Report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy

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.