22 C.F.R. Subpart A

United States> Code of Federal Regulations> Title 22 - Foreign Relations> CHAPTER I--DEPARTMENT OF STATE> PART 51--PASSPORTS> Subpart A—General

22 C.F.R. Subpart A—General

Title 22 - Foreign Relations

Title 22: Foreign Relations
PART 51—PASSPORTS

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Subpart A—General

§ 51.2 Passport issued to nationals only.

(a) A United States passport shall be issued only to a national of the United States (22 U.S.C. 212).

(b) Unless authorized by the Department no person shall bear more than one valid or potentially valid U.S. passport at any one time.

[SD–165, 46 FR 2343, Jan. 9, 1981]

§ 51.3 Types of passports.

(a) Regular passport. A regular passport is issued to a national of the United States proceeding abroad for personal or business reasons.

(b) Official passport. An official passport is issued to an official or employee of the U.S. Government proceeding abroad in the discharge of official duties. Where appropriate, dependents of such persons may be issued official passports.

(c) Diplomatic passport. A diplomatic passport is issued to a Foreign Service Officer, a person in the diplomatic service or to a person having diplomatic status either because of the nature of his or her foreign mission or by reason of the office he or she holds. Where appropriate, dependents of such persons may be issued diplomatic passports.

(22 U.S.C. 2658 and 3926)

[31 FR 13540, Oct. 20, 1966, as amended at 49 FR 16989, Apr. 23, 1984]

§ 51.4 Validity of passports.

(a) Signature of bearer. A passport is valid only when signed by the bearer in the space designated for his signature.

(b) Period of validity of a regular passport. (1) A regular passport issued on or after February 1, 1998, to an applicant 16 years of age or older is valid for 10 years from date of issue unless limited by the Secretary to a shorter period.

(2) A regular passport issued on or after February 1, 1998 to an applicant under the age of 16 years is valid for 5 years from date of issue unless limited by the Secretary of State to a shorter period.

(3) The period of validity of a regular passport issued on or after January 1, 1983, and before February 1, 1998, unless limited by the Secretary of State to a shorter period is: 10 years from date of issue if issued to an applicant age 18 or older; five years from date of issue if issued to an applicant under age 18.

(4) The period of validity of a regular passport issued prior to January 1, 1983, is five years from date of issue.

(c) Period of validity of an official passport. An official passport is normally valid for a period of 5 years from the date of issue as long as the bearer maintains the official status for which it is issued. It must be returned to the Department upon the termination of the bearer's official status.

(d) Period of validity of a diplomatic passport. A diplomatic passport issued on or after January 1, 1977 is valid for a period of five (5) years or so long as the bearer maintains his/her diplomatic status, whichever is shorter. A diplomatic passport which has not expired must be returned to the Department upon the termination of the bearer's diplomatic status or at such other time as the Secretary shall determine. Any outstanding diplomatic passport issued before January 1, 1977 will expire effective December 31, 1977.

(e) Period of a regular passport issued for no fee. A regular passport for which payment of the fee has been excused is valid for a period of 5 years from the date of issue unless limited by the Secretary to a shorter period.

(f) Limitation of validity. The Secretary may limit a passport's validity period to less than the normal validity period. The bearer of a limited passport may apply for a replacement passport, using the proper application, and submitting the limited passport, applicable fees, photos and additional documentation, if required, to support the issuance of a replacement passport.

(g) Cancellation of passport endorsed as valid only for travel to Israel. The validity of any passport which has been issued and endorsed as valid only for travel to Israel is cancelled effective April 25, 1992. Where it is determined that its continued use is warranted, the validity of such passport may be renewed or extended for additional periods of two years upon cancellation of the Israel-only endorsement. In no event may the validity of such passport be extended beyond the normal period of validity prescribed for such passport by paragraphs (b) through (e) of this section.

(h) Invalidity. A United States passport is invalid whenever:

(1) The passport has been formally revoked by the Department; or

(2) The Department has registered a passport reported either in writing or by telephone to the Department of State, or in writing to a U.S. passport agency or to a diplomatic or consular post abroad as lost or stolen.

(3) The Department has sent a written notice to the bearer at the bearer's last known address that the passport has been invalidated because the Department has not received the applicable fees.

(Sec. 1, 44 Stat. 887; sec. 1, 41 Stat. 750; sec. 2, 44 Stat. 887; sec. 4, 63 Stat. 111, as amended (22 U.S.C. 211a, 214, 217a, 2658); E.O. 11295, 36 FR 10603; 3 CFR 1966–70 Comp. p. 507)

[31 FR 13540, Oct. 20, 1966, as amended at 33 FR 12042, Aug. 24, 1968; 42 FR 17869, Apr. 4, 1977; 47 FR 56329, Dec. 16, 1982; 57 FR 3282, Jan. 29, 1992; 63 FR 7285, Feb. 13, 1998; 69 FR 15670, Mar. 26, 2004; 70 FR 53924, Sept. 13, 2005]

§ 51.5 [Reserved]

§ 51.6 Damaged, mutilated or altered passport.

Any passport which has been materially changed in physical appearance or composition, or contains a damaged, defective or otherwise nonfunctioning electronic chip, or which includes unauthorized changes, obliterations, entries or photographs, or has observable wear and tear that renders it unfit for further use as a travel document may be invalidated.

[70 FR 61555, Oct. 25, 2005]

§ 51.7 Verification of passports.

When required by the officials of a foreign government, an American Foreign Service office may verify a U.S. passport at the request of the bearer or of the foreign government.

§ 51.8 Cancellation of previously issued passport.

(a) Upon applying for a new passport, an applicant shall submit for cancellation any previous passport still valid or potentially valid.

(b) If an applicant is unable to produce such a passport for cancellation, he or she shall submit a signed statement setting forth the circumstances surrounding the disposition of the passport and if it is claimed to have been lost, the efforts made to recover it. A determination will then be made whether to issue a new passport and whether such passport shall be limited as to place and periods of validity.