could be extended with Departmental authorization for a period of not more than 2 years from date of issue. The passport indicated the official business of the bearer and requested that he be extended courtesies and attention to facilitate his official business travel. The country of assignment of the bearer was included for the first time. Special passports were also issued to former ambassadors as a courtesy. Issuance of "courtesy special passports" was discontinued with the introduction of the new passport on January 1, 1961. Since special passports were unique to the United States, diplomatic officers of foreign governments issued "special visas" as a courtesy to holders of U.S. special passports. A revised special passport was introduced on June 17, 1926. Similar to the regular passport this document, unlike the one preceding it, provided space for the bearer's official title and the purpose of his travel abroad. In size and color it remained the same as the diplomatic and regular passports. In 1941, the color and design of the cover were changed. No further changes occurred in the format of the special passport until 1961. On January 1, 1961, the official passport replaced the special passport. This change was effected to avoid any connotation of the word "special" with special police or special investigator or other such activities common in some countries. The official passport, primarily issued only by the National Passport Office in Washington to employees of the U.S. Government traveling abroad on official business was valid for a period up to 5 years. Amendments were avoided by eliminating titles and assignments from the descriptive data. The format of the official passport was similar to that of other types of passports, except that its cover was maroon. Official passports are now issued without the payment of passport fees to employees of the U.S. Government proceeding abroad in the discharge of official duties. Their dependents may be issued official passports, when appropriate." Application for an official passport must be accompanied by the appropriate authorization. Military personnel, Department of Defense civilians, and their dependents must submit with their applications DD Form 1056, "Authorization to Apply for a No-Fee Passport," in duplicate, or two copies of their current orders. Many government departments, agencies, and offices use standard forms to authorize their employees to apply for official passports. A simple letter stating the need for an official passport which includes the appropriate data and signed by a responsible official is also acceptable. The applicant, however, may not sign or approve his own authorization. A courtesy official passport which 7 22 Code of Federal Regulations 51.3(b). required the regular fee was in effect for a short period of time and was abolished on February 7, 1961. Diplomatic Passport During World War I (1914-1918), certain special passports were stamped "Passeport Diplomatique." These passports, issued to Department of State officials with diplomatic status, were used until the introduction of specially designed U.S. diplomatic passports. The first interim "passeport diplomatique," issued by the Department of State on November 23, 1916, was designed to expedite the diplomat's mission. Although it did not confer diplomatic status, it confirmed the fact that the bearer was entitled to a diplomatic passport. (Exhibit 53) The Department of State adopted a new format of "passeport diplomatique" on January 3, 1918. (Exhibit 54) The passport was a folded, blue-tinted form with the words "Passeport Diplomatique" printed in red ink on the face of the document in accordance with custom of foreign governments. It was issued to persons in the diplomatic service; career consular officers; student interpreters; Treasury agents; and commercial, military, and assistant military attachés. Persons traveling abroad on governmental missions of unusual importance as well as former Presidents, Vice Presidents, Secretaries and Under Secretaries of State were issued a "passeport diplomatique.” Although regular and special passports were limited in validity at that time to 2 years, this limitation did not apply to diplomatic passports.8 The "passeport diplomatique" continued to be used by most countries to meet conditions following World War I (1914-1918). In July 1926, a maroon passport was adopted with the words "Diplomatic Passport" printed in gold on the cover. In 1941, the color and design of the cover were changed to conform with the regular and special passports. Former ambassadors were also issued courtesy diplomatic passports beginning in that same year. The uniform system of endorsement introduced in diplomatic passports on January 1961 omitted the place and date of permanent assignments. This omission caused difficulties to some bearers of diplomatic passports. To remedy this situation, an endorsement stamp was used in the passport to include the place and date of the permanent assignment. The diplomatic passport serves both as a travel document and 8 Act of June 4, 1920. |