TAL] to see if field/area

of study of applicant

falls under TAL) 

SAO

about 

applicant

Consular officer sends 

Visas Mantis cable to State

Department of State

Consular Affairs

State 

Nonproliferation 

Bureau

Security 

Advisory 

Opinion 

prepared and

forwarded to 

post

FBI Other 

agencies

INA Immigration and Nationality Act

CLASS Consular Lookout and Support System

SAO Security Advisory Opinion

Visas Mantis process

Source: GAO analysis of State Department documents and visa operations.
Page 7 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

science applicants.8 It is also the most common type of SAO sent from 

most of the posts we visited in China, Russia, and India. 

In deciding if a Visas Mantis check is needed, the consular officer 

determines whether the applicant’s background or proposed activity in the 

United States could involve exposure to technologies on the Technology 

Alert List (TAL). The list includes science and technology-related fields 

where, if knowledge gained from research or work in these fields were 

used against the United States, it could potentially be harmful.9

 If a Visas 

Mantis is needed, the consular officer generally informs the applicant that 

his or her visa is being temporarily refused under Section 221(g) of the 

U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act,10 pending receipt of security 

clearance. 

After a consular officer decides that a Visas Mantis is necessary for an 

applicant, several steps are taken to resolve the process. The officer drafts 

a Visas Mantis cable, which contains information from the applicant’s 

application and interview. The cable is then generally reviewed by a 

consular section chief or other consular official at post, who then 

approves the Visas Mantis cable for transmission to Washington for an 

interagency security check. Once the cable is sent, the State Department’s 

Bureau of Nonproliferation, the FBI, and other agencies review the 

information in the cable and provide a response on the applicant to the 

Consular Affairs section of State headquarters.11 The Bureau of 

Nonproliferation and other agencies are given 15 working days to respond 

to State with any objections. However, State has agreed to wait for a 

response from the FBI before proceeding with each Visas Mantis case. 

 8

Visas Mantis applies to all visa categories including student, business, and tourist 

applicants. 

9

Under Section 212(a)(3)(A) of the INA, an applicant is rendered inadmissible if there is 

reason to believe that the applicant is seeking to enter the U.S. to violate U.S. laws 

prohibiting the export of goods, technology, or sensitive information from the United 

States. 8 U.S.C. § 1182(a)(3)(A)(i)(II). 

10According to the State Department’s consular training guide, generally 221(g) is applied 

when an applicant lacks required documents, or some visa processing is incomplete. 

11The Visas Mantis process allows all participating agencies to provide information and 

raise any particular concerns that they may have regarding the applicant and/or the 

applicant’s proposed activities in the United States. According to State, the key role of the 

Visas Mantis process is to protect U.S. national security, particularly in combating the 

proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, their delivery systems, and conventional 

weapons. 
Page 8 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs receives all agency responses pertaining 

to an applicant, summarizes them, and prepares a response to the consular 

posts. A cable is then transmitted to the post which indicates that State 

does or does not have an objection to issuing the visa, or that more 

information is needed.12 Generally, a consular official at post reviews the 

cable and, based on the information from Washington, decides whether to 

issue the visa to the applicant. The officer then notifies the applicant that 

the visa has been issued or denied, or that more information is needed. 

According to consular officials, in the vast majority of the cases the visa is 

approved. However, even when the visa is issued, the information 

provided by the consular posts on certain visa applicants is very useful to 

certain agencies in guarding against illegal technology transfer. As a result, 

according to the State Department, the Visas Mantis program provides 

State and other interested agencies with an effective mechanism to screen 

out those individuals who seek to evade or violate laws governing the 

export of goods, technology, or sensitive information. This screening, in 

turn, addresses significant issues of national security. 

State Department data are not available on the number of visas that were 

issued or denied to science students and scholars or the length of time it 

takes to issue visas to these people. Consular Affairs officials told us that 

State’s systems13 can track aggregate student or scholar data by F and J 

visa categories, but they cannot narrow their query search to specifically 

identify science students or scholars.14 Table 1 shows the number of visas 

issued and denied for students and scholars seeking visas by selected 

nationalities in fiscal year 2003.15

 12A cable requesting more information is sent to post when State or other agencies involved 

in the Visas Mantis process require additional information, such as an itinerary, on a visa 

applicant. 

13There are several systems that the Consular Office uses to input and track visa 

information. For example, the Consolidated Consular Database includes information on all 

visa applications and visa issuances; and the Visa Information System and Tracking of 

Applicants database is used for all Security Advisory Opinions including Visas Mantis 

cables. 

14The F visa category applies to students in an academic or language training program, 

while the J visa category applies to exchange visitors. 

15The data from State are used for background purposes only. Therefore, we did not assess 

the reliability of the data. 

Availability of State Data 
Page 9 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

Table 1: Number of Student and Exchange Visas Issued and Denied in Fiscal Year 

2003 by Selected Nationality 

Students 

(F visas) 

 Exchanges 

(J visas)

Nationality Issued Refused Issued Refused 

South Korea 34,697 8,119 14,218 1,507 

China (mainland) and Taiwan 31,322 22,995 10,171 7,003 

Japan 25,962 1,387 11,377 305 

India 20,320 17,973 5,311 1,718 

Brazil 7,625 1,761 8,297 520 

Germany 5,376 1,122 22,600 923 

Great Britain 3,536 874 17,354 1,052 

Russia 1,645 1,325 17,185 8,412 

Poland 1,243 906 20,675 2,637 

All others 103,853 71,733 156,472 30,537 

Total 235,579 128,195 283,660 54,614 

Source: GAO analysis of State Department visa data. 

In addition, State data are not available on the overall number of Visas 

Mantis cases in fiscal year 2003 or on the Visas Mantis cases by visa 

category.16 State’s systems can track the visa process for individual cases 

but do not allow for aggregate queries of Visas Mantis cases. For example, 

State does not have data on how many Visas Mantis cases involved student 

visas.17 State also lacks data on the number of science students and 

scholars that undergo a Visas Mantis security check. Furthermore, State 

did not have aggregate data on the time frame for adjudicating a visa that 

required a Visas Mantis security check. 

 16State estimates that for fiscal year 2003, there were approximately 212,000 SAO cases 

processed. In addition, State estimates that about 2.2 percent of all visa applications result 

in an SAO, but it could not provide a percentage specific to Visas Mantis. 

17State officials told us that their systems are used for tracking of case processing and were 

not designed to capture specific information, such as how many students and scholars 

undergo a Visas Mantis check. 
Page 10 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

The length of time for a science student or scholar to obtain a visa is not 

known, but a key factor in the time frame can be attributed to whether an 

applicant must undergo a Visas Mantis check. Since State could provide 

information on individual cases, we conducted our own sample of Visas 

Mantis cases that we obtained from State for the period between April and 

June 2003 and found that for these applicants, it took an average of 67 

days for the security check to be processed and for State to notify the post 

of the results. Furthermore, our visits to posts showed that as of October 

1, 2003, 410 Visas Mantis cases submitted by 7 posts in fiscal year 2003 

were still pending after more than 60 days.18 We also found that 

interoperability problems among the systems that State and FBI use 

contributed to the time taken to process a Visas Mantis check. In addition, 

officials at posts we visited told us they were unsure whether they were 

adding to the lengthy waits by not having clear guidance on when to apply 

the Visas Mantis process and not receiving feedback on the amount of 

information they provided in their Visas Mantis requests. Aside from the 

time it takes to process Visas Mantis checks, we found during our 

fieldwork that an applicant also has to wait for an interview. Post officials 

and representatives of higher education scientific and governmental 

organizations indicated that delays in processing visas for science students 

and scholars could negatively affect U.S. national interests. 

To obtain visa data on science students and scholars, and to determine 

how long the visa process takes, we reviewed all Visas Mantis cables 

received from posts between April and June 2003,19 which totaled 

approximately 5,000. Of these cases, 2,888 pertain to science students and 

scholars, of which approximately 58 percent were sent from China,20 about 

20 percent from Russia, and less than 2 percent from India. Appendix II 

provides additional information on the number of science student and 

scholar cases sent from each post. 

 18We define pending as any visa application that has neither been issued nor denied. 

19For more information on our methodology for obtaining the Visas Mantis sample, see 

appendix I. 

20Post officials in Beijing told us that the number of Visas Mantis cases from China sent 

during our sample period was less than what it has been for corresponding months in 

previous years. They stated that the outbreak of SARS significantly reduced the number of 

visa applicants at all posts in China. 

Length of Time to 

Adjudicate Visas Is 

Unknown; Security 

Check Is Major 

Contributing Factor 

Analysis of State Data 

Indicates Lengthy Waits 
Page 11 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

We drew a random sample of 71 cases from the 2,888 science student and 

scholar visa applications to measure the length of time taken at selected 

points in the visa process. The sample of 71 cases is a probability sample, 

and results from the data in this sample project to the universe of the 2,888 

science visa applications. We found that visas for science students and 

scholars took on average 67 days21 from the date the Visas Mantis cable 

was submitted from post to the date State sent a response to the post.22

This is slightly longer than 2 months per application, on average. In the 

sample, 67 of the visa applications completed processing and approval by 

December 3, 2003. In addition, 3 of the 67 completed applications had 

processing times in excess of 180 days. Four of the cases in our sample of 

71 remained pending as of December 3, 2003. Of the 4 cases pending, 3 had 

been pending for more than 150 days and 1 for more than 240 days as of 

December 3, 2003.23

In addition to our sample of 71 cases, State provided us with data on two 

samples it had taken of Visas Mantis case processing times. Data on the 

first sample was provided on December 11, 2003, and included 40 visa 

cases taken from August to October 2003. Data on the second sample was 

provided on February 13, 2004, and included 50 Visas Mantis cases taken 

from November and December 2003. State indicated that both samples 

show improvements in processing times compared to earlier periods in 

2003. Based on the documentation of how these cases were selected, we 

were unable to determine whether these were scientifically valid samples 

and therefore we could not validate that processing times have improved. 

For the first sample, the data show that 58 percent of the cases were 

completed within 30 days; for the second sample, the data show that 52 

percent were completed within this time frame. In addition, the data for 

 21The 95 percent confidence interval for the average number of days to process a science 

visa application is between 50 and 84 days. 

22According to State, factors that contribute to the length of time it takes to process a Visas 

Mantis check include ongoing investigations by clearing agencies or requests for additional 

applicant information. Once State sends a response regarding a Visas Mantis check, the 

post has to contact the applicant to issue or deny the visa. However, we did not attempt to 

determine how long this process takes. 

23In December 2003, the Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs reported that the time 

frame in our sample and the ensuing months represented the peak season in the Visa Office 

as the demands pertaining to students and other summer travel generated large numbers of 

SAO requests. She also indicated that the processing environment during our sample time 

frame no longer exists, and that the Visa Office is responding to post within 30 days on 

every case, provided that there is timely input from the agencies reviewing the case. 
Page 12 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

both samples show that lengthy waits remain in some cases. For example, 

9 of the 40 cases had been outstanding for more than 60 days as of 

December 3, 2003, including 3 cases that had been pending for more than 

120 days. Also, 9 of the 50 cases were still pending as of February 13, 2004, 

including 6 that had been outstanding for more than 60 days. State officials 

commented that most of the outstanding cases from both samples were 

still being reviewed by the agencies. Moreover, for one case sent in 

December 2003, the FBI showed no record of the Visas Mantis request. 

While Consular Affairs officials were not able to query their systems for 

aggregate Visas Mantis data, we were able to obtain aggregate data from 

the posts we visited. During our field visits, we found most posts track 

Visas Mantis cases they send to State. Some posts designate a consular 

official to track Visas Mantis cases while others had no designated officers 

for this purpose. Overall, we found that most posts kept a spreadsheet on 

the Visas Mantis cases, which generally contained Visas Mantis applicant 

data such as when the cable was sent to State and when a response was 

received at post. However, we found no standard method for data or 

tracking. In addition, we found that most posts did not have accurate data 

on the number of Visas Mantis cases they sent to headquarters in a fiscal 

year. Posts could provide us with F and J visa category data but could not 

break down the data by science students and scholars. 

During our fieldwork at posts in China, India, and Russia, we obtained 

data indicating that 410 Visas Mantis cases submitted by 7 posts in fiscal 

year 2003 were still outstanding more than 60 days as of October 1, 2003.24

In addition, we found numerous cases—including 27 from Shanghai—that 

were pending more than 120 days as of October 16, 2003.25 The following 

are examples of data we collected during our fieldwork regarding the 

processing of Visas Mantis cases:26

 24Outstanding cases include those where the posts have not heard back from State 

headquarters and those where State has responded to the posts by indicating that 

additional information or review time is needed. The number of outstanding Visas Mantis 

cases is based only on F and J Visas Mantis cases for the posts in China but include other 

visa categories for the remaining posts we visited. 

25The 27 cases pending from Shanghai are student and scholar cases. 

26Appendix III provides additional data on the posts we visited. 

Post Data Show Lengthy 

Waits in Visas Mantis 

Cases 
Page 13 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

• In September 2003, the three posts we visited in China had approximately 

174 security checks for students and exchange visitors that had been 

pending between 60 and 120 days, and 49 that had been pending for more 

than 120 days.27 In Shanghai in fiscal year 2003, it took approximately 47 

days for a Visas Mantis case for a student or scholar to be processed from 

the time a cable was sent from post to the time the visa was issued. 

• Approximately 25 percent of Chennai’s Visas Mantis cases in fiscal year 

2003 took between 60 and 120 days to process, and 58 percent took more 

than 120 days to process from application date to the date a response was 

received from Washington. Further, the average time for Visas Mantis 

cases to be processed in Chennai in fiscal year 2003 was approximately 5 

months or 144 days. Post officials told us that the processing time has 

improved; however, the data show there are still lengthy waits in Chennai. 

For example, of the 6 visa applications submitted in October 2003 that 

required a Visas Mantis check, 4 were still pending as of January 9, 2004, 

and the other 2 took an average of 55 days to process.28

• Of the Visas Mantis applications completed in Moscow in fiscal year 2003, 

approximately 21 percent took between 60 and 120 days, and 10 percent 

took more than 120 days to process. In September 2003, Moscow had 544 

outstanding Visas Mantis cases. Of these cases, about 28 percent had been 

pending more than 60 days. In addition, in fiscal year 2003, the average 

time to adjudicate a visa29 for those requiring a Visas Mantis security check 

was 53 days. 

 27The data we obtained from Beijing included all pending SAO cases, not just Visas Mantis 

cases. However, according to a consular officer, almost all were Visas Mantis cases. 

28The processing time frames for Chennai cases are from the application date to the date of 

response from Washington. It does not include the time between the response to post and 

visa issuance. 

29This refers to the time between when the visa application was received at post to when 

the post received the Visas Mantis response from State for completed cases. This does not 

include the interview wait time or the time it takes to issue the visa once the response is 

sent back from Washington. 
Page 14 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

Because many different agencies, bureaus, posts, and field offices are 

involved in processing Visas Mantis security checks and each has different 

databases and systems, we found that Visas Mantis cases can get delayed 

or lost at different points in the process.30 We found that in fiscal year 2003, 

some Visas Mantis cases did not always reach their intended recipient and, 

as a result, some of the security checks were delayed. For example, we 

followed up with the FBI on 14 outstanding cases from some of the posts 

we visited in China in September 2003 to see if it had received and 

processed the cases. FBI officials provided information indicating that 

they had no record of 3 of the cases, they had responded to State on 8 

cases, and they were still reviewing 3 cases. FBI officials stated that the 

most likely reasons why they did not have a record of the 3 cases from 

State were due to cable formatting errors and duplicate cases that were 

rejected from the FBI database.31 State did not comment on the status of 

the 14 cases we provided to the FBI for review. However, a Consular 

Affairs official told us that in fall 2003, there were about 700 Visas Mantis 

cases sent from Beijing that did not reach the FBI for the security check. 

The official did not know how the cases got lost but told us that it took 

Consular Affairs about a month to identify that there was a problem and 

provide the FBI with the cases. As a result, several hundred visa 

applications were delayed for another month. 

Figure 2 illustrates some of the time-consuming factors in the Visas Mantis 

process for our sample of 71 cases. While the FBI received most of the 

cases from State within a day, 7 cases took a month or more, most likely 

because they had been improperly formatted and thus were rejected by 

the FBI’s system.32 In more than half of the cases, the FBI was able to 

complete the clearance process the same day, but some cases took more 

 30Posts have no way to ensure that State receives the Visas Mantis request, State has no 

systematic check to know if the FBI receives the cases, and the FBI has no way to ensure 

that its results are forwarded to the posts. Information regarding a case may potentially be 

sent back and forth between different agencies and offices several times before a decision 

can be made on whether to issue a visa. 

31Posts enter visa applicant information into State’s system, which then generates a Visas 

Mantis cable. If the post does not format the cable according to the standard State 

specifications, the FBI’s system will not recognize the information in the cable. Examples 

of duplicates in the FBI’s system may include (1) any application that shows up more than 

once within 120 days and (2) more than one application with the same name and date of 

birth. 

32The FBI considers improperly formatted cables an error and asks State to resend the 

cable. 

Systems Are Not 

Interoperable and Can 

Lead to Delays between 

Points in Process 
Page 15 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

than 100 days.33 These cases may have taken longer because (1) the FBI 

had to investigate the case or request additional information from State; 

(2) the FBI had to locate files in field offices, because not all of its name 

check files are electronic; or (3) the case was a duplicate, which the FBI’s 

name check system also rejects. In most of the cases, the FBI was able to 

send a response—which it generally does in batches of name checks, not 

by individual case—to State within a week. The FBI provides the results of 

name checks for Visas Mantis cases to State on computer compact disks 

(CDs), which could cause delays. In December 2003, a FBI official told us 

that these CDs were provided to State twice a week. However, in the past, 

the CDs were provided to State on a less frequent basis. In addition, it 

takes time for data to be entered into State’s systems once State receives 

the information. In the majority of our sample cases, it took State 2 weeks 

or longer to inform post that it could issue a visa. State officials were 

unable to explain why it took State this long to respond to post. Officials 

told us that the time frame could be due to a lack of resources at 

headquarters or because State was waiting for a response from agencies 

other than the FBI. However, the data show that only 5 of the 71 cases 

were pending information from agencies other than the FBI. Appendix IV 

provides additional information on the distribution of processing time for 

our sample of Visas Mantis cases. 

 33For additional information on the distribution of FBI processing times see figure 4 in 

appendix IV. 
Page 16 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

Figure 2: Average Time Frames for Visas Mantis Cases, April to June 2003 

During our fieldwork, some consular officials expressed concern that they 

could be contributing to the time it takes to process Visas Mantis requests 

because they lacked clear guidance on determining Visas Mantis cases and 

feedback on whether they were applying checks appropriately and 

providing enough data in their Visas Mantis requests. According to the 

officials, additional information and feedback from Washington regarding 

these issues could help expedite Visas Mantis cases. 

Currently, State provides some guidance to posts on Visas Mantis 

requirements and processing, including how to use the TAL to determine if 

a visa applicant should undergo a security check.34 However, consular 

officers told us that they would like the guidance to be simplified—for 

example, by expressing some scientific terms in more comprehensible 

language. Several consular officers also told us they had only a limited 

understanding of the Visas Mantis process, including how long the process 

takes. They told us they would like to have better information on how long 

 34U.S. Department of State, Using the Technology List: Update (Washington, D.C.: Aug. 12, 

2002) and U.S. Department of State, Standard Operating Procedures No. 22: Revision to 

Visas Mantis Clearance Procedure (Washington, D.C.: June 5, 2003). 

Post Officials Seek Clearer 

Guidance and Feedback on 

Visas Mantis Cases to 

Expedite Process 
Page 17 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

a Visas Mantis check is taking so that they can more accurately inform the 

applicant of the expected wait. Since our visits to posts, State has issued 

additional updated guidance on applying the TAL.35 However, after 

receiving the new guidance, consular officials at some posts told us that 

although it was an improvement, the updated guidance is still confusing to 

apply, particularly for junior officers without a scientific background. 

Consular officers at most of the posts we visited also told us they would 

like more feedback from State on whether the Visas Mantis cases they are 

sending to Washington are appropriate, particularly whether they are 

sending too many or too few Visas Mantis requests. They said they would 

like to know if including more information in the security check request 

would reduce the time to process an application in Washington. Moreover, 

consular officers indicated they would like additional information on some 

of the outstanding Visas Mantis cases, such as where the case is in the 

process. State confirmed that it has not always responded to posts’ 

requests for feedback or information on outstanding cases. Officials at 

State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs told us that their office facilitates the 

Visas Mantis process but is not in a position to provide feedback to 

consular posts on the purpose of Visas Mantis or how the information is 

being used. However, officials from the FBI and State’s Bureau of 

Nonproliferation told us that Consular Affairs should take the lead in 

providing feedback to posts because it administers the program and 

supervises the consular officers. 

In addition to the time needed for Visas Mantis checks, another 

contributing factor in the length of time it takes to adjudicate a visa is how 

long an applicant must wait to get an interview appointment at post.36 State 

does not have data or criteria for the length of time applicants at its 

overseas posts wait for an interview, but at the posts we visited in 

September 2003, we found that it generally took 2 to 3 weeks. 

Furthermore, post officials in Chennai, India, told us that the interview 

wait time was as long as 12 weeks during the summer of 2003 when the 

 35U.S. Department of State, Standard Operating Procedure 41: Using the Technology Alert 

List (Washington, D.C.: Oct. 1, 2003). 

36There are other contributing factors to the length of time it takes to adjudicate a visa — 

for example, when a consular officer asks an applicant for additional documentation or 

information, such as proof of income or, in the case of student applicants, school 

acceptance information. 

Wait for an Interview Can 

Add Significant Time 
Page 18 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

demand for visas was greater than the resources available at post to 

adjudicate a visa.37 Officials at some of the posts we visited indicated they 

did not have enough space and staffing resources to handle interview 

demands and the new visa requirement. Factors such as the time of year 

an applicant applies for a visa, the appointment requirements, and the 

staffing situation at posts generally affect how long an applicant will have 

to wait for an interview. 

All the posts we visited had high and low seasons in which the visa 

application volume fluctuated. For example, June was the busiest month 

in Chennai, India, in 2000, 2001, and 2002, with the average number of visa 

applicants exceeding 18,000.38 By contrast, Chennai saw an average of 

10,000 visa applicants in October during these same years. During the 

summer months of 2003, the high demand for visas was compounded by 

the new visa interview requirement State established in May 2003.39 The 

new requirement, which went into effect on August 1, 2003, states that, 

with a few exceptions, all foreign individuals seeking to visit the United 

States need to be interviewed prior to receiving a visa. As a result, 

interview volumes have increased at some posts we visited. For example, 

in September 2002, consular officials in Chennai interviewed 25 percent of 

visa applicants, but by August 2003, that number had increased to 75 

percent and was projected to continue to rise. In addition, a consular 

official in Moscow estimated that the volume of interviews increased from 

about 60 percent before August 2003 to about 90 percent in December 

2003. However, the interview requirement did not have a significant effect 

on posts in China since the posts were already interviewing about 70 

percent of the visa applicants. 

In early summer 2003, Consular Affairs requested that posts give priority 

to students and exchange visitors when scheduling visa interviews. Below 

are the wait times at each post we visited and some of the initiatives the 

posts have taken to accommodate applicants. 

 37According to Consular officials, the wait time for an interview in Chennai, India averaged 

about 3 to 4 weeks and was 12 weeks for a short period of time during the summer of 2003. 

38Data for 2000-2002 are the most recent available. 

39U.S. Department of State, Border Security—Waiver of Personal Appearance for 

Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants— Revision to the Regulations (Washington, D.C.: May 21, 

2003). 
Page 19 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

At the time of our field visit in September 2003, two of the three posts we 

visited in China had a 2-week wait for an interview. However, applicants at 

one post were facing waits of about 5 to 6 weeks. The extended waits for 

interviews were due to an imbalance between demand for visas and the 

number of consular officers available to interview applicants and staff to 

answer phone lines. Consular officials told us that to reduce these waits, 

they were relying on temporary duty help and also planned to request an 

additional consular officer at post. To facilitate the issuance of visas to 

students who underwent a Visas Mantis security check, one post in China 

opened on one weekend to issue hundreds of visas and also allowed 

students and scholars to fax in requests for expedited interviews.40 In such 

cases, interviews were scheduled within a matter of days. 

During our field visit in September 2003, consular officers in New Delhi 

and in Chennai told us that the wait for an interview was 2 to 3 weeks at 

each post. However, during the 2003 summer months, the wait was as long 

as 12 weeks in Chennai. To help reduce lengthy waits, applicants were 

allowed to interview at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi or at the U.S. 

Consulate in Calcutta. In addition, the posts we visited instituted longer 

interview hours, as well as overtime for consular staff and the use of 

temporary staff to conduct interviews to reduce interview wait times for 

all applicants. According to consular officials in Chennai and New Delhi, 

some lengthy waits were attributed to staffing shortages. In a May 2003 

assessment conducted by Consular Affairs, State officials concurred that 

staffing levels in Chennai’s consular section are below what is necessary 

to meet a rapidly increasing workload. Since late summer 2003, the 

consulate in Chennai has reserved interview appointments on Fridays for 

students and temporary workers. However, an official at the consulate in 

Chennai told us that unless students who go through a Visas Mantis 

security check apply 2 to 3 months in advance, a significant portion of 

them will start school late. 

Consular officials in Moscow told us that at the end of September 2003, the 

wait for an interview was 1 week, while in St. Petersburg the wait 

averaged 2 to 3 weeks. In Moscow the recent additions of new junior 

officers and longer interviewing hours have helped officers keep up with 

current visa demands. Both posts have also arranged for some visa 

 40Because the post had received hundreds of security check responses from Washington 

within a short time frame, consular officers were not able to issue the visas within normal 

post hours. 

China 

India 

Russia 
Page 20 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

applicant groups, such as business applicants and official delegations, to 

be interviewed separately. In addition, a consular official in Moscow told 

us that the post is able to accommodate most requests for students or 

scholars who need an expedited appointment.41 In St. Petersburg, 

approximately 5 to 10 interview slots per day are reserved for students and 

scholars. 

Although we did not attempt to measure the impact of the time it takes to 

adjudicate a visa, consular officials and representatives of several higher 

education, scientific, and governmental organizations expressed concern 

that visa delays could be detrimental to the scientific interests of the 

United States. Although they provided numerous individual examples of 

the consequences of visa delays, they were unable to measure the total 

impact of such lengthy waits. 

Embassy officials in Moscow told us that visa delays are hindering 

congressionally mandated nonproliferation goals. Department of Energy 

officials at post explained that former Soviet Union scientists have found it 

extremely difficult getting to the United States to participate in U.S. 

government-sponsored conferences and exchanges that are critical to 

nonproliferation. Furthermore, many officials with whom we spoke cited 

specific examples where scientific research and collaboration was delayed 

or prevented due to delays in obtaining a visa. National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration officials at post also noted that up to 20 percent of 

their time is spent dealing with visa issues when they should be focusing 

on program issues. 

During our field visits, Beijing’s Deputy Chief of Mission and consular 

officials at the embassy and consulates in China stated that visa delays 

could have a negative impact on student and scholar exchanges. They told 

us that the lengthy waits to obtain a visa might lead Chinese students and 

scholars to pursue studies or research in countries where it is easier to 

obtain a visa. A consular chief in Chennai, India, agreed, saying that 

lengthy waits are also causing Indian students to decide to study in 

countries where it is easier to get a visa and, therefore, the United States 

could lose out on intellectual knowledge these visa applicants bring to our 

country. Further, embassy officials in Beijing reported that visa delays in 

 41In late 2003, Moscow also instituted an online appointment system to more efficiently 

schedule interviews. 

Officials, Groups Note 

Impact of Visa Delays 
Page 21 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

nonproliferation cooperation and scientific exchange could have 

enormous and lasting consequences. 

Finally, research organizations and associations of American universities 

have cited the difficulties their international students and faculty are 

having in obtaining visas. According to a survey conducted by a national 

scientific organization, applicants from 26 different countries, most 

notably Russia and China, have been delayed or prevented from entering 

the United States.42 Another survey conducted by a national educational 

association reported that hundreds of students and scholars experienced 

delays in receiving a visa or were denied a visa.43 According to several 

surveys, scientific research was postponed, jobs were left unstaffed, and 

conferences and meetings were missed as a result of the delays. 

FBI and State officials acknowledged that lengthy visa waits have been a 

problem, but said they are implementing improvements to the process and 

working to decrease the number of pending Visas Mantis cases. 

Improvements include implementation of customer service initiatives, 

coordination between agencies to identify and resolve outstanding cases, 

and upgrades in information systems. In addition, State and FBI officials 

told us that the validity of Visas Mantis checks for students and scholars 

has been extended to 12 months.44

State, FBI, and consular officials at posts have made customer service 

improvements related to Visas Mantis checks that allow them to address 

questions and provide information to people inquiring about a status of a 

visa case. For example, consular officials at some of the posts we visited 

told us that they have established inquiry lines at post for visa applicants 

 42American Physical Society, Survey of Physics PhD-granting Departments (College Park, 

Md.: September 2002). 

43Association of American Universities, AAU Survey on International Students and 

Faculty (Washington, D.C.: November 2003). 

44Following an interagency consultation, State authorized a 12-month validity clearance for 

Visas Mantis applicants who are returning to a program or activity and will perform the 

same functions at the same facility or organization that was the basis for the original Visas 

Mantis check. This means that a student or scholar who had received a visa after a Visas 

Mantis check could reapply for a new visa without having to undergo another Visas Mantis 

check, provided that certain conditions are met. U.S. Department of State, Standard 

Operating Procedure No. 45: Revision to Visas Mantis Clearance Process (Washington, 

D.C.: Oct. 7, 2003). 

Agency Officials Cite 

Improvements 
Page 22 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

to check the status of their case and remind consular officials that their 

case is still pending. This also helps consular officers to monitor cases that 

have been outstanding. In addition, State set up an inquiry desk at the 

beginning of 2003, and the FBI set one up during the summer of 2003 to 

accommodate calls from the public about the status of pending visa 

applications that have been submitted for Visas Mantis checks.45 State has 

set up a separate e-mail address for inquiries from agencies involved in 

Visas Mantis processing. Consular Affairs officials also told us they have 

set up an inquiry line where post officials can obtain additional 

information on outstanding cases. However, some post officials told us 

that they would still like more information on how long the Visas Mantis 

check takes. 

Officials from State’s Consular Affairs and the FBI told us they are 

coordinating efforts to identify and resolve outstanding Visas Mantis cases. 

For example, Consular Affairs officials have been working with FBI 

officials on a case-by-case basis to make sure that cases outstanding for 

several months to a year are completed. However, State officials said they 

do not have a target date for completion of all the outstanding cases, 

which they estimated at 1,000 in November 2003.46 According to these 

officials, while about 350 of these outstanding cases required further 

review or more information, State has not yet begun working to reconcile 

them. 

FBI officials also told us that to address some of the delays on their end, 

such as those that occur due to problems with lost case files or inoperable 

systems, the FBI has taken several actions to improve its Visas Mantis 

clearance process. For example, the officials indicated that the FBI is 

working on automating its files and setting up a common database 

between the field offices and headquarters.47 FBI officials also told us that 

they have set up a tracking system for all SAOs, including Visas Mantis 

 45State officials also told us that an applicant can verify that State is reviewing the 

application, but it does not provide any detailed information about how long it will take or 

where the application is in the process. 

46In November 2003, State officials estimated that there were about 2,000 to 2,200 Visas 

Mantis cases pending in its system. Half of these cases had just recently been entered into 

the system, while the other half had been pending in the system for some time. 

47In January 2004, FBI officials told us that they were working on acquiring funding to set 

up a central records repository so that FBI case records could be housed in one place. 
Page 23 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

cases.48 In addition, they said the FBI has established new procedures to 

deal with name check files the agency cannot locate within a certain 

amount of time. In a July 2003 letter to State, the FBI said it would notify 

State after 90 days that it could proceed with visa processing in the event 

that the FBI could not locate relevant files and there were no security 

concerns. 

Consular Affairs officials told us that State has invested about $1 million 

on a new information management system that it said would reduce the 

time it takes to process Visas Mantis cases. They described the new 

system as a mechanism that would help strengthen the accountability of 

Visas Mantis clearance requests and responses, establish consistency in 

data collection, and improve data exchange between State and other 

agencies involved in the clearance process.49 In addition, officials said the 

system would allow them to improve overall visa statistical reporting 

capabilities and data integrity for Visas Mantis cases. The new system will 

be paperless, which means that the current system of requesting Visas 

Mantis clearances by cable will be eliminated. Through an 

intergovernmental network known as the Open Source Information 

System, the new system will allow most government agencies involved in 

the Visas Mantis process, such as the FBI, to obtain visa applicant 

information and coordinate Visas Mantis responses. State officials told us 

that the system is on schedule for release early this year, and that the 

portion relating to SAOs will be operational sometime later this year. 

However, challenges remain. FBI officials told us that the name check 

component of the FBI’s system would not immediately be interoperable 

with State’s new system, but that they are actively working with State to 

seek solutions to this problem. However, FBI and State have not 

determined how the information will be transmitted in the meantime. We 

were not able to assess the new system since it was not yet functioning at 

the time of our review. 

In addition to improvements to the Visas Mantis process, State officials 

told us that they are taking some actions to continue to monitor the 

resource needs at post. To alleviate concerns about staffing, Consular 

 48The tracking system allows FBI officials to see where a Visas Mantis case is in the name 

check process at the FBI. 

49The new system is aimed at improving the entire SAO process, which includes Visas 

Mantis. For the purpose of this report, we focus only on the Visas Mantis portion of the 

system. 
Page 24 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

Affairs officials told us that temporary adjudicating officers are sent to the 

posts as needed. These officials also told us that State added 66 new 

officers in 2003 and plans to add an additional 80 in 2004.50 However, the 

decision to add these new officers was made before the new August 2003 

interview requirements were implemented and thus it is unknown if there 

are enough resources for the task at hand. In addition, post officials told 

us that State plans to expand some consular sections, such as in Chennai, 

India, where the consulate is scheduled to undergo an expansion in spring 

2004. 

Agency officials recognize that the process for issuing a visa to a science 

student or scholar can be an important tool to control the transfer of 

technology that could put the United States at risk. They also acknowledge 

that if the process is lengthy, students and scholars with science 

backgrounds might decide not to come to the United States, and 

technological advancements that serve U.S. and global interests could be 

jeopardized. Our analysis of a sample of Visas Mantis cases from April to 

June 2003 show that some applicants faced lengthy waits. While the State 

Department and the FBI report improvements in visa processing times, 

our analysis of data from the posts we visited in September 2003 and our 

contact with post officials in January 2004 show that there are still some 

instances of lengthy waits. State’s and FBI’s implementation of the Visas 

Mantis process still has gaps that are causing lengthy waits for visas. 

Consular officers believe that if they receive clearer guidance and 

feedback on Visas Mantis cases, they could help reduce the time it takes 

for Washington to process applications and provide better information to 

applicants. Finally, State and FBI do not have interoperable systems that 

would help complete security checks of visa applicants more quickly. 

State’s new information management system could improve the Visas 

Mantis process. Nevertheless, it is unclear whether the new system will 

address all the current issues with the process. 

To help improve the process and reduce the length of time it takes for a 

science student or scholar to obtain a visa, we are recommending that the 

Secretary of State, in coordination with the Director of the FBI, and the 

Secretary of Homeland Security, develop and implement a plan to improve 

 50In fiscal year 2003, Consular Affairs established 39 consular officer positions funded with 

Machine Readable Visa fees. In addition, 27 consular officer positions were established 

with Diplomatic Readiness Initiative funding. 

Conclusions 

Recommendation for 

Executive Action 
Page 25 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

the Visas Mantis process. In developing this plan, the Secretary should 

consider actions to 

• establish milestones to reduce the current number of pending Visas Mantis 

cases; 

• develop performance goals and measurements for processing Visas Mantis 

checks; 

• provide additional information through training or other means to 

consular posts that clarifies guidance on the overall operation of the Visas 

Mantis program, when Mantis clearances are required, what information 

consular posts should submit to enable the clearance process to proceed 

as efficiently as possible, and how long the process takes; and 

• work to achieve interoperable systems and expedite transmittal of data 

between agencies. 

We provided a draft of this report to the State Department, the Federal 

Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Homeland Security. State’s 

and FBI’s written comments are presented in appendix V and VI, 

respectively. The Department of Homeland Security did not provide 

official written comments, but provided technical comments that we have 

incorporated in the report where appropriate. 

The State Department commented that it is committed to providing the 

best possible visa services while also maintaining security as its first 

obligation. State indicated that it had taken a number of recent actions to 

improve the Visas Mantis process that we believe are positive steps in 

implementing our recommendation. For example, State said that it has 

started to provide feedback to posts regarding the information contained 

in Visas Mantis cables and is providing expanded briefings on the Visas 

Mantis process to new consular officers at the National Foreign Affairs 

Training Center. State also said that it would study our recommendation to 

explore possibilities for further improvements to the Visas Mantis security 

check process. 

State emphasized the importance of the Visas Mantis clearance process in 

protecting U.S. national security and acknowledged that in the past some 

visa applicants have been required to wait long periods to obtain a visa. 

However, as a result of recent improvements, State claims that most 

security checks are now being completed within 30 days and therefore our 

Agency Comments 

and Our Evaluation 
Page 26 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

analysis of Visas Mantis cases from April to June 2003 does not represent 

current processing times. State commented that it had recently conducted 

two samples of Visas Mantis cases that show improvements in processing 

times. However, we were unable to independently validate either sample. 

In addition, the data for both samples show that lengthy waits remain for 

some cases. Moreover, because State’s sample selection methods were 

different from ours, and because its samples would have a wide margin of 

error, its samples cannot demonstrate improvements in processing times. 

Thus we are not in a position to conclude that the Visas Mantis processing 

turnaround times have improved. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation did not comment on our 

recommendation. The FBI acknowledged that the visa program was 

overwhelmed in the summer of 2002. However, the FBI believes that it is 

now processing the name checks more quickly and today only a few 

applicants encounter a significant wait for the FBI to complete the 

security review process. The FBI indicated that it is working closely with 

State and other agencies to improve the Visas Mantis process. 

As agreed with your office, unless you publicly announce the contents of 

this report earlier, we plan no further distribution until 7 days from the 

report date. At that time we will send copies of this report to interested 

congressional committees and to the Secretary of State, the Director of the 

FBI, and the Secretary of Homeland Security. We also will make copies 

available to others upon request. In addition, the report will be available at 

no charge on the GAO Web site at http://www.gao.gov. 

If you or your staff has any questions concerning this report, please 

contact me at (202) 512-4128. Additional GAO contacts and staff 

acknowledgments are listed in appendix VII. 

Jess T. Ford, Director 

International Affairs and Trade 
Appendix I: Scope and Methodology 

Page 27 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

To determine (1) how long it takes a science student or scholar from 

another country to obtain a visa and the factors that contribute to the 

length of time and (2) what measures are under way to improve the visa 

issuance process and decrease the number of pending cases, we collected 

data from agencies in Washington, as well as at U.S. embassies and 

consulates overseas, and conducted interviews with agency officials. We 

reviewed the Immigration and Nationality Act and associated legislation, 

the State Department’s Foreign Affairs Manual, and cables and other 

related documents from State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs. In addition, we 

reviewed State’s data on visa applications and issuances worldwide and 

for selected posts. We also requested data from State to conduct a sample 

of Visas Mantis cases to help us determine the number of science students 

and scholars that were undergoing a Visas Mantis security check and how 

long those applicants waited for a visa. In Washington, we interviewed 

officials from the Departments of State, Homeland Security, and Justice. 

At State, we met with officials from the Bureau of Consular Affairs, the 

Bureau of Nonproliferation, the Office of the Science and Technology 

Adviser to the Secretary, and the Office of Science and Cooperation in the 

Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. 

At the Department of Homeland Security, we met with officials from the 

Directorate of Border Transportation and the Office of Policy and 

Planning. At the Department of Justice, we met with officials from the 

Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Name Check Unit and country desk 

officers for China and Russia. We requested meetings with officials from 

the Central Intelligence Agency and the White House Office of Science and 

Technology Policy (OSTP), but they declined to meet with us. However, 

OSTP provided us with written answers to questions pertaining to its 

involvement in visa policies for science students and scholars. 

Based on our review of State Department data systems regarding visas, we 

determined that visa data are collected for students (F visas) and for 

exchange visitors (J visas), but State’s data systems do not track science 

applicants within these categories. Thus, data are not available to report 

how long it takes science applicants to obtain a visa. However, agency 

officials identified a special security review procedure known as Visas 

Mantis as the factor most likely to affect the timeliness of science student 

and scholar applicant visas. Consequently, we focused our review on the 

length of time it takes an applicant to acquire a visa if he or she must 

undergo a security review. Using State documents, we were able to 

compile data on science applicants for this analysis. 

To obtain data for our sample of Visas Mantis cases, we asked State in July 

2003 to provide us all the incoming Visas Mantis cables for the first 6 

Appendix I: Scope and Methodology 
Appendix I: Scope and Methodology 

Page 28 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

months of 2003. State indicated that our request would yield 

approximately 9,000 cables, and that such a large volume would be too 

time consuming to compile. To address State’s concern, we requested 

Visas Mantis cables from April 1 through June 30, 2003. We requested 

these 3 months because they were the most recent months from our initial 

request and would include some of the summer student visa applicants. 

Because Consular Affairs did not have electronic, aggregated data on Visas 

Mantis cases, they provided us with 5,079 hard copy cables submitted 

during that time period. We reviewed the cables to determine which ones 

pertained to a science student or scholar or other categories, including 

business. The science student and research scholar category included 

applicants studying at universities or conducting research at universities, 

national laboratories, and medical centers. We included applicants 

attending conferences, symposiums, workshops, and meetings hosted or 

sponsored by universities, professional institutes, and other organizations. 

We did not include in our sample universe business-related cables, cables 

that were incomplete, and cables that were duplicates. 

We entered all the data from the cables into an Excel spreadsheet, gave 

each a GAO number for control and identification purposes, and verified 

that there were no duplicates. We ended up with 2,888 Visas Mantis entries 

in the Excel database. From these 2,888 Visas Mantis cases, we took a 

computer-generated random sample of 124 cases and requested further 

data on those cases and their time frames from State. State replied that our 

request was too labor intensive and asked that we modify it. Therefore, we 

took a smaller subsample of 71 cases from the 124. 

Of the 71 cases we received from State, 67 were processed by December 3, 

2003. Four cases were still pending. The 71 cases yielded an average 

completion time of 67 days. This estimate is accurate to within plus or 

minus 17 days at the 95 percent level of confidence. We assessed the 

reliability of the sample data provided by State by tracing a statistically 

random sample of data to source documents. We determined that the data 

was sufficiently reliable for the purposes of this report. 

State created its own two randomly selected samples of Visas Mantis 

cases. However, based on the documentation of how these records were 

selected, GAO was not able to determine whether these were scientifically 

valid samples whose results project to the entire population of all science 

student and scholar visa applications. As such, results reported by the 
Appendix I: Scope and Methodology 

Page 29 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

agency from these application records should be treated as testimonial 

information from a judgmental1

 sample rather than data from a probability 

sample. 

We conducted fieldwork at seven visa-issuing posts in three countries—

China, India, and Russia. We chose these countries because they are 

leading places of origin for international science students and scholars 

visiting the United States. We limited our review to nonimmigrant visa 

applicants. During our visits at all of these posts, we observed visa 

operations, reviewed selected Visas Mantis data, and interviewed consular 

staff about visa adjudication procedures. In China, we met with consular 

officers at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and the consulates in Shanghai and 

Guangzhou. We also met with the Deputy Chief of Mission, as well as 

officers from the Office of Environment, Science, Technology, and Health 

in Beijing. In India, we visited the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi and the U.S. 

consulate in Chennai. We met with consular officers at both posts as well 

as the Consul General in Chennai and officials from the FBI and the Office 

of Environment, Science, and Technology in New Delhi. In addition, we 

met with three students who had outstanding visa applications in Chennai; 

a Honeywell business representative; and administrators, professors, and 

students at the Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research in 

Chennai. In Russia, we visited the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and the U.S. 

consulate in St. Petersburg and met with consular officials there. While in 

Moscow, we also met with officials from the economic section of the 

embassy, Office of Environment, Science, and Technology, the 

Department of Energy, and the National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration. In addition, we spoke with a representative of the 

International Science and Technology Center in Moscow. While in the 

field, we collected data and reviewed documents pertaining to the visa 

process for science students and scholars at all posts. Because post 

tracking and recording of Visas Mantis data varied, we could not make 

post comparisons of Visas Mantis cases. 

Finally, to gather information on the visa issues that science students and 

scholars face, we spoke with representatives from educational 

organizations, including the National Academies, the Association of 

International Educators, the American Council on Education, and the 

Association of American Universities. We also obtained information from 

 1

A judgmental sample is a nonprobability sample because the elements are handpicked and 

expected to serve the research purpose. 
Appendix I: Scope and Methodology 

Page 30 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

the American Physical Society and the International Institute for 

Education. 

We conducted our work from May 2003 through January 2004 in 

accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. 
Appendix II: Visas Mantis Cases for Science 

Students and Scholars 

Page 31 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

This appendix provides information on the Visas Mantis cables State 

received from posts between April and June 2003. Table 2 shows the 

breakdown of the 2,888 Visas Mantis cases we identified pertaining to 

science students and scholars. In our sample, we identified a total of 57 

posts that had sent one or more Visas Mantis cables to Washington. 

Table 2: Visas Mantis Cases for Science Students and Scholars, April to June 2003 

Post Number of Visas Mantis cables

Shanghai, China 701

Beijing, China 600

Moscow, Russia 505

Guangzhou, China 197

London, United Kingdom 75

Chengdu, China 74

Hong Kong, China 67

Dubai, United Arab Emirates 51

Toronto, Canada 41

Kiev, Ukraine 38

St. Petersburg, Russia 37

Krakow, Poland 36

Cairo, Egypt 34

Tokyo, Japan 34

Chennai, India 33

Havana, Cuba 32

Berlin, Germany 26

Bern, Switzerland 24

Yekaterinburg, Russia 24

Madrid, Spain 23

Shenyang, China 23

Ankara, Turkey 19

Stockholm, Sweden 17

Bucharest, Romania 14

Frankfurt, Germany 11

Damascus, Syria 10

Brussels, Belgium 9

Hanoi, Vietnam 9

Melbourne, Australia 9

Mumbai, India 9

Appendix II: Visas Mantis Cases for Science 

Students and Scholars 
Appendix II: Visas Mantis Cases for Science 

Students and Scholars 

Page 32 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

Post Number of Visas Mantis cables

New Delhi, India 9

Ciudad Juarez, Mexico 8

Singapore 8

Amsterdam, the Netherlands 7

Istanbul, Turkey 7

Montreal, Canada 7

Ottawa, Canada 7

Mexico, Mexico 6

Seoul, South Korea 6

Oslo, Norway 5

Amman, Jordan 4

Lisbon, Portugal 4

Osaka-Kobe, Japan 4

Paris, France 4

Tel Aviv, Israel 4

Calgary, Canada 2

Dublin, Ireland 2

Jerusalem, Israel 2

Vienna, Austria 2

Athens, Greece 1

Beirut, Lebanon 1

Bogota, Colombia 1

Johannesburg, South Africa 1

Matamoros, Mexico 1

Minsk, Belarus 1

Taipei, Taiwan 1

Vladivostok, Russia 1

Source: GAO analysis of State Department Visas Mantis cables. 
Appendix III: Visa Statistics from Seven Posts 

Page 33 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

This appendix provides selected visa statistical information for the posts 

we visited in China, India, and Russia. Table 3 shows the number of visas 

issued, visa refusal rates, and interview wait times at posts. 

Table 3: Visa Statistics from Posts in China, India, and Russia 

 Beijing Shanghai Guangzhou New Delhi Chennai Moscow

St. 

Petersburg 

Number of U.S. consular officersa 7 4 4 4 7 7 2 

Number of visa applications in FY 2003b 129,927 71,859 53,247 88,525 166,676 98,553 17,771 

Number of visas issued in FY 2003b 76,165 44,821 28,602 56,820 120,535 63,541 14,302 

F-1c issued in FY 2003 5,233 4,852 1,667 3,981 7,544 918 147 

J-1d issued in FY 2003 1,861 1,268 371 1,541 1,222 11,384 1,666 

Number of visas refused in FY 2003b 53,762 27,038 24,645 30,580 46,065 35,012 3,469 

Overall refusal rate FY 2003 41% 38% 46% 36% 28% 35% 20% 

F-1c refusal rate FY 2003 63% 44% 61% 40% 50% 51% 44% 

J-1d refusal rate FY 2003 57% 42% 54% 24% 29% 39% 25% 

Wait time for interview in September 2003 2 weeks 5-6 weeks 2 weeks 2-3 weeks 3 weeks 1 week 2-3 weeks 

Wait time for interview in December 2003 About 

4 weeks

About 

4 weeks 

3 weeks None 3 weeks 4-5 days 4-5 days 

Source: GAO analysis of data provided by posts in China, India, and Russia. 

a

This number only includes Foreign Service officers working in the Non-Immigrant Visa Unit of the 

Consular Section. 

b

For the posts in China, the data we obtained does not cover the entire fiscal year; it covers the period 

from October 2002 through August 2003. 

c

The F category of visa is designated for students. 

d

The J category of visa is designated for exchange visitors. 

Appendix III: Visa Statistics from Seven Posts 
Appendix IV: Distribution of Processing Time 

for Sample of Visas Mantis Cases 

Page 34 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

This appendix provides information on the distribution of processing time 

for our sample of Visas Mantis cases. 

Figure 3: Distribution of Days from Transmission by Post to Receipt by FBI 

Notes: The width of the bar = 5 days. 

Total number of cases = 71. 

Appendix IV: Distribution of Processing Time 

for Sample of Visas Mantis Cases 
Appendix IV: Distribution of Processing Time 

for Sample of Visas Mantis Cases 

Page 35 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

Figure 4: Distribution of Days from Receipt by FBI to Completion of Clearance 

Notes: The width of the bar = 10 days. 

Total number of cases = 70. 

a

The application was resent during our sample. We used the original Visas Mantis application date of 

July 2002. 
Appendix IV: Distribution of Processing Time 

for Sample of Visas Mantis Cases 

Page 36 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

Figure 5: Distribution of Days from Clearance by FBI to Receipt by State 

Notes: The width of the bar = 5 days. 

Total number of cases = 70. 
Appendix IV: Distribution of Processing Time 

for Sample of Visas Mantis Cases 

Page 37 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

Figure 6: Distribution of Days from Receipt by State to State’s Response to Post 

Notes: The width of the bar = 10 days. 

Total number of cases = 67. 
Appendix IV: Distribution of Processing Time 

for Sample of Visas Mantis Cases 

Page 38 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

Figure 7: Distribution of Total Days from Transmission by Post to Response from 

State 

Notes: The width of the bar = 20 days. 

Total number of cases = 67. 

a

The application was resent during our sample. We used the original Visas Mantis application date of 

July 2002. 
Appendix V: Comments from the State 

Department 

Page 39 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

Appendix V: Comments from the State 

Department 

Note: GAO comments 

supplementing those in 

the report text appear at 

the end of this appendix. 
Appendix V: Comments from the State 

Department 

Page 40 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

See comment 2. 

See comment 1. 
Appendix V: Comments from the State 

Department 

Page 41 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 
Appendix V: Comments from the State 

Department 

Page 42 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

See comment 4. 

See comment 3. 
Appendix V: Comments from the State 

Department 

Page 43 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 
Appendix V: Comments from the State 

Department 

Page 44 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

See comment 5. 
Appendix V: Comments from the State 

Department 

Page 45 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

See comment 7. 

See comment 6. 
Appendix V: Comments from the State 

Department 

Page 46 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

The following are GAO’s comments on the State Department’s letter dated 

February 11, 2004. 

1. The report does not assume that all nonimmigrant visa applicants are 

qualified for a visa as indicated in footnote 6 on page 5 and discussion 

on pages 5-6. To further clarify that some applicants are eligible for a 

visa and some are not, we modified our discussion of the visa 

adjudication process as presented in figure 1. 

2. We acknowledge the importance of the Visas Mantis screening process 

in protecting U.S. national security. We discuss the utility and value of 

the Visas Mantis process on pages 7-8. In addition, we modified 

footnote 11 on page 7 to indicate State’s views on the importance of 

the Visas Mantis process. 

3. On December 11, 2003, State provided us with a study of 40 randomly 

selected Visas Mantis cases that posts submitted in August, September, 

and October 2003. In addition, on February 13, 2004, State provided us 

with another random study of 50 cases from November and December 

2003. We discuss both samples on pages 11-12 and how the data was 

developed. 

4. We added wording to footnote 22 on page 11 to acknowledge that in 

some cases the length of time to process a Visas Mantis check is not 

under the control of State. 

5. We modified the chart on the introductory page to clarify that the Visas 

Mantis processing time begins when the post sends a Visas Mantis 

cable request to Washington. The chart shows the total length of time 

it could take an applicant to obtain a visa if a Visas Mantis security 

clearance is needed. 

6. Our data for the 410 Visas Mantis cases pending after more than 60 

days is based on information collected at 7 posts. We were not able to 

determine the total number of Visas Mantis cases sent in fiscal year 

2003 from these posts. In addition, at the time of our review State was 

not able to provide data on the total number of Visas Mantis cases sent 

from all posts in fiscal year 2003. 

7. We modified the text on page 13 of the report to reflect the number of 

cases pending from Chennai, India. The information was provided by 

consular officials at post. For our analysis of Visas Mantis processing 

GAO Comments 
Appendix V: Comments from the State 

Department 

Page 47 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

time frames, we used the date of application, not the date the Visas 

Mantis request was submitted, as stated in footnote 28. 
Appendix VI: Comments from the Federal 

Bureau of Investigation 

Page 48 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

Appendix VI: Comments from the Federal 

Bureau of Investigation 

Note: GAO comments 

supplementing those in 

the report text appear at 

the end of this appendix. 

See comment 1. 

See comment 3. 

See comment 2. 

See comment 1. 
Appendix VI: Comments from the Federal 

Bureau of Investigation 

Page 49 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

See comment 5. 

See comment 4. 
Appendix VI: Comments from the Federal 

Bureau of Investigation 

Page 50 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

The following are GAO’s comments on the Federal Bureau of 

Investigation’s letter dated February 5, 2004. 

1. Because State’s new system is not currently operational, we did not 

assess its technology improvements and therefore could not assess 

whether the information in State’s new database is eliminating delays 

attributable to format errors. We discuss that FBI is working together 

with State to achieve interoperability between their systems on page 

23 of the report. 

2. We modified the draft to reflect that State Department data are not 

available on how long it takes for a science student or scholar to 

obtain a visa. 

3. We discuss FBI’s improvements to its visa screening process, including 

cooperation with State on pages 21-23. 

4. We modified the text in the footnote on page 14 to reflect that the FBI 

has no way to ensure that its Visas Mantis security check results are 

forwarded to the posts. 

5. We added a footnote on page 15 to reference the distribution of FBI’s 

processing times. 

GAO Comments 
Appendix VII: GAO Contacts and Staff 

Acknowledgments 

Page 51 GAO-04-371 Visas for Science Students and Scholars 

Jess Ford (202) 512-4128 

John Brummet (202) 512-4128 

In addition to the above named individuals, Jeanette Espinola, Heather 

Barker, Janey Cohen, and Andrea Miller made key contributions to this 

report. Martin de Alteriis, Carl Barden, Laverne Tharpes, and Mary 

Moutsos provided technical assistance. 

Appendix VII: GAO Contacts and Staff 

Acknowledgments 

GAO Contacts 

Staff 

Acknowledgments 

(320188) 
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