The Department of State (DOS) issued a cable to all U.S. consulates October 7, directing that security clearances related to technology transfer issues, also known as MANTIS clearances, be valid for up to twelve months as long as certain requirements are met. This cable, released publicly in December, is of special interest to individuals from China, India, Israel, Pakistan and Russia wishing to enter the U.S. in positions noted in the Technology Alert List (TAL).
In an effort to avoid delays caused by repeat MANTIS clearances, the DOS has enabled the MANTIS clearance to be valid for up to twelve months, as long as the following conditions (the same conditions under which the initial clearance was issued) are met:
· The applicant must be returning to a U.S. Government-sponsored program;
· The applicant must be engaged in the same duties at the same facility originally used for the initial MANTIS clearance;
· There must either be evidence in the consular post’s records or a notation in the applicants visa that the DOS authorized the visa for the particular program or activity they are engaged in; and
· The consular post must send a cable to the DOS with all MANTIS information following the visa issuance.
Consular posts are reminded to make correct notations on the visa to ensure successful issuances of the visa in the future.
If all the above conditions are met, the MANTIS clearance will be valid for up to twelve additional months. In no instance will visas be issued for a period greater than twelve months. Visas for nationals of China and Russia, however, will be issued as single-entry visas and will not be valid for a period longer than three months.