This lack of transparency on the plausible range of unit costs may limit management's ability to identify, analyze, and respond to risks to full cost recovery arising from fluctuations in obligations. Specifically, State does not calculate the range of potential costs, such as those that result from variations in how much time it takes to process a visa as such, State does not calculate the statistical variability of the resulting unit costs. State's process for estimating unit costs of consular services fully meets two and partially meets three key elements of economic analysis. State uses estimates of unit costs, demand and revenue to achieve full cost recovery and to project the sufficiency of consular revenue. As a result, State could collect consular fees in excess of its costs for some services, thereby over-charging visa or passport applicants. Without a plan for assessing the potential impact of the requested changes, State risks recommending statutory changes that do not align with actual needs. However, State has not documented its analysis to support these requests. State has requested statutory changes to its authorities to set and use some consular fees so that it can generate additional revenue or have more flexibility in how it can use revenue. Consular fee revenue is not received evenly over the course of a year, according to State officials, instead peaking in spring and summer. ![]() According to State, falling below the targeted threshold could put State at risk of being unable to make necessary obligations at the beginning of the fiscal year. Specifically, GAO estimates that in this scenario the carryover balance would be $151 million in fiscal year 2026-hundreds of millions of dollars below the targeted threshold. For example, if State's consular fee revenue recovers to pre-pandemic levels in fiscal year 2023 (scenario 2), GAO estimates that the carryover balance is unlikely to meet the targeted threshold each year through fiscal year 2026. ![]() GAO's model reflects retained fee amounts as of November 2021.Īdditionally, GAO's simulation also shows that projected revenue may not be sufficient to cover costs through fiscal year 2026 across all five scenarios. GAO presents this as the benchmark value of $803 million and uses this calculation to determine the likelihood of State meeting the targeted threshold. GAO used State's target to calculate 25 percent of average historical obligations against the CBSP account as a whole. Notes: According to State officials, State's official target is to maintain a minimum 25 percent carryover balance by retained fee each year. See figure.Ĭonsular and Border Security Program (CBSP) Account Carryover Balance Median Values across Simulation Results, Fiscal Years 2022–2026 The modeling indicates that State's carryover balances will decline and likely will not meet the targeted threshold for the consular fee carryover balance in some fiscal years if fee revenue does not return to pre-pandemic levels in fiscal year 2022 and beyond. These scenarios used pessimistic, neutral, and optimistic revenue outlook projections based on historical consular fee revenue from fiscal years 2013 through 2020. GAO modeled State's future consular fee revenue stream and costs through fiscal year 2026 across five scenarios. It also drew down unobligated balances that it had carried over into fiscal year 2020. ![]() To compensate for this decrease in revenue, State used supplemental and annual appropriations and temporarily expanded expenditure and transfer authorities provided by several acts of Congress. The COVID-19 pandemic discouraged potential travelers who would pay fees, resulting in a 41 percent decline in consular fee revenue in fiscal year 2020. The Department of State provides passport, visa, and overseas citizens services to millions of Americans and foreign nationals annually and collects user fees for some of these services.
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