DOS-DHS MOU On Respective authority In Visa Process

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell and Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that describes the respective roles and responsibilities of the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security in the visa issuance process. Under the MOU, the State Department (DOS) continues to manage the visa process and questions of U.S. foreign policy, but the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) establishess and review visa policy and ensures that homeland security requirements are adequately addressed in the visa process. This arrangement between DOS and DHS was mandated by section 428 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002. The MOU became effective on September 30, 2003, when the President published notice of it in the Federal Register. AMDOC#: 200310001