State Department Extends Mantis

EDUCATION

International students who pass the rigorous security check known as Visas Mantis will now be cleared for the length of their academic program for a maximum of four years, following changes to the program announced by the State Department on Feb. 11.

Similarly, temporary workers, exchange visitors, and intracompany transfers can be cleared for the duration of their programs for up to two years.

Previously, the clearance lasted for only one year. The Mantis process was repeated each time an individual had to renew his or her visa. Under the new system, students and scientists returning to the same program within the set time frame can renew their visas without another Mantis check.

"The extension of the validity of Mantis is a commonsense reform that reextends the hand of welcome to the world's best and brightest and refocuses the attention of visa officials on applicants who are far more likely to present a threat to U.S. security," says Rep. Sherwood L. Boehlert (R-N.Y.), chairman of the House Committee on Science.

The State Department implemented the Visas Mantis program in 1998 to control illegal technology transfer in sensitive scientific areas. The number of applications sent for screening dramatically increased after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, creating a backlog of pending visas. Representatives from higher education and research communities challenged the system, blaming long visa delays for discouraging foreign scientists from studying and working in the U.S.

Last February, the Government Accountability Office released a study showing that applicants identified as needing a Visas Mantis clearance were waiting an average of 67 days to be notified of their status. The State Department is claiming that improvements to the process since then have decreased the wait to an average of 14 days.