Notice of Disposition of Electronic Scanning and Storage of Certain Nonimmigrant Records

Summary

The Department of State has determined that electronic scanned records of nonimmigrant visa refusals and applications will be treated as official records, following the Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA), which aims to eliminate the systematic disadvantage of electronic documents and signatures. The Department launched its electronic scanning initiative in 2001, scanning Category I nonimmigrant visa refusal records at selected posts, and expanded it to all posts by 2004.