Oswald’s February 1961 Request to Return to the United States
On February 13, 1961, the American Embassy in Moscow received a letter from Oswald postmarked Minsk, February 5, requesting readmission to the United States. This marked the Embassy’s first contact with or about Oswald since November 16, 1959, ending a 15-month silence. The letter was not designed to ingratiate Oswald with Embassy officials; it incorrectly implied a prior unanswered letter, stated he would return only if assured no legal charges awaited him, and reminded officials of their responsibility to help him as an American citizen.
Coincidental Timing of Oswald’s Letter and His Mother’s Embassy Request
The end of the 15-month communication gap came only a few days after the Department of State in Washington had forwarded a request to the Moscow Embassy on February 1, 1961, informing the Embassy that Oswald’s mother was worried about him and asking that he contact her if possible. The simultaneity of these two events appeared coincidental. Marguerite Oswald’s request was transmitted from Washington to Moscow by sealed diplomatic pouch with no evidence the seal had been tampered with, and the responsible State Department officer testified that the message was not forwarded to the Russians upon arrival in Moscow.
Circumstances of Oswald’s July 1961 U.S. Embassy Visit
The Embassy’s response to Oswald’s letter was to invite him to come personally to Moscow to discuss the matter. Oswald initially protested because of the difficulty of obtaining Soviet permission and wrote two additional protesting letters over the following four months, receiving no indication that the Embassy would handle the matter by mail. While the Department of State was clarifying its position, Oswald unexpectedly appeared at the Embassy in Moscow on Saturday, July 8, 1961. On Sunday, Marina Oswald flew to Moscow and was interviewed by Embassy officials on Tuesday.
Soviet Travel Authorization Rules for Foreign Residents
The Commission asked the State Department and CIA to comment on whether the Oswalds’ travel to Moscow without permission signified special Soviet treatment. Since Marina Oswald possessed a Soviet citizen’s internal passport, she did not require prior approval to make the trip. Soviet law did require her husband, as the holder of a “stateless passport,” to obtain advance permission, but his failure to do so would not normally have been considered a serious violation.
U.S. Assessment of Oswald’s Unauthorized Travel Within the USSR
The Commission assessed the Oswalds’ unauthorized travel to determine whether it reflected special treatment. Based on State Department and CIA responses, the Commission concluded that the travel did not appear to signify special treatment. The CIA advised that bearers of Soviet “passports for foreigners” and “stateless passports” were normally required to obtain travel authorization from OVIR or PRO, but unauthorized travel did occur and typically resulted in mere reprimand.
State Department and CIA Testimony on Oswald’s Travel Violations
The Department of State and CIA provided testimony and information regarding Oswald’s travel. The State Department noted that other U.S. nationals living in the Soviet Union (a priest, minister, correspondents, students, and technical advisers) were required to obtain permission before traveling. A 1960 defector later reported making seven unauthorized trips from Kiev and was apprehended twice but merely reprimanded each time. The State Department believed that if Oswald’s unauthorized travel had been known, he would have been fined or reprimanded rather than severely punished, though the Soviet authorities probably knew about the trip through militia guards at the Embassy.
Marina Oswald’s Unauthorized Trip to Moscow
Marina Oswald’s unauthorized trip to Moscow was explained by her possession of a Soviet citizen’s internal passport, which did not require advance permission for such travel. The CIA confirmed that there would have been no restrictions against her making the trip to Moscow based on her documentation.
Soviet Enforcement of Travel Rules for Stateless Persons
The CIA informed the Commission that persons holding Soviet “stateless passports” were required to obtain travel authorization from the Visa and Registration Department (OVIR) or Passport Registration Department (PRO) in smaller towns if they desired to leave the city or oblast where they were domiciled. Despite this requirement, enforcement was often lax, with police at railroad stations spotchecking identification papers of approximately every tenth traveler. Persons caught evading registration requirements were typically returned to their home towns and sentenced to short jail terms and fines, with more severe sentences for repeated violations.
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