Mantis Clearances Valid for 12 Months

P 071701Z OCT 03
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS PRIORITY
SPECIAL EMBASSY PROGRAM PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA PRIORITY

UNCLAS STATE 285912

FOR CONSULAR SECTION CHIEFS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CVIS
SUBJECT: STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES NO. 45: REVISION TO
VISAS MANTIS CLEARANCE PROCEDURE

REF: (A) STATE 153587 (B) STATE 29840

1. SUMMARY: REF A EXTENDED THE VALIDITY OF MANTIS
CLEARANCES TO 12 MONTHS FOR APPLICANTS RETURNING TO A USG-
SPONSORED PROGRAM AND PERFORMING THE SAME DUTIES AT THE
SAME FACILITY THAT WAS THE BASIS FOR THE ORIGINAL MANTIS
AUTHORIZATION. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, THE SAME VALIDITY
CLEARANCE OUTLINED IN REF A APPLIES TO ALL MANTIS
CLEARANCES PROVIDED CERTAIN CONDITIONS ARE MET. END
SUMMARY.

2. FOLLOWING INTER-AGENCY CONSULTATIONS, DEPARTMENT IS
AUTHORIZING A 12-MONTH VALIDITY CLEARANCE FOR VISAS MANTIS
APPLICANTS AS DESCRIBED BELOW. UPON RECEIPT OF THIS CABLE
POSTS WILL NO LONGER NEED TO SEEK AN ADDITIONAL VISAS
MANTIS CLEARANCE WITHIN A 12 MONTH PERIOD AFTER INITIAL
CLEARANCE HAS BEEN GIVEN BY THE DEPARTMENT IF ALL/RPT/ALL
OF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS ARE MET:

A) THE APPLICANT IS RETURNING TO A PROGRAM OR ACTIVITY
AND WILL PERFORM THE SAME DUTIES/FUNCTIONS AT THE SAME
FACILITY OR ORGANIZATION THAT WAS THE BASIS FOR THE
ORIGINAL MANTIS AUTHORIZATION.

B) POST HAS EVIDENCE FROM ITS OWN RECORDS, FROM AN
ANNOTATION ON THE VISA OR FROM THE ORIGINAL VISA ISSUING
POST THAT THE DEPARTMENT AUTHORIZED THE ISSUANCE OF A
VISA TO THE APPLICANT FOR THIS PROGRAM OR ACTIVITY.

C) UPON ISSUANCE OF THE VISA, POST SENDS TO THE
DEPARTMENT A POST-CHECK VISAS MANTIS CABLE WITH ALL OF
THE INFORMATION NORMALLY CONTAINED IN SUCH A CABLE AS
WELL AS THE DATE OF VISA ISSUANCE. THE LAST WORDS OF THTIVITY.

C) UPON ISSUANCE OF THE VISA, POST SENDS TO THE
DEPARTMENT A POST-CHECK VISAS MANTIS CABLE WITH ALL OF
THE INFORMATION NORMALLY CONTAINED IN SUCH A CABLE AS
WELL AS THE DATE OF VISA ISSUANCE. THE LAST WORDS OF THE
SUBJECT LINE SHOULD BE "POST-CHECK" AND THE LAST
PARAGRAPH OF THE CABLE SHOULD INDICATE THE DATE THE VISA
WAS ISSUED.

3. PROVIDED ALL THE ABOVE CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN MET,
CLEARANCES WILL BE VALID FOR UP TO 12 MONTHS FROM THE DATE
OS THE CLEARANCE. VISAS ISSUED PURSUANT TO THE NEW 12 MONTH
CLEARANCE PROVISION MAY NOT BE VALID FOR MORE THAN 12
MONTHS, REGARDLESS OF THE MAXIMUM VISA RECIPROCITY
OTHERWISE AVAILABLE TO THE APPLICANT.

4. VISAS ISSUED TO NATIONALS OF THE PRC OR RUSSIA WHO HAVE
BEEN CLEARED THROUGH MANTIS PROCEDURES MUST BE ISSUED AS
SINGLE ENTRY VISAS VALID FOR NOT MORE THAN THREE MONTHS.
MANTIS APPLICANTS FROM RUSSIA AND CHINA MAY BE RE-ISSUED,
WITH INTERVIEW, UNDER THE GUIDANCE IN PARAGRAPH 2, BUT
AGAIN, ONLY WITH SINGLE ENTRY VISAS VALID FOR NOT MORE THAN
THREE MONTHS.

5. TO FACILITATE RE-ISSUANCES WE REMIND POSTS OF THE
IMPORTANCE OF PROPERLY ANNOTATING VISAS WHEN THE ORIGINAL
MANTIS CLEARANCE IS RECEIVED. SUCH ANNOTATIONS SHOULD
INCLUDE THE NAME OF THE USG SPONSOR AS WELL AS THE DATE AND
MRN OF THE AUTHORIZATION CABLE. FOR EXAMPLE, THE ANNOTATION
FOR AN APPLICANT AUTHORIZED TO VISIT THE SANDIA NATIONAL
LABORATORIES IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO WOULD READ AS
FOLLOWS: "SANDIA NATIONAL LAB; MANTIS AUTHORIZATION PER
STATE XXXXX."

6. AS OUTLINED IN PARAGRAPH 4 OF REFTEL B, DEPARTMENT
REMINDS POSTS TO SEND ALL SAO REQUESTS SUBMITTED BECAUSE OF
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CONCERNS AS "MANTIS" CABLES AND NOT
"EAGLE MANTIS" OR "DONKEY MANTIS".  CLASS HITS THAT REQUIRE
DEPARTMENT REVIEW SHOULD BE LISTED IN THE CABLE.

7. POSTS MAY DIRECT ANY QUESTIONS THEY HAVE ON THIS
PROCEDURE TO CA/VO/L/C.

8.  MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.
POWELL