§ 51.22 Passport agents and passport acceptance agents. ( a ) *U.S. citizen employees of the Department authorized to serve as passport agents.* The following employees of the Department are authorized by virtue of their positions to serve as passport agents unless the Department in an individual case withdraws authorization: ( 1 ) A passport authorizing officer;
( 2 ) A consular officer, or a U.S. citizen consular agent abroad;
( 3 ) A diplomatic officer specifically authorized by the Department to accept passport applications; and
( 4 ) Such U.S. citizen Department of State employees and contractors as the Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs may designate for the purpose of administering oaths and affirmations for passport applications.
( b ) *Persons designated by the Department to serve as passport acceptance agents.* When designated by the Department, the following persons are authorized to serve as passport acceptance agents unless the Department in an individual case withdraws authorization. ( 1 ) An employee of the clerk of any Federal court;
( 2 ) An employee of the clerk of any state court of record;
( 3 ) A postal employee at a United States post office that has been selected to accept passport applications;
( 4 ) An employee of the Department of Defense at a military installation that has been authorized to accept passport applications;
( 5 ) An employee of a federal agency that has been selected to accept passport applications; and
( 6 ) Any other person specifically designated by the Department.
( c ) *Qualifications of persons designated by the Department to serve as passport acceptance agents.* Before the Department will designate a person described in § 51.22(b) as a passport acceptance agent, his or her employer must certify that the person: ( 1 ) Is a U.S. citizen or a U.S. non-citizen national;
( 2 ) Is 18 years of age or older;
( 3 ) Is a permanent employee, excluding ad hoc, contractual, and volunteer employees; and
( 4 ) Does not have a record of either: ( i ) A Federal or State felony conviction; or
( ii ) A misdemeanor conviction for crimes involving moral turpitude or breach of trust, including but not limited to embezzlement, identity theft, misappropriation, document fraud, drug offenses, or dishonesty in carrying out a responsibility involving public trust.
( d ) *Training.* A passport acceptance agent described in § 51.22(b) must be trained to apply procedures and practices as detailed in guidance provided by the Department. Training must be successfully completed before accepting passport applications.
( e ) *Responsibilities.* The responsibilities of a passport acceptance agent described in § 51.22(b) include but are not limited to the following: ( 1 ) Certifying the identity of each applicant. Passport acceptance agents must certify that they have personally witnessed the applicant signing his or her application, and that the applicant has: ( i ) Personally appeared;
( ii ) Presented proper identification, as documented on the application;
( iii ) Submitted photographs that are a true likeness; and
( iv ) Taken the oath administered by the acceptance agent.
( 2 ) Safeguarding passport application information under the Privacy Act of 1974. Passport acceptance agents described in § 51.22(b) must not retain copies of executed applications, nor release passport application information to anyone other than the applicant and the Department.
( 3 ) Avoiding conflict of interest. Passport acceptance agents described in § 51.22(b) must not participate in any relationship that could be perceived as a conflict of interest, including but not limited to providing commercial services related to the passport process.
( f ) *Documentation.* Passport acceptance facilities within the United States must maintain a current listing of all passport acceptance agents designated under § 51.22(b) working at its facility. This list must be updated at least annually and a copy provided to the officer specified by the Department at the appropriate passport issuing office. ( 1 ) The current listing of all designated passport acceptance agents must include the passport acceptance agents': ( i ) Names; and
( ii ) Signatures.
( 2 ) Any addition to or deletion from the current listing of designated passport acceptance agents is subject to prior approval by the Department.