(NewsNation) — The Office of Inspector General (OIG) revealed that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has insufficient information on whether nonimmigrant visa holders have been interviewed by the Department of State (DoS).
A recent OIG report shows that between 2020 and 2023, the DoS granted approximately 7.1 million nonimmigrant visas without conducting in-person consular interviews. During the same period, fingerprints were not collected for an undisclosed number of visa applicants.
In December 2023, DoS and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agreed to expand the categories of visas and applicants eligible for interview waivers starting January 1, 2024. The fingerprint waiver program concluded in December 2023.
The findings raise concerns about national security, as visa overstays were a factor in the 9/11 attacks. Despite this, visa overstays remain the lowest priority for removal by immigration authorities.
The DoS issues nonimmigrant visas to individuals seeking entry into the United States temporarily for tourism, medical treatment, business, temporary work, study, or other reasons.
The U.S. allows citizens or nationals of participating countries, mostly in the European Union, to enter the country for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa.