	Background

Since 1987, State has recognized that the lack of adequate controls over visa processing is a material weakness that increases U.S. vulnerability to illegal immigration and diminishes the integrity of the U.S. visa. Specific problems have included (1) inadequate management controls, (2) lax security over visas, (3) unreliable equipment, and (4) unsupervised staff. Technical Problems Reduce Effectiveness of Visa Automation

In 1989, State began the machine-readable visa program as its primary initiative for eliminating fraudulent nonimmigrant visas. Lack of Cooperation Limits Usefulness of Terrorist Lookout Committees

In the aftermath of the World Trade Center bombing, State directed all diplomatic and consular posts to form committees with representatives from consular, political, and other appropriate agencies to meet regularly to ensure that the names of suspected terrorists and others ineligible for a visa are identified and put into the lookout system. Upgrades and Enhancements to Automated Passport Systems Are Behind Schedule

Automation upgrades and enhancements are the cornerstone of State’s strategy to reduce the vulnerability of passport systems to fraud. Planned efforts involve (1) installing a computer network to connect all domestic passport agencies and serve as a platform to allow State to verify the multiple issuance of passports, (2) enhancing its travel document issuance system so that the passport photo can be printed digitally, and (3) completing the upgrade of its travel document issuance system at all passport agencies. State had planned to have most of the improvements completed by December 1995. However, only one major improvement, installation of a wide-area network, had been completed by that date. The other improvements, in addition to being dependent on the wide-area network for telecommunications, are also dependent on the completion of the upgrades to the passport production system. State’s current goal is for full completion of these enhancements and upgrades by the end of 1996. State indicated that completion of these upgrades was dependent upon the availability of funds. State is also developing a system to print a digitized passport photograph. According to a Bureau official, depending on the availability of the funds, the Bureau plans to have all systems upgraded and enhanced by the end of calendar year 1996.
Why GAO Did This Study

GAO reviewed the Department of State's plan to make its visa and passport operations more efficient and less vulnerable to fraud, focusing on: (1) the status of the plan's key initiatives; and (2) compliance with internal management controls by consular staff at selected posts overseas.

What GAO Found

GAO found that: (1) State's efforts to overcome the material weaknesses in visa and passport processing have had mixed results; (2) after initial delays, State has made steady progress in installing its machine-readable system (the primary initiative for eliminating visa fraud) and provided all visa-issuing posts with automated access to its global database containing names of individuals ineligible for a visa; (3) operational problems have diminished the effectiveness of these efforts including technical problems that have limited the availability and usefulness of the visa improvements, limited usefulness of embassy lookout committees because of the reluctance of some agencies to share information and the lack of representation of key agencies, and lack of compliance with management control procedures designed to decrease the vulnerability of consular operations to fraud; (4) State is behind schedule in its modernization and enhancement efforts to reduce passport fraud; (5) State originally planned to have installed a new wide-area network, developed a system to print a digitized passport photograph, and completed installation of a system to verify multiple issuance of passports by December 1995, however, only the installation of the wide-area network, upon which the other two projects depend, has been completed; (6) full implementation also depends on the completion of the modernization of the passport production system which State indicates is dependent on the availability of funding; and (7) State's current goal is for full implementation by the end of calendar year 1996.