T5 B61 Condor Fdr- 4-5-04 Dos-elliot Fax Re Condor Stats- Comments 216

1/05/2004 1 9 : 0 2 FAX 202 6470122

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

lNT

STATE

S/ES:200407595 Message No.

Classification

From:

S/ES

S.M.Elliott (Officer name)

No. Pages

Unclassified

7224

75301

(Office symbol)

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_ Attacged _

(Phone number)

(Room number)

MESSAGE DESCRIPTION Hofmann/Marcus-Transmittal of Statistics on the Visas Condor Program TO: (Agency)

DELIVER TO: (Person/Office)

9/11 Commission

Daniel Marcus

9/11 Commission

Thomas Eldridge

FOR:

Phone no.

Room no.

- 3-*? t, ~ fax:

2 0 2 358-3124

CLEARANCE Q INFORMATIOMfxJjx PER REQUEST Q COMMENTQ

REMARKS:

S/ES Officer: Susan M. Elliott WATCH/Guidance, Forms, Samples/OS Forms/Fax Covers & Cheatsheets/Form-Washfax seal cover.doc

06/17/01

<004 19:02

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

FAX 202 6470122

United States Department of State Washington, D.C. 20520 www.state.gov APR

5 XC4

UNCLASSIFIED

MEMORANDUM FOR DANIEL MARCUS GENERAL COUNSEL NATIONAL COMMISSION ON TERRORIST ATTACKS UPON THE UNITED STATES SUBJECT: Transmittal of Statistics on the Visas Condor Program Please find enclosed, statistics and comments on the Visas Condor program as requested by Thomas Eldridge, Counsel to the 9/11 Commission.

Karl Hofmann Executive Secretary Attachment: Visas Condor Statistics

UNCLASSIFIED

T004 19:02 FAX

202 6470122

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

UNCLASSIFIED VISAS CONDOR STATISTICS Q. How many Condors have now been done? A. According to VISTA, the Visa Office's internal case tracking system, there have been approximately 130,000 Visas Condor Security Advisory Opinion (SAO) requests submitted by posts to Washington since the program began on January 26, 2002. The VISTA system counts SAO requests, not applicants. There are several factors that could have an effect on this number. Until March 21, 2003 posts could and often did submit more than one applicant on a Condor SAO. On the other hand, posts sometimes sent a second or third SAO request on the same applicant if they didn't receive a quick response. Therefore, the number of actual Condor applicants vs. SAO requests could be greater than 130,000 but probably not significantly so. Q. Are there any applications still in limbo? How many? A. About 2,000 cases are still awaiting a final response from the FBI. Q. How many visas have been denied based on Condor clearance results? A. No visa has yet been denied under terrorism grounds to any applicant subject to a Condor SAO. Cases denied under the terrorism grounds of the Immigration and Nationality Act are reported to Congress on a quarterly basis by the Department of State. The cases mentioned in these reports received interagency screening under the Visas Donkey program. Q. Were any visas granted with silent waivers? A. No silent waiver was granted to any applicant subject to a Condor SAO as none were denied under terrorism grounds.

UNCLASSIFIED

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UNCLASSIFIED VISAS CONDOR STATISTICS -

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Q. How many Condors have now been done? . A, Accordingto VESTA, the Visa Office's internal case tracking system, there have .been approximately 130,000 Visas Condor Security Advisory. Opinion (SAO) requests submitted by-posts' to.-Washingtbn since the program began on January 26,2002. The VISTA system counts SAO requests, not applicants. There are several factors thai could have an effect on this number. Until March:21, 2003 posts could and often did submit more than one applicant on a Condor SAO. On the other hand, posts sometimes sent a second or third SAO. request on the same applicant if they didn't receive a quick response. Therefore, the number of actual Condor . applicants vs. SAOrequests, could be greater than 130,000 but probably not •sigfrficantlyso. . . . . Q. Are there any applications still in .limbo?. How many? • A. About 2,000 cases are still awaiting a final response from the FBI. Q. How many visas have been denied based on Condor clearance results? A. No visa has yet been denied under terrorism grounds to any applicant ' • . (A subject to a Condor SAO; Cases denied under the terrorism grounds of the p5 Immigration and Nationality Act are reported to Congress on a quarterly fi\ i • basis by the Departnient of State. The cases mentioned in' these reports received interagericy screening under the Visas Donkey program. Q. Were any visas granted with silent waivers?.

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A* • No silent waiver was granted to any applicant subject to a Condor SAO

. UNCLASStFIED

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