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

Marina’s Nonquota Visa Eligibility

Marina’s Nonquota Visa Eligibility In a despatch dated August 28, 1961, the Embassy requested a security advisory opinion on Marina Oswald’s application, recommending a favorable opinion and waiver of section 243(g) sanctions, noting that her membership in the Soviet Trade Union for Medical Workers since 1957 was routinely considered to be involuntary. The Department initiated checks with the CIA, FBI, the Office of Security, and the Passport Office. The security check revealed no derogatory information, and in early October 1961, the Department cabled Moscow that the available information established Marina’s eligibility to enter the country as a nonquota immigrant.

Security Review of Marina’s Application

Security Review of Marina’s Application The State Department conducted a thorough security check on Marina Oswald through multiple agencies including the CIA, FBI, the Department’s own Office of Security, and the Passport Office. The security review turned up no derogatory information about Marina, and on this basis the Department concluded in early October 1961 that the available information established her eligibility to enter the United States as a nonquota immigrant. The Department’s decision assumed that prior to obtaining her visa, Marina would need to provide reasonable assurance that she was not likely to become a public charge.

Public Charge Requirement for Marina’s Visa

Public Charge Requirement for Marina’s Visa The State Department encountered difficulty in determining that Marina had met the requirement that she not become a public charge. She knew no one in the United States other than members of Oswald’s family, who lacked the means to furnish substantial financial guarantees. After considerable correspondence with Oswald and the Department, the Embassy decided on March 16, 1962 to accept Oswald’s own affidavit as sufficient assurance, noting his training in a trade that should make him readily employable, his legal obligation to support his wife, and that the family could live with his mother in Texas. The necessity of relying solely upon Oswald’s affidavit was later eliminated when the Department received an affidavit of support from Oswald’s mother’s employer in Vernon, Texas.