Over $1.2 trillion dollars in merchandise of foreign trade is handled at U.S. seaports each year, and according to DOT MARAD, U.S. ports accounted for the second highest number of cargo vessel calls worldwide in 2009. In addition, millions of individuals transit U.S. seaports annually on cruise ships, making the cruise industry a source of major economic activity. For example, direct spending for goods and services by the cruise lines and their passengers in the United States was about $19.1 billion in 2008. The global labor supply of seafarers who work on commercial vessels to support these types of activities is estimated at 1.2 to 2 million individuals. This figure encompasses individuals required for normal operation and service on board commercial vessels, including hospitality-related occupations on cruise ships such as food servers and entertainers. Compared to the total number of arrivals at U.S. land and air ports of entry, the number of foreign seafarers arriving in U.S. seaports is small. For example, according to CBP data, foreign seafarer arrivals accounted for almost 5 million of the approximately 27 million passenger and crew arrivals recorded in U.S. seaports in fiscal year 2007. In contrast, for that same year, CBP recorded 92 million passenger and crew arrivals on international flights and 300 million passenger and pedestrian arrivals at land border crossings. According to CBP data, in fiscal year 2009, approximately 80 percent of seafarers arriving by commercial vessel did so on board passenger vessels, such as cruise ships with the remaining 20 percent arriving by cargo or other vessel type. This is because individual cruise ship routes typically account for regular, frequent arrivals, and cruise ships typically employ hundreds of seafarers, while cargo ships often have just a few dozen seafarers on board. As a result, the seaports receiving the largest numbers of seafarers were generally those that had cruise vessel operations. In fiscal year 2009, CBP reported 10 of the 132 U.S. seaports of entry received 70 percent of foreign seafarer arrivals (see fig. 1 below). The State Department typically issues two types of non-immigrant visas to foreign seafarers: C1/D or D. D visas are “crewmember” visas that allow a seafarer to request a conditional permit to land in the United States only if arriving by ship as an active seafarer. Under the C1 category of the combined C1/D visa, seafarers are allowed to seek admission into the United States at any port of entry—such as an airport—for the purpose of transiting to ships for employment. If arriving by vessel in the capacity of an active seafarer, the D category of the combined C1/D visa may be used to request a conditional permit to land. Typically, these visas are valid for multiple entries over a period of up to 5 years, and the maximum time allowed in the United States for any single entry is 29 days. According to CBP data, the vast majority of foreign seafarers who arrive in U.S. seaports—over 95 percent in fiscal year 2009—possessed one of these non-immigrant visas. By far, the C1/D visa is the most frequently issued visa applied for and obtained by seafarers. Figure 2 below shows the share of C1/D and D visas the State Department issued in fiscal year 2009. As approximated by C1/D and D visa issuance, a few countries account for large shares of the foreign seafarers who apply for non-immigrant visas to enter the United States, with the Philippines supplying by far the most seafarers, followed by India and the Russian Federation. Tables 1 and 2 below illustrate C1/D and D visa issuance data for fiscal year 2009. A number of domestic and international stakeholders are involved with seafarer security issues. For example, among domestic stakeholders, multiple DHS components share responsibilities for ensuring that aliens for whom there may be national security or other concerns are not admitted to the United States. Table 3 lists some of these organizations and agencies and their roles related to seafarer security. International and national law and guidance govern maritime security, and include provisions that apply to seafarers. At the international level, the IMO, through its International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS) and its Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic (FAL), lays out the international framework designed to help ensure maritime security and prevent unnecessary delays in maritime traffic. In addition, national laws, regulations, and guidance also direct federal agencies and vessel operators on a nationwide basis. For example, the INA as amended requires that all aliens, including foreign seafarers, seeking admission to the United States be inspected by immigration officers. It also requires foreign seafarers, with certain exceptions, to obtain a conditional landing permit to land temporarily in the United States. To grant a conditional landing permit, CBP generally requires foreign seafarers to present a passport or seaman’s book and a non-immigrant visa with a D classification. Appendix I details key international and national laws, conventions, or guidance pertaining to seafarer security. According to Coast Guard National Maritime Intelligence Center officials we met, to date there have been no terrorist attacks involving seafarers on vessels transiting to U.S. ports and no definitive information to indicate that extremists have entered the United States as seafarer non-immigrant visa holders. Nevertheless, as we reported in 2007, security officials in the U.S. government are concerned about the possibility of a future terrorist attack in a U.S. port. Federal agencies have identified seafarer-related risks involving either (1) extremists entering U.S. ports as seafarers and their potential threat to vessels or port infrastructure; or (2) risks posed generally by illegal immigration into the United States, in particular: The State Department has reported that the exploitation of C1/D visas by aliens is a national security concern because the visas could be used by extremists to enter the United States. State Department and DHS reports chronicle several cases where groups of seafarers have been able to obtain valid visas through fraudulent means and successfully enter the United States. These fraud cases generally involved C1/D applicants using what were later determined to be fraudulent employment letters to obtain their visas. Still, according to the State Department, the extent of fraud among seafarer visa types—C1/D and D—is comparable with that encountered with other non-immigrant visa types and does not constitute a substantial problem. As we reported in 2007, the Coast Guard has assessed the hypothetical possibility that seafarers (or persons posing as seafarers) could conspire to commandeer a vessel with the intent of using it as a weapon or disrupting maritime commerce. However, vessel operator and industry group assessments have found this to be an unlikely scenario in part due to the vetting process shipping companies use when hiring, and particularly for cargo or tanker vessels, the technical complexity required for operating the vessels. The State Department’s visa adjudication process is the first layer of security implemented by federal agencies to prevent terrorists, certain criminals, or otherwise inadmissible aliens from gaining entry into the United States. Aliens wishing to temporarily enter the United States—such as foreign seafarers—fill out a visa application and make an appointment for an interview at U.S. embassies or consulates abroad; pay a fee; and submit photographs and 10-digit fingerprints. In turn, consular officers review applications, interview applicants, screen applicant information against federal databases, and review supporting documents to assess whether the applicant is an intending immigrant, potential threat to national security, or otherwise ineligible. Among other things, consular officers check for previous visa refusals, immigration violations, criminal histories, and terrorism concerns. If any such concerns arise, officers conduct additional security checks by seeking input through an interagency Security Advisory Opinion (SAO) (see fig. 3 for a description of the visa adjudication process). Following these steps, the State Department will either issue or refuse an applicant’s visa application. Those applicants who are granted visas may then present the visa to CBP officers to request admission into the United States when arriving at U.S. ports (CBP’s process for admissibility screening is discussed later in this report). In fiscal year 2009, the State Department reported that 265,512 applicants had applied for crew visas—C1/D and D. Of this number, the State Department issued 229,527 (86 percent) and refused 35,985 (14 percent). As we previously reported in 2007, the State Department has taken steps to strengthen the security of the visa adjudication process since the terrorist attacks of 9/11. For example, the State Department has increased use of internal databases to track fraud cases and identify trends, conducted an increased number of studies on visa adjudication practices, and enhanced and expanded consular officer training courses on fraud (see appendix II for a summary of selected actions the State Department has taken since 9/11 to strengthen the adjudication process). In addition, in 2007, following several cases in which seafarers obtained visas fraudulently from overseas posts, the State Department issued guidance suggesting additional steps that posts can take to identify fraud among applicants for non-immigrant seafarer visas—particularly in ensuring that the ship, visa applicant, and manning agency are bona fide entities. Before a commercial vessel’s arrival, both CBP and Coast Guard are to receive and screen advance information on commercial vessels scheduled to arrive at U.S. ports. Vessel operators or agents are required to transmit information to the Coast Guard’s National Vessel Movement Center, including CBP-required advance passenger and crew information—known as a manifest—and Coast Guard required Advanced Notice of Arrival (ANOA).