8 FAM 1004
passport Amendments
8 FAM 1004.1
Passport Amendments
(CT:CITZ-74; 06-28-2022)
(Office of Origin: CA/PPT/S/A)
8 FAM 1004.1-1 Summary
(CT:CITZ-74; 06-28-2022)
a. Passports cannot be amended to change items appearing on the biographical data page. If a change to the biographical data page is required, a new passport book must be issued (see also 8 FAM 1004.1-3). This guidance became effective September 26, 2005.
b. Eliminating such amendments improved passport security by having current personal information on the passport data page. Further, the passport data page and the electronic chip contained in the passport will always contain the same information.
c. Passport applicants who want to have their passports changed to reflect a name change may receive a free replacement passport if they meet the criteria in 8 FAM 1001.5 (see also 8 FAM 403.1).
d. Passport applicants who want to have biographical data corrected in their passports (due to Department error) may receive a free rewrite passport with corrected data at any time during the validity period of the passport.
e. Passport applicants with valid emergency passports may receive a free replacement passport if eligible (see 8 FAM 1001.5).
f. An ePassport may be amended using endorsement 113 to convert it into a "second" passport in very limited and specific circumstances (see 8 FAM 504.1 for specific guidance).
8 FAM 1004.1-2 ENDORSEMENTS THAT CAN BE ADDED TO PASSPORTS
(CT:CITZ-74; 06-28-2022)
a. Endorsements that do not affect the information on the biographical data page of the passport may be edited in, added to, or deleted from an ePassport book.
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NOTE: Next-generation passports (NGPs) cannot be amended. If an endorsement needs to be edited, added to, or deleted from an NGP, a new passport should be issued using a form DS-5504. In emergency circumstances when a new NGP cannot be issued, a second regular NGP (or, at post, an emergency passport) will be issued containing endorsement 99 to link the two passports together, and the required endorsements printed in it. |
b. Generally, these endorsements will describe the applicant’s or sponsor's new official or diplomatic assignment and will be entered into special issuance (official, diplomatic, service, or no-fee regular) passports:
(1) To request an endorsement to an issued passport, the applicant must submit a form DS-4085, “Miscellaneous Services,” and appropriate documentation of the change;
(2) If the bearer of a special issuance passport is in the United States, the application should be submitted directly to the Special Issuance Agency (CA/PPT/SIA); and
(3) If the bearer of a special issuance passport is overseas, a consular section may amend a special issuance passport only after obtaining authorization from CA/PPT/SIA. This authorization must be retained with the passport application. (See the American Citizens Services (ACS) Downloads and Documentation site for technical guidance on using the ACS+ system.)
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NOTE: Endorsement 15, which designates the bearer as a consular agent, may be added to a regular ePassport upon authorization from the Bureau of Human Resources, Office of Presidential Appointments (HR/PAS) (see 3 FAM 8912.5, “Approval, Commission, and Exequatur” and 8 FAM 505.2 for guidance on endorsement 15 and the NGP). |
c. Endorsements used to validate a passport for travel to a restricted area may also be added to a passport (see 22 CFR 51.63, 22 CFR 51.64 and 8 FAM 1303.1).
d. See 8 FAM 505.2 for a list of all the current endorsements. These endorsements have been programmed into Travel Document Issuance System (TDIS) and ACS systems.
8 FAM 1004.1-3 Extending the Validity of a Passport in Extraordinary Circumstances
(CT:CITZ-32; 03-06-2020)
a. There may be very rare, extraordinary situations in which it may be impossible or inadvisable to issue an applicant a new passport. Such cases may occur because of a crisis situation, or when the inability to extend an expired passport would have national security or foreign policy ramifications.
b. In such extraordinary situations, and for the convenience of the U.S. Government, the validity period of an expired passport of any type may be extended at the discretion of the managing director or Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Directorate of Overseas Citizens Services, regardless of the original validity period of the passport.
c. During a crisis, authorization for emergency passport extensions may be provided by, or requested from, the Directorate of Overseas Citizens Services, Office of American Citizen Services and Crisis Management (CA/OCS/ACS) country officer or via Department taskforce.
d. Use endorsement code 107 (see 8 FAM 505.2). When extending the validity of an NGP, a second regular passport will be issued with endorsement 99 to link the two passports as well as endorsement 107.
e. In most of these cases, the extended validity period will be limited to the minimum length of time needed for the bearer to return to the United States.
8 FAM 1004.1-4 amendment stamps
(CT:CITZ-16; 02-13-2019)
a. Passport books may also be amended by the inclusion of an amendment stamp if the amendment stamp does not affect the information on the biographical data page of the passport.
b. The following amendment stamps are currently in use and/or are present in valid passports (this list is not exhaustive):
(1) The German Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) stamp (see 8 FAM 503.3);
(2) The Japanese SOFA Stamp placed in regular passports by the U.S. Embassy or Consulate, or by the Immigration Bureau of Japan (for official and no-fee regular passports, see 8 FAM 503.3 and 8 FAM 505.2); and
(3) The passport limitation endorsement stamp used by U.S. embassies and consulates in repatriation loan situations (see 7 FAM 370, 8 FAM 803.9, and 7 FAM 1860).
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Text of Passport Limitation Endorsement Stamp: THIS PASSPORT IS VALID ONLY FOR RETURN/TRANSIT TO THE UNITED STATES BEFORE [DATE] UNDER 22 CFR 51.60(c)(2) and 52.62. |
c. Amendment stamps previously used in passports include the following (this list is not exhaustive):
· A special validation stamp for travel to, or use in, a restricted country or area (22 CFR 51.64)