365.1115/169a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Italy (Phillips)
1173. 1. Please ascertain and report whether Americans desiring to return to the United States from Italian-occupied territories and possessing either (a) an expired or unvalidated American passport, or (b) a valid or recently expired certificate of registration, or (c) a letter from the Embassy stating Department’s records show bearer was registered at a former American mission or consulate in occupied territory at the time of its closing in July 1941, or (d) a similar letter stating Department possesses prima facie documentary evidence of bearer’s American citizenship, will generally be permitted by Italian authorities to proceed to Rome to apply to the Embassy for appropriate passport facilities and to obtain the requisite visas for the journey to Lisbon to embark for the United States.
2. If this procedure appears impracticable, can you suggest alternative whereby Americans apparently possessing valid claim to citizenship may be permitted to proceed to Rome to apply for appropriate documentation for the journey to the United States?
3. What transportation to Rome is at present available to Americans desiring to proceed from Italian-occupied Yugoslavia or Greece?
4. This information is requested to enable Department to reply to inquiries received from relatives and friends in this country of Americans in Italian-occupied territories.