U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs Office of Passport Policy & Advisory Services Room H907 2401 E Street, NW Washington, DC 20522-0907

---

PASSPORT INFORMATION FOR CRIMINAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS

REQUESTS FOR PASSPORT INFORMATION

A federal, State or local (and in some cases foreign) law enforcement agency may obtain information from U.S. passport files for official use by sending a signed written request on agency letterhead, including the subject’s name, date of birth, place of birth, other identifying information, and the reason for the request (i.e., statute under which investigation is being done). Authenticated copies of records are available upon written request. Requests should be addressed to:

Department of State
Passport Services
Office of Research and Liaison
1111 19th Street, NW Phone: (202) 955-0447
Washington, D.C. 20522-1705 FAX: (202) 955-0288

PASSPORT RESTRICTIVE ACTION AND FUTURE PASSPORT INFORMATION

Before any passport is issued, the passport applicant’s name is checked against a central name check system. A federal or state law enforcement investigative agency may request (address below) that a subject be placed in the passport name check system for notice before issuance even when there is no warrant or other court order. The request should be in writing, and should include full biodata of the subject, the statute under which the subject is being investigated, and the agency address and phone number of the officer to be contacted.

PASSPORT DENIAL

A federal or state law enforcement agency may request the denial of a passport on several regulatory grounds under 22 CFR 51.70 and 51.72. While the principal regulatory reason to deny a passport is a federal warrant of arrest, other reasons include a federal or state criminal court order of parole or probation prohibiting departure from the United States (or the jurisdiction of the court), a court order establishing incompetence, or a request for extradition. A passport is automatically denied for certified child support arrears and non-U.S. citizenship. Please note that denial of a passport does not of itself prevent the use of currently valid passports.

A request for denial should be in writing (delivered or faxed to the Office of Passport Policy and Advisory Services [address below]), and should include full biodata of the subject, a copy of the warrant of arrest and the name, agency address and phone number of the officer to be contacted. When an applicant’s name has been entered into this system for law enforcement investigative purposes, the requesting agency is notified before issuance. Moreover, based on a warrant or court order as above, the State Department, in coordination with the requesting agency, will deny issuance of the passport.

PASSPORT REVOCATION

Passport revocation has the same regulatory basis as passport restriction – 22 CFR 51.72. A passport may be revoked where the person obtained their passport fraudulently, the passport was issued in error, the person’s certificate of naturalization was cancelled by a federal court, or the person would not be entitled to a new passport under 22 CFR 51.70 (a) or (b). Please bear in mind that the physical revocation of a passport is often difficult.

To begin the revocation process, law enforcement officers should make a request, in writing, to the Office of Passport Policy & Advisory Services (address below) with the subjects name – including any aliases, date and place of birth, social security number, any known passport data, last known address, copies of any court orders or warrants, and the agent’s direct contact information.

Revocations are done in coordination with the Department of Justice and the requesting agency. A passport will not be revoked when the whereabouts of the bearer is unknown. When there is a passport “hit” on an individual within the United States, based on the request, the interested law enforcement agency will be informed of the person’s address so that an arrest can be made.

The requesting agency generally works with the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, Department of State L/LEI, the embassy and the foreign law enforcement establishment to effect the person’s return to the United States.

Often, when foreign law enforcement agencies are informed by the Department that the passport of a U.S. citizen in foreign custody has been revoked, they will deport the person under escort because of that person’s status as an undocumented alien. Thus, passport revocation (or the threat of passport revocation) is especially valuable when attempting to convince a parental kidnapper to return, with the child, the United States.
When a subject is apprehended routinely and has a passport, the passport may be retained by the law enforcement agency for evidentiary purposes. However, when it is no longer needed for the law enforcement purpose and the person is still in custody or subject to a bond or parole, the passport must be returned to the Department of State, Office of Passport Policy and Advisory Services (address below).

Department of State
Passport Services
Office of Passport Policy and Advisory Services
3rd Floor
2100 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20037

Phone: (202) 663-2662
Fax: (202) 663-2654

LOST AND STOLEN PASSPORTS

All reported lost or stolen passports are invalidated and placed into a database for use at U.S. ports of entry to help prevent identity theft.

When a United States passport is part of property taken in the course of robbery or theft, and whenever a United States passport is returned to law enforcement, this information and/or the passport itself should be returned to:

Department of State
Passport Services - Consular Lost and Stolen Passport Section
1111 19th Street, NW, Room 500
Washington, DC 20522-1705

CONTACT FOR PASSPORT ACTION

Department of State
Passport Services
Office of Passport Policy and Advisory Services
3rd Floor
2100 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20037

Phone: (202) 663-2662
Fax: (202) 663-2654

Please notify Passport Services when a subject is apprehended, when the warrant is quashed or when passport action is no longer needed. If a lookout is allowed to remain in the passport system after these events, it will result in inconvenience and possible legal action.

Revised April 2003

Go to Passport Services Page

Go to International Parental Child Abduction Page