No. 387.
Mr. Vignaud to Mr. Bayard.
Paris, May 31, 1888. (Received June 12.)
Sir: Owing to the great number of applications made for passports since the publication of the regulations requiring all foreigners entering the German Empire by way of Alsace-Lorraine to be provided with such papers, I have asked you by telegraph to send an additional supply of blanks.
A large proportion of those making these applications are naturalized American citizens, and I find that only in a few cases I can enforce strictly the instructions of the Department with regard to passports. With a view of avoiding any possible error or misapplication of the instructions, I beg you to kindly enlighten me more fully on the toll owing points:
Is a passport to be refused—
- (1)
- To the wife or widow of a naturalized citizen, who has not the naturalization papers of her husband?
- (2)
- To a naturalized citizen who has left his naturalization papers at home, or who has lost them?
- (3)
- To a naturalized citizen residing abroad who has no intention at present of returning to the United States and who is unable to state whether he will do so or not or when he may do so?
I take it to be a settled point that the children of naturalized citizens born abroad, who have never been in the United States, and whose fathers are or were permanently residing abroad, are not entitled to a passport.
The case may be different for children of native Americans born abroad; in such cases I shall, according to circumstances, use my own discretion or consult the Department before taking any action.
The new German regulations above referred to state substantially that from May 31 foreigners entering Germany by way of Alsace-Lorraine must be provided with passports which are to be visaed at the German embassy at Paris. The visas, which formerly cost 1.90 francs, have been raised to 12.50 francs, and are good for one year only. French passports must await ten or twelve days before they can be visaed. Foreign passports are visaed at once.
I have, etc.,