Strengthening Visa and Passport Operations

The Department of State faces a number of challenges to its global visa and passport operations.

State has had difficulty meeting growing, long-term visa demand, which has led to operational challenges, including long wait times, and has also experienced a tremendous increase in the number of passports it processes in recent years.

Highlights of GAO-07-847 (PDF), Highlights of GAO-08-891 (PDF)
State also needs to improve planning for potential changes to the Visa Waiver Program that could bring about substantial increases in the demand for visas at embassies and consular offices abroad, or risk the severe disruption of visa operations at those locations.

Highlights of GAO-08-623 (PDF)
Despite recent security enhancements to passports and visas, State must address challenges to the security of its travel documents, such as fraud risks and the inability of inspection officers at ports of entry to fully utilize these documents’ security features.

Highlights of GAO-07-1006 (PDF)

^ Back to topWhat Needs to Be Done

State needs to take several actions, including the following:

DFollow through on its stated intention to develop a Passport Operations Five-Year Strategic Plan by April 2010 that will describe its desired end state for passport operations and address how it intends to transition from the current state to this end state; and

Highlights of GAO-08-891 (PDF)
Develop a strategy to address worldwide increases in visa demand, including large spikes in visa demand that could occur because of planned and potential changes in the Visa Waiver Program.

Highlights of GAO-08-623 (PDF)