MANTIS Security Clearance Valid Up to One Year
Posted Dec 19, 2003

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) recently issued a cable to all U.S. consulates. It directed that security clearances aimed at technology transfer issues, known as MANTIS clearances, may be valid for up to 12 months subject to certain restrictions. The cable was issued on October 7, 2003, but publicly released in December 2003. The MANTIS clearance is important to Indian nationals, as it is required of nationals of India, China, Israel, Pakistan and Russia, who are seeking to enter the U.S. for activities set forth in the Technology Alert List (TAL). We reported this requirement in our April 4, 2003 MurthyBulletin article, Technology Alert List Screening Includes Indian Nationals, available on MurthyDotCom.

To avoid the delay caused by repeated MANTIS clearances, the clearance is now valid for up to 12 months, provided that all the conditions, under which initial clearance was issued, remain the same. The conditions to be satisfied are as follows.

• The applicant must be returning to a U.S. Government-sponsored program.
   
• The candidate must be performing the same duties at the same facility that provided the basis for the existing MANTIS clearance.
   
• The consular post must have evidence in its records or in a notation on the visa that the DOS authorized the visa issuance for the particular program or activity.
   
• The consular post must send a cable to DOS with all of the MANTIS information following the issuance of the visa. The cable reminds consular posts to make the correct notation on the visa, to facilitate the issuance of the visa in the future.