§ 217a. — Validity of passport; limitation of time.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 22USC217a]
TITLE 22--FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE
CHAPTER 4--PASSPORTS
Sec. 217a. Validity of passport; limitation of time
A passport shall be valid for a period of ten years from the date of
issue, except that the Secretary of State may limit the validity of a
passport to a period of less than ten years in an individual case or on
a general basis pursuant to regulation.
(July 3, 1926, ch. 772, Sec. 2, 44 Stat. 887; July 1, 1930, ch. 782, 46
Stat. 839; May 16, 1932, ch. 187, 47 Stat. 157; Pub. L. 86-267, Sept.
14, 1959, 73 Stat. 552; Pub. L. 90-428, Sec. 1, July 26, 1968, 82 Stat.
446; Pub. L. 97-241, title I, Sec. 116(b)(1), Aug. 24, 1982, 96 Stat.
279.)
Amendments
1982--Pub. L. 97-241 substituted provision that a passport be valid
for a period of ten years from issuance and that the Secretary of State
could limit the period to less than ten years in an individual case or
on a general basis by regulation for provision that a passport be
limited to a period of not more than five years, that the Secretary of
State could limit the passport to a shorter period, and that a valid
passport outstanding as of the effective date of Pub. L. 90-428 be valid
for a period of five years from the date of issue, except where such
passport was limited to a shorter period by the Secretary.
1968--Pub. L. 90-428 substituted provisions that passport be limited
to a period of not more than five years, though the Secretary of State
may limit it to a shorter period and provisions as to the length of
validity of passports outstanding as of the effective date of Pub. L.
90-428 for provisions that a passport or passport visa be limited to a
period of three years, that a passport be renewed pursuant to
regulations of the Secretary for a period not to exceed two years,
provided that the final date of expiration not be more than five years
from the original date of issue, that the Secretary be authorized to
limit the validity of a passport, passport visa, or period of renewal of
a passport to less than two years, and that the charge for the issue of
an original passport be $9.00 and the charge for the renewal be $5.00.
1959--Pub. L. 86-267 substituted ``three years'' for ``two years'',
and ``five years'' for ``four years''.
1932--Act May 16, 1932, among other changes, increased payment for
renewals from $2 to $5, for issue of original passport from $5 to $9,
and restored final expiration date of renewal passport to four years
from six-year period.
1930--Act July 1, 1930, among other changes, provided for $2 payment
for renewal of passport, $5 payment for issue of an original passport,
and changed from four to six years the final expiration date of renewal
passport.
Effective Date of 1982 Amendment
Section 116(b)(2) of Pub. L. 97-241 provided that: ``The amendment
made by this subsection [amending this section] applies with respect to
passports issued after the date of enactment of this Act [Aug. 24,
1982].''
Effective Date of 1968 Amendment
Section 4 of Pub. L. 90-428 provided that: ``This Act [amending this
section and sections 213 and 214 of this title] shall take effect on the
thirtieth day following the date of its enactment [July 26, 1968].''
