Report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy

Oswald’s Soviet Exit Visa Processing

Speculation suggested that the prompt granting of Marina Oswald’s exit visa indicated Soviet authorities wanted her to accompany her husband. The Commission found that Marina’s exit visa application was not acted upon with unusual rapidity, taking at least 5½ months from application to notification of permission in December 1961, with many instances of visas being granted more quickly to other Soviet wives of American citizens. Regarding another speculation that Soviet authorities gave Oswald a month and a half advance notice of his visa grant—an unprecedented act—the Commission found that the Oswalds were notified on December 25, 1961 that their visa requests had been granted, with Marina picking up her visa on January 11, 1962 (17 days after notice) and Oswald not picking up his until May 22. The Soviets did not give advance notice, and the visas could have been picked up immediately had they desired; Oswald delayed picking up his visa due to its 45-day expiration period, waiting until he could arrange a departure date after receiving State Department permission to return in May.

第二章 With the assistance of Agent in Charge Sorrels of the

This chapter addresses rumors and speculations regarding Lee Harvey Oswald, organized around his trip to Mexico City, alleged connections to U.S. government agencies, conspiratorial relationships, and various other claims. The Commission systematically evaluates each speculation against the evidence, providing documented findings that consistently reject conspiracy theories while acknowledging the public concern that prompted the investigation. The chapter demonstrates the Commission’s methodology of pairing each speculation with a corresponding finding supported by documentary evidence and witness testimony.