§213. Application for passport; verification by oath of initial passport

Before a passport is issued to any person by or under authority of the United States such person shall subscribe to and submit a written application which shall contain a true recital of each and every matter of fact which may be required by law or by any rules authorized by law to be stated as a prerequisite to the issuance of any such passport. If the applicant has not previously been issued a United States passport, the application shall be duly verified by his oath before a person authorized and empowered by the Secretary of State to administer oaths.

(June 15, 1917, ch. 30, title IX, §1, 40 Stat. 227 ; Pub. L. 90–428, §3, July 26, 1968, 82 Stat. 446 .)

Codification

Second sentence of act June 15, 1917, which related to fees for taking application for passport, was omitted as superseded by sections 214 to 217a of this title.

Amendments

1968-Pub. L. 90–428 substituted provisions requiring that the initial passport application be duly verified under oath before a person authorized and empowered by the Secretary of State to administer oaths for provisions requiring that each passport application be duly verified under oath before a person authorized and empowered to administer oaths.

Effective Date of 1968 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 90–428 effective on thirtieth day following July 26, 1968, see section 4 of Pub. L. 90–428, set out as a note under section 217a of this title.

Issuance of Passports for Children Under Age 14

Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, §1000(a)(7) [div. A, title II, §236], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536 , 1501A-430, provided that:

"(a) In General.-

"(1) Regulations.-Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 29, 1999], the Secretary of State shall issue regulations providing that before a child under the age of 14 years is issued a passport the requirements under paragraph (2) shall apply under penalty of perjury.

"(2) Requirements.-

"(A) Both parents, or the child's legal guardian, must execute the application and provide documentary evidence demonstrating that they are the parents or guardian; or

"(B) the person executing the application must provide documentary evidence that such person-

"(i) has sole custody of the child;

"(ii) has the consent of the other parent to the issuance of the passport; or

"(iii) is in loco parentis and has the consent of both parents, of a parent with sole custody over the child, or of the child's legal guardian, to the issuance of the passport.

"(b) Exceptions.-The regulations required by subsection (a) may provide for exceptions in exigent circumstances, such as those involving the health or welfare of the child, or when the Secretary determines that issuance of a passport is warranted by special family circumstances."

Cross References

Definition of United States as used in this section, see section 408a of this title.

False statement in application and use of passport, penalty, see section 1542 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure.

Letters or writings nonmailable, see section 1717 of Title 18.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in section 408a of this title.