United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology Program

US-VISIT aims to enhance national security, facilitate legitimate trade and  travel, contribute to the integrity of the U.S. immigration system, and  adhere to U.S. privacy laws and policies by    collecting, maintaining, and sharing information on certain foreign  nationals who enter and exit the United States; identifying foreign nationals who (1) have overstayed or violated the terms  of their visit; (2) can receive, extend, or adjust their immigration status; or  (3) should be apprehended or detained by law enforcement officials;   detecting fraudulent travel documents, verifying traveler identity, and  determining traveler admissibility through the use of biometrics; and facilitating information sharing and coordination among appropriate  agencies. Biometric Visa Implementation Nearing Completion, but Some Guidance Still Needed

State’s implementation of the technology aspects of the biometric visa  program is currently on schedule to meet the October 26, 2004, deadline. In fact,  201 nonimmigrant visa (NIV)-issuing posts out of 207 had the software and  hardware installed and were transmitting prints to IDENT for analysis as  of September 1, 2004. Joint, Coordinated Actions by State and DHS Required on Many Aspects of Visa Processing and Border Security

Since September 11, 2001, we have issued reports recommending that  State and DHS work together to improve several aspects of border  security and the visa process, as described below. In  addition to these and other challenges, the program’s operational context,  or homeland security enterprise architecture, is not yet adequately  defined. In July 2004, we followed up on our findings and recommendations  regarding interagency coordination in the visa revocation process and  found that State and DHS had taken some actions in the summer of 2003 to  address these weaknesses. However, our review showed that some  weaknesses remained. Conclusion

Mr. Chairman, overall, our work has demonstrated that coordinated, joint  actions by State and DHS are critical for homeland and border security. Therefore we have recommended that the Secretaries of Homeland  Security and State develop and provide comprehensive guidance to  consular posts on how best to implement the Biometric Visa Program. The  guidance should address the planned uses for the information generated  by the Biometric Visa Program at consular posts including directions to  consular officers on when and how information from the IDENT database  on visa applicants should be considered. This is an essential  component in establishing biometric policy and creating consistency  between the DHS-run US-VISIT program and State’s Biometric Visa  program.
Why GAO Did This Study

Since September 11, 2001, the U.S. government has made a concerted effort to strengthen border security by enhancing visa issuance policies and procedures, as well as expanding screening of the millions of foreign visitors who enter the United States annually. Consistent with the 9/11 Commission report that recommends a biometric entry-exit screening system for travelers, the Department of State's biometric program complements the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT) program--a governmentwide program to better control and monitor the entry, visa status, and exit of visitors. GAO was asked to present the findings of its report on State's Biometric Visa Program, as well as discuss other aspects of visa processing and border security that require coordinated, joint actions by State and DHS.

What GAO Found

Our report issued today finds that State is implementing the Biometric Visa Program on schedule and will likely meet the October 26, 2004, deadline for issuing visas that include biometric indicators, as mandated by Congress. As of September 1, 2004, State had installed program hardware and software at 201 visa issuing posts overseas and plans to complete the installation at the remaining 6 posts by September 30. Technology installation has progressed smoothly, however State and DHS have not provided comprehensive guidance to consular posts on when and how information from the DHS Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) on visa applicants should be considered by adjudicating consular officers. In the absence of such guidance, we found that these officers are unclear on how best to use the biometric program and IDENT information. Since September 11, State and DHS have made many improvements to visa issuance and border security policies. Nevertheless, in prior reports, we have found additional vulnerabilities that need to be addressed through joint, coordinated actions. For example, DHS has not adequately defined the operational context for US-VISIT, which affects the biometric program. In addition, we identified systemic weaknesses in information sharing between State and DHS in the visa revocation process. Moreover, we found related weaknesses in an interagency security check process aimed to prevent the illegal transfer of sensitive technologies.