Border Security: State Department Rollout of Biometric Visas on Schedule, but Guidance Is Lagging
GAO-04-1001
Published: Sep 09, 2004. Publicly Released: Sep 09, 2004.
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Highlights
As a complement to 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--the State Department (State) is implementing the Biometric Visa Program at all 207 overseas consulates by October 26, 2004. This program, required by the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002, requires that all persons applying for U.S. visas have certain biometrics (fingerprints) and a digital photograph collected during the visa application interview. This information must be cleared through the DHS Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) before an applicant can receive a visa. GAO reviewed State's rollout of the program, including its implementation progress and how State and DHS envision the program being used to help adjudicate visas.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Directorate of Border and Transportation Security | The Secretaries of Homeland Security and State should develop and provide comprehensive guidance to consular posts that includes direction to consular officers on how to best implement the Biometric Visa Program. The guidance should address the planned uses for the Biometric Visa Program at consular posts including directions to consular officers on when in the visa process prints are to be scanned and when and how information from the IDENT database on visa applicants should be considered by consular officers during their interviews. In developing the guidance, State and DHS should consider factors such as program security goals, resources in terms of personnel and costs, response times, and the burden on the applicant. | In September 2004, GAO recommended that the Departments of State (State) and Homeland Security develop and provide comprehensive guidance to consular posts on how to best implement the Biometric Visa Program. Specifically, we reported that the guidance include directions to consular officers on when in the visa process fingerprints are to be scanned and when and how information from the DHS Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) should be considered. On April 18, 2006, State cabled all diplomatic and consular posts with new instructions on IDENT results and procedures. In particular, the cable states that posts should ensure that the interviewing officers read IDENT results,... either during the interview or as soon after the interview as possible. According to State, this allows consular officers to see the IDENT results while the interviews are free in their minds in case any information from the travel record may prove relevant. In addition, the cable provides guidance on several types of IDENT watch list hits, and how adjudicating officers are to review these hits. In our report, we also recommended that the Secretary of State direct each consular post to develop an implementation plan based on this guidance. While acknowledging that posts may collect the fingerprints in a different manner, the April 2006 cable states that all posts should ensure that their procedures are applied consistently and that all interviewing officers review their own IDENT hits. Consular officials stated that State developed this guidance and issued this cable based, in part, on GAO's recommendations.
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| Department of State | The Secretaries of Homeland Security and State should develop and provide comprehensive guidance to consular posts that includes direction to consular officers on how to best implement the Biometric Visa Program. The guidance should address the planned uses for the Biometric Visa Program at consular posts including directions to consular officers on when in the visa process prints are to be scanned and when and how information from the IDENT database on visa applicants should be considered by consular officers during their interviews. In developing the guidance, State and DHS should consider factors such as program security goals, resources in terms of personnel and costs, response times, and the burden on the applicant. | In September 2004, GAO recommended that the Departments of State (State) and Homeland Security develop and provide comprehensive guidance to consular posts on how to best implement the Biometric Visa Program. Specifically, we reported that the guidance include directions to consular officers on when in the visa process fingerprints are to be scanned and when and how information from the DHS Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) should be considered. On April 18, 2006, State cabled all diplomatic and consular posts with new instructions on IDENT results and procedures. In particular, the cable states that posts should ensure that the interviewing officers read IDENT results,...
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| Department of State | The Secretary of State should direct each consular post to develop an implementation plan based on this guidance. | In September 2004, GAO recommended that the Departments of State (State) and Homeland Security develop and provide comprehensive guidance to consular posts on how to best implement the Biometric Visa Program. Specifically, we reported that the guidance include directions to consular officers on when in the visa process fingerprints are to be scanned and when and how information from the DHS Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) should be considered. On April 18, 2006, State cabled all diplomatic and consular posts with new instructions on IDENT results and procedures. In particular, the cable states that posts should ensure that the interviewing officers read IDENT results,...
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Topics
Biometric visasBiometricsBorder securityEducationFingerprintsHomeland securityIdentity verificationImmigrationImmigration information systemsProgram management