	Visa Process Should Be Strengthened as an Antiterrorism Tool

The September 11 attacks illustrated the vulnerabilities in the visa process  when it became known that all 19 of the terrorist hijackers had been  issued visas to enter the United States. Also, the Departments of State and Justice disagreed on  the evidence needed to deny a visa on terrorism grounds. In our October 2002 report, we concluded that the visa process could be  an important tool to keep potential terrorists from entering the United  States but that weaknesses limited its effectiveness as an antiterrorism  tool. In our June 2003 report, we identified the  policies and procedures of several agencies that govern the visa  revocation process and determined the effectiveness of the process. To strengthen the visa revocation process as an antiterrorism tool, we  recommended that the Secretary of Homeland Security, in conjunction  with the Secretary of State and the Attorney General    develop specific policies and procedures for the interagency visa  revocation process to ensure that notification of visa revocations for  suspected terrorists and relevant supporting information is transmitted  from State to immigration and law enforcement agencies and their  respective inspection and investigation units in a timely manner;   develop a specific policy on actions that immigration and law  enforcement agencies should take to investigate and locate individuals  whose visas have been revoked for terrorism concerns and who remain  in the United States after revocation; and   determine if persons with visas revoked on terrorism grounds are in  the United States and, if so, whether they pose a security threat. Have the Departments of State, Homeland Security, and Justice agreed  on the level of evidence needed to deny and revoke visas? These policies should balance the need for national security with  the desire to facilitate legitimate travel to the United States.
Why GAO Did This Study

Since September 11, 2001, visa operations have played an increasingly important role in ensuring the national security of the United States. The Departments of State, Homeland Security, and Justice, as well as other agencies, are involved in the visa process. Each plays an important role in making security decisions so that potential terrorists do not enter the country. In two GAO reports, we assessed the effectiveness of the visa process as an antiterrorism tool.

What GAO Found

Our analysis of the visa process shows that the Departments of State, Homeland Security, and Justice could more effectively manage the visa process if they had clear and comprehensive policies and procedures and increased agency coordination and information sharing. In our October 2002 report on the visa process as an antiterrorism tool, we found that State did not provide clear policies on how consular officers should balance national security concerns with the desire to facilitate legitimate travel when issuing visas; and State and Justice disagreed on the evidence needed to deny a visa on terrorism grounds. In our June 2003 report, we found that State had revoked visas for terrorism concerns but that the revocation process was not being used aggressively to alert homeland security and law enforcement agencies that individuals who entered the country before their visas were revoked might be security risks; and the process broke down when information on revocations was not being shared between State and appropriate immigration and law enforcement officials. These weaknesses diminish the effectiveness of the visa process in keeping potential terrorists out of the United States.