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8/14/2019 T5 B61 Condor Fdr- 4-5-04 DOS-Elliot Fax Re Condor Stats- Comments 216

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Message No. No. Pages -Classification Unclassified _Atacged_From: S.M.Elliott S/ES 75301 7224(Officer name) (Office symbol) (Phone number) (Room number)MESSAGE DESCRIPTIONHofmann/Marcus-Transmittal of Statistics on the Visas Condor ProgramTO: (Agency) DELIVER TO: (Person/Office)9/11 Commission Daniel Marcus9/11 Commission Thomas Eldridge

Phone no. Room no.- 3 - * ? t , ~

f a x : 202 358-3124

FOR: CLEARANCEQINFORMATIOMfxJjx PERREQUESTQCOMMENTQREMARKS:

S/ES Officer: Susan M. ElliottWATCH/Guidance, Forms, Samples/OS Forms/Fax Covers & Cheatshee ts /Fo rm-Wash fax seal cove r.doc 06/17/01


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United States D epartment of StateWashington, D.C. 20520www.state.gov

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UNCLASSIFIED

MEMORANDUM FOR DANIEL MARC USGENERAL COUNSELNATIONAL COMMISSION ON TERRORIST ATTAC KS UPONTHE UNITED STATES

SUB JECT: Transmittal of Statistics on the Visas Condor Program

Please find enclosed, statistics and comments on the Visas Condorprogram as requested by Thomas Eldridge, Counsel to the 9/11 Commission.

Karl HofmannExecutive Secretary

Attachment:Visas C ondor Statistics

UNCLASSIFIED


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UNCLASSIFIEDVISAS COND OR STATISTICS

Q. How many Condors have now been done?A . According to VISTA, th e Visa Office's internal case tracking system,there have been approxim ately 130,000 Visas Condor S ecurity Ad visoryOpinion (SAO) requests subm itted by posts to Washington since th eprogram began on January 26, 2002. The VISTA system counts SAOrequests, not applicants. There are several factors that could have an effecton this numb er. Until M arch 21, 2003 posts could and often did submitmore than one applicant on a Condor SAO. On the other hand, postssometimes sent a second or third SAO reque st on the same applican t if theydidn't receive a quick response. The refore, the num ber of actua l Condorapplicants vs. SAO requests could be greater than 130,000 but probably notsignificantly so.Q. A re 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 applicantsubject to a Condor SAO. Cases denied under th e terrorism grounds of theImmigration and Nationality Act are reported to Congress on a quarterlybasis by the Department of State. The cases mentioned in these reportsreceived interagency screening under the Visas Donkey program.Q. Were any visas granted with silent waivers?A. No si lent waive r was granted to any appl icant subject to a Condor SAOas none were denied und er terrorism grounds.

UNCLASSIFIED


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\n. 6 . 2 0 0 4 " 9 : 2 ] A M " " ' M 9 - 1 1 C O M M I S S I O N - . . ' N O , 2 2 9 8 P ^ , 4UNCLASSIFIED

VISAS CONDOR STATISTICS v /- . - . . . ' . - ' - U

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 V isas Condor Security A dvisory.Opinion (SAO) requests submitted by-posts' to.-Washingtbn since theprogram began on January 26,2002. The VISTA system counts SAOrequests, no t applicants. There are several factors thai could have an effecton this num ber. Until March:21, 2003 posts could and often did submitmore than one applicant on a Condor SAO. On the other hand, postssometimes sent a second or third S A O . request on the same applicant if theydidn 't receive a quick response. Therefore, the number of actual Condor .applicants vs. SAO requests, could be greater than 130,000but probably notsigfrficantlyso. . . . .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 ' . (Asubject to a Condor SAO; Cases denied under the terrorism grounds of the p5Immigration 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. W ere any visas granted with silentwaivers?. ,A* No silent waiver w as granted to any applicant subject to a Condor SAO ; v \s none w

. UNCLASStFIED

t5 b61 condor fdr- 4-5-04 dos-elliot fax re condor stats- comments 216

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