§ 1543. — Forgery or false use of passport.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 18USC1543]
TITLE 18--CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
PART I--CRIMES
CHAPTER 75--PASSPORTS AND VISAS
Sec. 1543. Forgery or false use of passport
Whoever falsely makes, forges, counterfeits, mutilates, or alters
any passport or instrument purporting to be a passport, with intent that
the same may be used; or
Whoever willfully and knowingly uses, or attempts to use, or
furnishes to another for use any such false, forged, counterfeited,
mutilated, or altered passport or instrument purporting to be a
passport, or any passport validly issued which has become void by the
occurrence of any condition therein prescribed invalidating the same--
Shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 25 years
(if the offense was committed to facilitate an act of international
terrorism (as defined in section 2331 of this title)), 20 years (if the
offense was committed to facilitate a drug trafficking crime (as defined
in section 929(a) of this title)), 10 years (in the case of the first or
second such offense, if the offense was not committed to facilitate such
an act of international terrorism or a drug trafficking crime), or 15
years (in the case of any other offense), or both.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 771; Pub. L. 103-322, title XIII,
Sec. 130009(a)(2), title XXXIII, Sec. 330016(1)(I), Sept. 13, 1994, 108
Stat. 2030, 2147; Pub. L. 104-208, div. C, title II, Sec. 211(a)(2),
Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009-569; Pub. L. 107-273, div. B, title IV,
Sec. 4002(a)(3), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1806.)
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on section 222 of title 22, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Foreign
Relations and Intercourse (June 15, 1917, ch. 30, title IX, Sec. 4, 40
Stat. 227; Mar. 28, 1940, ch. 72, Sec. 7, 54 Stat. 80).
Reference to persons causing or procuring was omitted as unnecessary
in view of definition of ``principal'' in section 2 of this title.
Mandatory-punishment provision with authorization for added fine in
discretion of court was rephrased in the alternative.
Punishment of five years' imprisonment was substituted for ``ten
years'' to conform with other sections embracing offenses of comparable
gravity.
Minor changes were made in phraseology.
Amendments
2002--Pub. L. 107-273 substituted ``to facilitate'' for ``to
facility'' in last par.
1996--Pub. L. 104-208 substituted ``imprisoned not more than 25
years (if the offense was committed to facilitate an act of
international terrorism (as defined in section 2331 of this title)), 20
years (if the offense was committed to facilitate a drug trafficking
crime (as defined in section 929(a) of this title)), 10 years (in the
case of the first or second such offense, if the offense was not
committed to facility such an act of international terrorism or a drug
trafficking crime), or 15 years (in the case of any other offense)'' for
``imprisoned not more than 10 years'' in last par.
1994--Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 330016(1)(I), which directed the
amendment of this section by substituting ``under this title'' for ``not
more than $2,000'', could not be executed because the words ``not more
than $2,000'' did not appear in text subsequent to amendment by Pub. L.
103-322, Sec. 130009(a)(2). See below.
Pub. L. 103-322, Sec. 130009(a)(2), substituted ``under this title,
imprisoned not more than 10 years'' for ``not more than $2,000 or
imprisoned not more than five years'' in last par.
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 104-208 applicable with respect to offenses
occurring on or after Sept. 30, 1996, see section 211(c) of Pub. L. 104-
208, set out as a note under section 1028 of this title.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 982, 1717, 1961, 2516, 3291
of this title; title 8 section 1101.
