Embassy Request for Passport Renewal Authorization
Based on Oswald’s interview statements and questionnaire answers, Snyder concluded Oswald had not lost his U.S. citizenship, so he returned Oswald’s 1959 passport stamped valid only for direct travel to the U.S. On July 11, 1961, the Embassy sent a dispatch to the State Department reporting this conclusion, enclosing Oswald’s renewal application and supplementary questionnaire, and requesting authorization to renew his passport at its discretion, contingent on evidence he needed the passport to return to the U.S.
State Department August 1961 Passport Renewal Approval
On August 18, 1961, the State Department Passport Office concluded Oswald had not expatriated himself, and sent a dispatch to the Moscow Embassy concurring with the Embassy’s July 11 determination. The Department authorized renewal of Oswald’s 1959 passport upon his application, provided no adverse information was known, contingent on him presenting evidence he needed the renewal to return to the U.S. It directed the Embassy to issue the passport only in person, stamp it valid only for direct return to the U.S., and submit reports of his travel data and any intervening developments.
Passport Renewal Decision Process
The decision that Oswald was entitled to a new passport was made independently by Moscow consul Richard E. Snyder for the Embassy, and by Passport Office employee Bernice L. Waterman for the State Department, with no outside influence. Waterman’s decision was approved by her area chief, the head of the Foreign Operations Division, and the Passport Office Legal Division. The Director of the Passport Office and the State Department Legal Adviser later reviewed the full record and confirmed both Snyder and Waterman acted correctly in determining Oswald had not expatriated his U.S. citizenship.
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