The Acting Secretary of State to Ambassador Meyer.
Washington, April 14, 1906.
Sir: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your No. 464, of the 14th ultimo, on the subjects of the use in Russia of expired passports.
In reply I have to say that, while the department disapproves of the use of expired passports and wishes to discourage the practice so far as it can, it is not prepared to authorize consular officers to notify the police, whenever an expired passport is being accepted as evidence of the citizenship of the holder that it is invalid, as such a course would probably lead to the molestation of the holder, who might really be an American citizen. Cases of imposition coming to your attention should be dealt with according to their merits, and notification of the invalidity of a passport may be made to the police when the circumstances surrounding the case warrant such action.
I am, sir, etc.,