General Instruction, Consular, No.
383
The
Secretary of State
to the
American Diplomatic and Consular Officers
(including Consular Agents)
[Circular]
Washington,
February 8, 1915.
Termination, Extension, and Amendment of Passports,
and Advice to Americans Traveling Abroad
Gentlemen: The Department sends you herewith a
copy of the “Rules governing the granting and issuing of passports in,
the United States,” signed by the President January 12, 1915, which
became effective February 1, 1915. Your particular attention is called
to Section 11 of the rules, which reads as follows:
Expiration and renewal of passport.—A
passport expires six months from the date of its issuance. A new one
will be issued upon a new application, accompanied by the old
passport, and if the applicant be a naturalized citizen, the old
passport will be accepted in lieu of a certificate of
naturalization, if the application upon which it was issued is found
to contain sufficient information as to the naturalization of the
applicant. Passports are not renewed by the Department, but a person
abroad holding a passport issued by the Department may have it
renewed for a period of six months upon presenting it to a
diplomatic or principal consular officer of the United States, when
it is about to expire, with a sworn statement of the names of the
countries which he expects to visit and the objects of his visits
thereto. No passport shall be renewed more than twice.
The statement inserted in the passport concerning the names of the
countries which the holder expects to visit and the objects of his
visits thereto has been amended to read as follows:
The person to whom this passport is issued has declared under oath
that he desires it for use in visiting the countries hereinafter
named, for the following objects:
____________________
(Name of country) |
____________________
(Object of visit) |
____________________
(Name of country) |
____________________
(Object of visit) |
____________________
(Name of country) |
____________________
(Object of visit) |
This passport is not valid for use in other countries except for
necessary transit to or from the countries named, unless amended by
an American diplomatic or principal consular officer.
You will note that passports issued by the Department are now limited to
expire six months from the date of issuance, but that they may be
renewed twice by diplomatic or consular officers, instead of once as
heretofore. You will also note that diplomatic and consular officers are
authorized to amend the statement concerning the countries to be visited
and the objects of the visits.
In extending a Department passport, which is about to expire, you should
use the following form:
Extended for six months from date of expiration.
______________________________________
(American
ambassador, minister, consul general, or consul)
at _________________
(Date)
[Page 901]
It would be advisable to have rubber stamps prepared for the above
statement.
When a person holding a passport limited for use in certain countries
named therein presents a satisfactory sworn statement to the effect that
it is necessary for him to visit a country or countries not named
therein, for a legitimate object, you may amend the passport to enable
him to do so, using the following form:
Upon the sworn application of the holder of this passport, it is
hereby amended for use in visiting the additional countries
hereinafter named, for the following objects:
____________________
(Name of country) |
____________________
(Object of visit) |
____________________
(Name of country) |
____________________
(Object of visit) |
____________________
(Name of country) |
____________________
(Object of visit) |
______________________________________
(American
ambassador, minister, consul general, or consul)
at _________________
(Date)
For this statement also you should have rubber stamps prepared.
In each case in which a passport is amended a memorandum of such
amendment should be made and forwarded to the Department, to be attached
to the original application for the passport. Except in unusual cases,
it will not be necessary to accompany such memoranda with regular
despatches.
When a passport is amended in the manner indicated it is, of course,
unnecessary to issue an emergency passport, as authorized by the general
instruction of December 21, 1914, entitled “New Passport
Regulations.”1
2. The Department also sends herewith copies of its printed circulars of
February 8, 1915, and November 17, 1914, entitled, respectively, “Notice
Concerning Passports and Registration in Consulates,” and “Notice to
American Citizens Who Contemplate Visiting Belligerent Countries.”
In the circular first named, attention is called to the necessity of
having passports visaed for entrance into certain countries, and the
advisability of having them visaed for entrance into other countries.
American citizens are also reminded that, when they make a prolonged
stay in any foreign country, they should apply for consular registration
at the American consulate nearest the place in which they are
sojourning.
In the circular of November 17, Americans are advised not to visit
belligerent countries unnecessarily, and particularly to avoid, if
possible, passing through or from a belligerent country to a country
which is at war therewith. The reasons for this advice are obvious.
Those who find it necessary to go to belligerent countries are advised
concerning the necessity of providing themselves with passports, and
other documentary identification. They are also cautioned to avoid
unneutral conduct or utterances. In this relation, it may be observed in
passing that it is even more important, if possible, for those who
represent this Government officially to avoid unneutral conduct or
utterances.
[Page 902]
Before issuing an emergency passport, or extending a Department passport,
to enable the holder to visit a belligerent country, you should endeavor
to ascertain, by discreet inquiry, whether he intends to visit such
country for a legitimate purpose, not inconsistent with his status as an
American citizen, although, in the case of a person traveling abroad as
representative of an American concern, it is not necessary or proper to
state in the passport the name of the concern which he represents or the
nature of the goods which he is endeavoring to sell.
If you deem it advisable, you may have extra copies of the two circulars
last mentioned printed, for distribution on occasion to American
citizens.
I am [etc.]
[Enclosure 1]
Rules Governing the Granting and Issuing of
Passports in the United States1
- 1.
-
Authority to issue.—Section 4075 of
the Revised Statutes of the United States, as amended by the
act of Congress approved June 14, 1902, provides that “the
Secretary of State may grant and issue passports, and cause
passports to be granted, issued, and verified in foreign
countries by such diplomatic or consular officers of the
United States, and by such chief or other executive officer
of the insular possessions of the United States, and under
such rules as the President shall designate and prescribe
for and on behalf of the United States,” The following rules
are accordingly prescribed for the granting and issuing of
passports in the United States.
- 2.
-
By whom issued and refusal to
issue.—No one but the Secretary of State may grant and
issue passports in the United States (Revised Statutes,
sections 4075, 4078), and he is empowered to refuse them in
his discretion.
- Passports are not issued by American diplomatic and
consular officers abroad, except in cases of emergency; and
a citizen who is abroad and desires to procure a passport
must apply therefor through the nearest diplomatic or
consular officer to the Secretary of State.
- Applications for passports by persons in Porto Rico or the
Philippines should be made to the Chief Executives of those
islands. The evidence required of such applicants is similar
to that required of applicants in the United States.
- 3.
-
Fee.—By act of Congress approved
March 23, 1888, a fee of one dollar is required to be
collected for every citizen’s passport. That amount in
currency or postal money order should accompany each
application made by a citizen of the United States, Orders
should be made payable to the disbursing clerk of the
Department of State, Drafts or checks will not be accepted.
- 4.
-
Applications.—A person who is
entitled to receive a passport, if within the United States,
must submit a written application, in the form of an
affidavit, to the Secretary of State. The application should
be made by the person to whom the passport is to be issued
and signed by him, as it is not proper for one person to
apply for another.
- The affidavit must be made before a clerk of a Federal or
State court within the jurisdiction of which the applicant
or his witness resides, and the seal of the court must be
affixed.
- If the applicant signs by mark, two attesting witnesses to
his signature are required. The applicant is required to
state the date and place of his birth, his occupation, the
place of his permanent residence, and within what length of
time he will return to the United States with the purpose of
residing and performing the duties of citizenship. He is
also required to state the names of the foreign countries
which he expects to visit, and the objects of his visits
thereto. The latter statement should be brief and general in
form, thus: “commercial business”;2 “to attend to the settlement
of an estate”; “to bring wife and children to this
country.”
- The applicant must take the oath of allegiance to the
United States.
- The application must be accompanied by a description of
the person applying, and should state the following
particulars, viz.: Age,——; stature,—— feet——inches (English
measure); forehead, ——; eyes, ——; nose, ——; mouth, ——; chin,
——; hair, ——; complexion, ——;face, ——; special identifying
marks, if any (scars, birthmarks, etc.).
- The application must also be accompanied by duplicate
photographs of the applicant, on thin paper, unmounted, and
not larger in size than three by three inches. One must be
attached to the back of the application by the clerk of
court before whom it is made, with an impression of the seal
of the court so placed as to cover part of the photograph
but not the features, and the other sent loose, to be
attached to the passport by the Department. Photographs on
cardboard or postcards will not be accepted.
- The application must be supported by an affidavit from at
least one credible witness that the applicant is the person
he represents himself to be, and that the facts stated in
the application are true to the best of the witness’s
knowledge and belief. This affidavit must be made before the
clerk of court before whom the application is executed and
the witness must be an American citizen, who resides within
the jurisdiction of the court. The applicant or his witness
must be known to the clerk of court before whom the
application is executed, or must be able to satisfy such
officer as to his identity and the bona
fides of the application.
- 5.
-
Native citizens.—Anapplication
containing the information indicated by rule 4 will be
sufficient evidence in the case of a native citizen; except
that a person born in the United States in a place where
births are recorded will be expected to submit a birth
certificate with his application.
- A person of the Chinese race, alleging birth in the United
States, must obtain from the Commissioner of Immigration or
Chinese inspector in charge at the port through which he
proposes to leave the country a certificate upon his
application, under the seal of such officer, showing that
there has been granted to him by the latter a return
certificate in accordance with rule 16 of the Chinese
Regulations of the Department of Labor. For this purpose
special blank forms of application for passports are
provided.
- Passports issued by the Department of State or its
diplomatic or consular representatives are intended for
identification and protection in foreign countries, and not
to facilitate entry into the United States, immigration
being under the supervision of the Department of
Labor.
- 6.
-
A person born abroad whose father was a
native citizen of the United States.—In addition to
the statements required by rule 4, his application must show
that his father was born in the United States, resided
therein, and was a citizen at the time of the applicant’s
birth. The Department may require that this affidavit be
supported by that of one other citizen acquainted with the
facts.
- 7.
-
Naturalized citizens.—In addition to
the statements required by, rule 4, a naturalized citizen
must transmit his certificate of naturalization, or a duly
certified copy of the court record thereof, with his
application. It will be returned to him after inspection. He
must state in his affidavit when and from what port he
emigrated to this country, what ship he sailed on, where he
has lived since his arrival in the United States, when and
before what court he was naturalized, and that he is the
identical person described in the certificate of
naturalization. The signature to the application should
conform in orthography to the applicant’s name as written in
his certificate of naturalization, or an explanation of the
differences should be submitted.
- 8.
-
Woman’s application.—If she is
unmarried, in addition to the statements required by rule 4,
she should state that she has never been married. If she is
the wife or widow of a native citizen of the United States
the fact should be made to appear in her application, which
should be made according to the form prescribed for a native
citizen, whether she was born in this country or abroad. If
she is the wife or widow of a naturalized citizen, in
addition to the statements required by rule 4, she must
transmit for inspection her husband’s certificate of
naturalization or a certified copy of the court record
thereof, must state that she is the wife (or widow) of the
person described therein, and must set forth the facts of
his birth, emigration, naturalization, and residence, as
required in the rules governing the application of a
naturalized citizen. She should sign her own Christian name
with the family name of her husband: (Thus, Mary Doe; not
Mrs. John Doe.)
- A married woman’s citizenship follows that of her husband.
It is essential, therefore, that a woman’s marital relations
be indicated in her application for [Page 904] a passport, and that in the case of a
married woman her husband’s citizenship be
established.
- 9.
-
The child of a naturalized citizen
claiming citizenship through the naturalization of the
parent.—In addition to the statements required by
rule 4, the applicant must state that he or she is the son
or daughter, as the case may be, of the person described in
the certificate of naturalization, which must be submitted
for inspection, and must set forth the facts of emigration,
naturalization and residence, as required in the rules
governing the application of a naturalized citizen.
- 10.
-
A resident of an insular possession of the
United States who owes allegiance to the United
States.—In addition to the statements required by
rule 4, he must state that he owes allegiance to the United
States, and that he does not acknowledge allegiance to any
other government, and must submit affidavits from at least
two credible witnesses having good means of knowledge in
substantiation of his statements of birth, residence, and
loyalty. No fee is required for the issuance by the
Department of an insular passport.
- 11.
-
Expiration and renewal of
passport.—Apassport expires six months from the date of
its issuance. A new one will be issued upon a new
application, accompanied by the old passport, and, if the
applicant be a naturalized citizen, the old passport will be
accepted in lieu of a certificate of naturalization, if the
application upon which it was issued is found to contain
sufficient information as to the naturalization of the
applicant. Passports are not renewed by the Department, but
a person abroad holding a passport issued by the Department
may have it renewed for a period of six months upon
presenting it to a diplomatic or principal consular officer
of the United States, when it is about to expire, with a
sworn statement of the names of the countries which he
expects to visit and the objects of his visits thereto. No
passport shall be renewed more than twice.
- 12.
-
Wife, minor children, and
servants.—When the applicant is accompanied by his
wife, minor children, and maid-servant, who is a citizen of
the United States, it will be sufficient to state the fact,
giving their names in full, the dates and places of their
birth, and the allegiance of the servant, when one passport
will suffice for all. For a man-servant or any other person
in the party a separate passport will be required. A woman’s
passport may include her minor children and maid-servant
under the above-named conditions.
- (The term “maid-servant” does not include a governess,
tutor, pupil, companion, or person holding like relation to
the applicant for a passport.)
- 13.
-
Titles.—Professional and other titles
will not be inserted in passports.
- 14.
-
Blank forms of application.—They will
be furnished by the Department free of charge to persons who
desire to apply for passports. Supplies of blank
applications are also furnished by the Department to clerks
of courts.
- 15.
-
Address.—Communications should be
addressed to the Department of State, Bureau of Citizenship,
and each communication should give the post-office address
of the person to whom the answer is to be directed.
- 16.
-
Additional regulation.—The Secretary
of State is authorized to make regulations on the subject of
issuing and granting passports additional to these rules and
not inconsistent with them.
To become effective February 1, 1915.
Woodrow Wilson
The White House,
January 12, 1915.
[Enclosure 2]
Notice Concerning Passports and Registration in
Consulates1
SIGNATURE OF PASSPORT
The person to whom this passport is issued is hereby directed to
affix his signature thereon, in the space designated, immediately
upon its receipt.
VISA OF PASSPORT
The Department understands that it is necessary to have passports
visaed for entry into the following countries, by diplomatic or
consular officers thereof: Russia, Turkey, Italy, Germany, Roumania,
and Servia.
Passports of American citizens going to Russia should be visaed by a
Russian consular officer, preferably in the United States, at San
Francisco, Chicago, or New York City. One who desires to have the
visa of his passport for Russia [Page 905] cover a period longer than three months should
make a special request to that effect.
Passports to be used in Turkey should be visaed by a Turkish consular
officer, either in the United States, at San Francisco, Chicago,
Boston, or New York City, or at a Turkish consulate abroad.
Passports to be used in Italy should be visaed by an Italian consular
officer, preferably in the United States.
Passports to be used in Germany should be visaed by a German
diplomatic or consular officer, preferably in the United States.
Passports to be used in Servia should be visaed by the Servian Consul
General in New York City, or by a diplomatic or consular officer of
Servia in some foreign country.
Passports to be used in Roumania should be visaed by a Roumanian
diplomatic or consular officer in some foreign country, there being
no diplomatic or consular officers of Roumania in the United
States.
The Department understands that it is advisable to have passports
visaed by consular officers of the following countries, for use
therein: Austria-Hungary, Denmark, and France; and that it is
advisable to have them visaed for use in Spain by the Spanish
Ambassador in Washington or a Spanish consul in New York City, New
Orleans, or San Francisco. It is deemed advisable for persons going
to Bulgaria to have their passports visaed by the Consul General of
Bulgaria in New York City, or by a diplomatic or consular officer of
Bulgaria in some foreign country.
The Department is informed that persons entering British territory
are required to bear passports, but that it is not necessary that
they should be visaed.
American citizens who expect to visit countries of Europe other than
those named above should inquire of diplomatic or consular officers
thereof concerning the necessity or advisability of having their
passports visaed.
The Department of State does not act as the intermediary in procuring
visas. Application should be made by the holder of the passport
directly to the diplomatic or consular officer.
EXPIRATION AND RENEWAL OF PASSPORT
A passport issued by the Department is valid for six months only, but
may be extended when about to expire by a diplomatic or principal
consular officer of the United States. No passport shall be extended
more than twice. A person sojourning abroad whose passport has
finally expired, after having been twice renewed, should apply for a
new passport through a diplomatic or consular office.
AMENDMENT OF PASSPORT
When the holder of a passport finds it necessary, after leaving the
United States, to visit a country or countries not named in the
passport, he may have it amended by a diplomatic or consular officer
of the United States.
REGISTRATION IN CONSULATES
American citizens who expect to make a prolonged stay in any foreign
country should apply for consular registration to the American
consulate in that country at or nearest the place in which they are
sojourning.
Department of State,
Washington
,
February 8, 1915.
[Enclosure 3]
Notice to American Citizens Who Contemplate
Visiting Belligerent Countries1
All American citizens who go abroad should carry American passports,
and should inquire of diplomatic or consular officers of the
countries which they expect to visit concerning the necessity of
having the passports visaed therefor.
American citizens are advised to avoid visiting unnecessarily
countries which are at war, and particularly to avoid, if possible,
passing through or from a belligerent country to a country which is
at war therewith.
It is especially important that naturalized American citizens refrain
from visiting their countries of origin and countries which are at
war therewith.
As belligerent countries are accustomed, for self-protection, to
scrutinize carefully aliens who enter their territories, American
citizens who find it necessary [Page 906] to visit such countries should, as a matter of
precaution and in order to avoid detention, provide themselves with
letters or other documents, in addition to their passports, showing
definitely the objects of their visits. In particular it is
advisable for persons who go to belligerent countries as
representatives of commercial concerns to carry letters of
identification or introduction from such concerns.
American citizens sojourning in countries which are at war are warned
to refrain from any conduct or utterances which might be considered
offensive or contrary to the principles of strict neutrality.
W. J. Bryan
Department of State,
Washington
,
November 17, 1914
.
Note.—An application for a passport
must be accompanied by duplicate unmounted photographs of the
applicant, not larger than 3 by 3 inches in size, one affixed to
the back of the application by the clerk of court before whom it
is executed, with an impression of the seal of the court the
other to be affixed to the passport by the Department.
