Summary: Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO reviewed the activities of international visitors participating in educational and cultural exchange programs in the United States under J visas.
GAO found that: (1) although participants' activities were generally consistent with the intent of the J-visa program in encouraging cultural and educational exchange, some activities involved employment with no educational or cultural emphasis; (2) U.S. Information Agency (USIA) regulations for J-visa participation did not provide clear guidance on what constituted educational and cultural exchange activities or on how policy objectives could be achieved; (3) although USIA reported in 1987 that its regulations were inadequate, it still had not revised them by December 1989; (4) USIA did not have reliable information on J-visa program activities because its data management system was erroneous and outdated; (5) USIA lacked procedures to monitor sponsors' and participants' activities and did not comply with its own regulations to cancel unnecessary programs, obtain annual reports from sponsors, or ensure that visa extensions were justified; and (6) USIA was not effectively coordinating J-visa activities among its personnel or with other agencies.
