To achieve U.S.

	U.S. Officials Experience Delays in Obtaining Pakistani Visas, Which Disrupt Implementation and Oversight of U.S. Assistance to Pakistan

Available agency data show that U.S. officials experience delays in the  issuance of both visas for travel to Pakistan and visa extensions, which  have affected the implementation and oversight of U.S. assistance to  Pakistan. Agencies reported that these delays affect the implementation  of U.S. programs in multiple ways—for example, creating staffing gaps for  critical embassy positions and necessitating the cancellation of training to  assist the Pakistani government in areas such as antiterrorism and  counternarcotics. According to the  Pakistani embassy, and as reported by State, the embassy’s policy is to  issue visas for U.S. officials within 6 weeks of their application date. However, about 18 percent of the visas  took longer than 6 weeks to be issued, with approximately 3 percent  taking 16 weeks or longer. U.S. officials also experience delays in obtaining visa extensions after  arrival in Pakistan. Approximately 59 percent of these visa extensions took longer  than 6 weeks to be issued, with approximately 5 percent taking 16 weeks  or longer. Officials from DOD, DOJ, State, USAID, and the U.S.  embassy in Islamabad said that they receive little specific information  from Pakistan on the reasons for visa delays. State noted that visas for approximately 40 Regional  Security Officers and Marine Security Guards were significantly delayed,  some for as long as 9 months. Visa delays also slow program implementation. Agencies Have Taken Various Steps to Address Pakistani Visa Delays, but Reporting on These Delays Could Be Improved

Agencies have taken various steps to address Pakistani visa delays, but  reporting to Congress does not provide comprehensive information on the  risk of visa delays government-wide. According to officials, agencies have taken various  steps to manage visa delays and their effects. For instance, State has  conducted high-level discussions with the Pakistani government  regarding visa delays, and agencies affected by Pakistani visa delays  have shifted training to other countries. State has reported visa delays as a challenge to  the implementation of its programs. However, State’s reports do not  include information regarding the risks of visa delays to the human  resources of other agencies, although components of DOD, DOJ, and  USAID told us that they had experienced staffing gaps caused by visa  delays. Reporting comprehensive information about the risks of visa  delays could provide a more complete picture of the challenges to  implementing U.S. assistance and better inform any potential diplomatic  discussions between the United States and Pakistan regarding delays. Reporting to Congress Does Not Provide Comprehensive Information on the Risks of Pakistani Visa Delays Government-wide

In reporting to Congress, State has not provided comprehensive  information on the risks of Pakistani visa delays government-wide. The  Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009 requires State, in  consultation with DOD, to identify and report on a semiannual basis to  Congress about risks to effective use and oversight of U.S funds to  Pakistan, including any shortfall in U.S. human resources, among other  things. Without comprehensive reporting about the risks of  visa delays and related staffing gaps, State’s reporting to Congress may  not provide a complete picture of the challenges the United States faces  in managing and overseeing U.S. assistance to Pakistan, and agencies  may lack information that could help them manage such risks. Conclusions

Although the United States invested more than $26 billion in fiscal years  2002 through 2012 to assist the government of Pakistan, U.S. officials  applying for Pakistani visas continue to face delays that they have  identified as disrupting their efforts to provide assistance. Recommendation for Executive Action

To improve the information provided to Congress and to inform potential  diplomatic discussions, we recommend that the Secretary of State consult  with U.S. agencies engaged in providing assistance to Pakistan to obtain  information on Pakistani visa delays and include this information in  State’s future reporting to Congress. In addition, we are  encouraged that our report prompted State to develop new procedures to  enhance its tracking of visa applications government-wide. Specifically, we examined (1) the extent to which U.S.  officials experience delays obtaining Pakistani visas and the effects of  these delays and (2) steps U.S. agencies have taken to address Pakistani  visa delays. To evaluate the extent to which U.S. officials experience delays obtaining  Pakistani visas, and the effects of these delays, we collected available  data on processing times for official and diplomatic visa applications to  Pakistan in fiscal years 2010 through 2012 from DOD’s Office of the  Defense Representative Pakistan, DOJ’s Federal Bureau of Investigation,  State’s Special Issuance Agency and Orientation and In-Processing  Center, and USAID’s Office of Afghanistan and Pakistan Affairs. Combating Terrorism: U.S.
Why GAO Did This Study

Pakistan is a key U.S. partner in the effort to combat terrorism and violent extremism. In fiscal years 2002 through 2012, Pakistan received more than $26 billion in U.S. funding. To travel to Pakistan to implement and oversee programs, U.S. officials are required to obtain a Pakistani visa and, depending on the length of their stay, may need to apply for a visa extension once in Pakistan. U.S. officials have expressed concerns about delays in obtaining Pakistani visas. Congress has also expressed interest in receiving information on Pakistani visa delays, such as requiring that State and DOD certify information regarding timely issuance of visas to officials before providing or reimbursing certain funding for Pakistan.
GAO was asked to review issues related to visa delays. This report examines (1) the extent to which U.S. officials experience delays obtaining Pakistani visas and the effects of these delays and (2) steps U.S. agencies have taken to address Pakistani visa delays. GAO analyzed data on visa wait times, reviewed planning documents, and met with officials from DOD, DHS, DOJ, State, and USAID.

What GAO Found

U.S. officials have experienced delays in obtaining Pakistani visas that disrupt the delivery and oversight of U.S. assistance to Pakistan. According to Pakistani Consular Services, and as confirmed by the Department of State (State), the goal of the embassy of Pakistan is to issue visas for U.S. officials within 6 weeks. GAO's analysis of data provided by State, the Departments of Defense (DOD) and Justice (DOJ), and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) found that U.S. officials experience delays in the issuance of both visas to travel to Pakistan and visa extensions. For instance, GAO found that of about 4,000 issued visas, approximately 18 percent took more than 6 weeks, with approximately 3 percent taking 16 weeks or longer. Moreover, of approximately 2,200 visa extensions, about 59 percent took longer than 6 weeks to be issued, with approximately 5 percent taking 16 weeks or longer. U.S. officials stated that they receive little specific information from Pakistan on the reasons for visa delays, but they noted that visa delays disrupt the effective implementation and oversight of U.S. programs and efficient use of resources in Pakistan. Visa delays also have created staffing gaps for critical embassy positions, such as Regional Security Officers and Marine Security Guards, and have necessitated the cancellation of training to assist the Pakistani government in areas such as antiterrorism, counternarcotics, and law enforcement assistance.
Agencies have taken various steps to address Pakistani visa delays, but reporting to Congress does not provide comprehensive information on the risk of visa delays government-wide. The Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009 requires State to identify and report to Congress on a semiannual basis about risks to effective use and oversight of U.S funds to Pakistan, such as any shortfall in U.S. human resources. In addition, federal standards for internal control state that once agencies identify a risk to their programs, they should collect and analyze information to allow them to develop better approaches to manage it. According to officials, agencies have taken various steps to manage visa delays and their effects. For instance, State has conducted high-level discussions with the Pakistani government regarding visa delays and has reprogrammed $10 million budgeted for antiterrorism trainings in Pakistan, which were canceled due to visa delays, toward other priority initiatives. However, GAO found that State's reporting does not include comprehensive information on the risks of visa delays government-wide. State has reported to Congress that visa delays create challenges to the implementation of its programs in Pakistan. However, State's reports do not include information regarding the risks of visa delays to the human resources of other agencies, although components of DOD, DOJ, and USAID told GAO that they experience staffing gaps caused by visa delays. Reporting comprehensive information about the risks of visa delays could provide a more complete picture of the challenges that the United States faces in managing and overseeing U.S. assistance to Pakistan. More comprehensive reporting may also help to better inform any potential diplomatic discussions between the United States and Pakistan regarding visa delays.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends that State consult with U.S. agencies engaged in providing assistance to Pakistan to obtain information on visa delays and include this information in its reporting to Congress. State partially concurred, citing challenges with interagency coordination, but noted that GAO's report has prompted State to improve its tracking of visa applications to Pakistan government-wide.