State Department issues final rule with statutory passport denial and revocation requirements, procedural changes for certain sex offenders

Original Date Announced
May 11, 2018
State Department issues final rule incorporating statutory passport denial and revocation requirements and procedures for certain sex offenders. The rule allows for revocation and limitation of passports held by certain child sex offenders if such passports do not bear a "unique identifier" required under 8 U.S.C. 212b(b)(1); see also 22 C.F.R. 51.62(a)(1); 51.60(a)(4), and requires revocation of passports held by individuals convicted of sex tourism offenses. 212 U.S.C. 212a; 22 C.F.R. 51.62(d). Notwithstanding these changes, DOS may issue passports for direct return to the United States. The rule also makes several procedural changes relating to review hearings and denial/cancellation of Consular Reports of Birth Abroad.
[ID #793]
Passports
Effective Date
May 11, 2018

Fully in Effect

Status: Final/Actual

Trump Administration Action: Rule

Subject Matter: Citizenship

Agencies Affected: DOS

Pre Trump-Era Policies

In 2016, Congress passed and the Obama Administration signed International Megan's Law. Under that law, passports of convicted child sex offenders must bear a "unique identifier." The prior administration issued a final rule in September 2016, preventing issuance of passports to covered sex offenders absent such identifier. 81 FR 60608 (Sept. 2, 2016).

AP - Child sex offenders to be named as such in US passports
In November 2017, DOS announced it would begin revoking passports held by child sex offenders without such identifier. Go to article on apnews.com