Passport Act of 1920 explained

Shorttitle:Passport Act of 1920
Longtitle:An Act for expenses of regulating entry into the United States, in accordance with the provisions of the Act approved May 22, 1918, and Public Act Numbered 79 of the Sixty-sixth Congress, when the latter Act shall have become effective, $250,000, in addition to the remaining $150,000 of the sum appropriated by section 4 of said Public Act Numbered 79.
Nickname:Passport Control Act, 1920
Enacted By:66th
Effective Date:July 1, 1920
Cite Statutes At Large: aka 41 Stat. 750
Title Amended:22 U.S.C.: Foreign Relations and Intercourse
Sections Created: §§ 214, 215, 216, 217
Introducedin:House
Passedbody1:House
Passeddate1:January 26, 1920
Passedvote1:311-9
Conferencedate:May 14, 1920
Passedbody3:House
Passeddate3:May 17, 1920
Passedvote3:97-194
Signedpresident:Woodrow Wilson
Signeddate:June 4, 1920

Passport Act of 1920 or Passport Control Act, 1920 was a federal statute authored by the United States 66th Congress. The legislation was an appropriations bill authorizing a fiscal policy for the United States Diplomatic and Consular Service.

The Act of Congress established a fees schedule for identity documents and travel documents as related to United States passports and visas. The public law repealed section one of the Expatriation Act of 1907 discontinuing the issuance of passports to persons not declaring an American citizenship or a renunciation of citizenship in the continental United States.

The United States administrative law petitioned the requisite articles of the Wartime Measure Act of 1918 providing regulatory travel authority for United States foreign departures, domestic entries, and mandatory U.S. passport purposes. The Wartime Measure Act remained in effect through World War I whereas the United States 66th Congress drafted bill H.R. 9782, superseding public law 65-154 by passing the Aliens Restriction Act or public law 66-79 as signed by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson on November 10, 1919.[1] [2]

Clauses of the Act

The Passport Act of 1920 contains five sections establishing regulations for the issuance and passport validity of American passports with an inclusion for United States travel visas and work visas.

Passport Control Act - 41 Stat. 750

Expenses of regulating entry into the United States

Fees for Passports and Visés - 41 Stat. 750 § I

Act effective from and after the 1st day of July, 1920

Fees established for application and issue

Retention of fee by State officials

Persons exempted

Alien Passports - 41 Stat. 750-751 § II

Fees for visé and application

Persons exempt

Validity of Passport or Visé - 41 Stat. 751 § III

Validity limited to two years

U.S. Secretary of State by regulation shall limit the passport or visé validity to a shorter period

Foreign Country Refusal to Visé a Passport - 41 Stat. 751 § IV

Return of passport fee if visé refused by foreign officer

Expatriation of Citizens and Their Protection Abroad - 41 Stat. 751 § V

Expatriation Act of 1907 § I

Authority to issue passports to persons not American citizens repealed

Associated U.S. Statutes as Related to Immigration

Date of EnactmentPublic Law No.U.S. StatuteU.S. Bill No.U.S. President Administration
June 25, 1798P.L. 5-58John Adams
March 26, 1910P.L. 61-107William H. Taft
February 5, 1917P.L. 64-301Woodrow Wilson
May 7, 1917P.L. 65-10Woodrow Wilson
May 9, 1918P.L. 65-144 Woodrow Wilson
June 29, 1918Pub. Res. 65-34 Woodrow Wilson
October 16, 1918P.L. 65-221 Woodrow Wilson
October 19, 1918Pub. Res. 65-44 Woodrow Wilson
November 10, 1919P.L. 66-79Woodrow Wilson
December 24, 1919Pub. Res. 66-27Woodrow Wilson
May 10, 1920P.L. 66-197Woodrow Wilson
June 5, 1920P.L. 66-254Woodrow Wilson
June 5, 1920P.L. 66-262Woodrow Wilson
May 19, 1921P.L. 67-5Warren G. Harding
August 22, 1921Pub. Res. 67-16Warren G. Harding
November 23, 1921Pub. Res. 67-29Warren G. Harding
May 11, 1922Pub. Res. 67-55Warren G. Harding
May 26, 1922P.L. 67-227Warren G. Harding
December 27, 1922Pub. Res. 67-78Warren G. Harding
June 7, 1924Pub. Res. 68-37Calvin Coolidge
February 25, 1925P.L. 68-464Calvin Coolidge
May 26, 1926P.L. 69-296Calvin Coolidge
July 3, 1926P.L. 69-459Calvin Coolidge
March 4, 1927Pub. Res. 69-69Calvin Coolidge
March 31, 1928Pub. Res 70-20Calvin Coolidge
May 29, 1928Pub. Res. 70-61Calvin Coolidge
March 4, 1929P.L. 70-1018Calvin Coolidge

Statements of Woodrow Wilson

Statements of Calvin Coolidge

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 66th Congress House Vote #103 - H.R. 9782 . October 16, 1919 . GovTrack.us . GovTrack.
  2. Web site: Aliens Restriction Act of 1919 - P.L. 66-79 . November 10, 1919 . 41 Stat. 353 - H.R. 9782 . United States Library of Congress.