Evening star., 1899-03-30
NOT ENTITLED TO PASSPORTS.
Those Who Have Transferred Domi-
cile and Rmsi nesa 10 Another Couairx


The Secretary of State has issued an i'm
portant circular to diplomatic and consular
officers in regard to the issue of passports
to American citizens. This question has
been a constant source of irritation to the
government, especially in the matter of the
issue of passports TO naturalized citizens of
Austrian and German nativity, inasmuch
as those countries insist that such persons
are subject 10 military duties, regardless of
their naturalization citizens of the United
States.
The circular in part is as follows:
This government does not discriminate
between natiye-boIn and naturaIIzed citi-
zens in according them protection while
they are abroad, equality of treatment be-
ing required by the laws Of the United
States But iii determining the question OF
conservation of American citizenship ami
the right to receive a passport, it is only
reasonable to take into account the puI-
pose for which the citizenship is obtained
naturalzed citizen who returns to the
country of his origin and there resides.
without any tangible manifestation of an
intention to return 10 the United States,
may therefore be generally assumed to have
lost the right to receive The protection OF
the United States. His naturalization in the
United States cannot be used as 4 cloak 10
protect him from obligations 10 Jhe country
Of his origin while he performs none OF the
duties of citizenship to the country which
naturaliZed him. The statements of loyalty
TO this government which ne may make are
Contradicted by the circumstances of his
residence and are open to the suspicion of
being influenced by the advantages he de-
rfves by avoiding the performance of the
duties of citizenship to any country. 1t is
not to be understood by this that natural
lied American citizens returning to the
country of their origin are to be refused the
protection of a passport. On the contrary,
full protection should be accorded to them
until they manifest an effectual abandon
ment of their residence and domicile in the
United States.
"a condition precedent to the granting of
a passport is that the citizenship of the ap-
plicant and his domcle in the United
States, and intention to return to it with
the purpose of residing and performing the
duties Of citizenship. shall be satisfactorily
established. One who has expatriated him
self cannot, therefore, receive a passport.
But, even where eXpatriation may not be
established, a person who is permanently
resident and domiciled outside of the United
States cannot receive a passport.
The treatment of the individual cases as
they arise must depend largely upon at
tcndant circumstances. When an applicant
has completely severed his relations with
the United States, has neither kindred nor
property here, has married and established
home in foreign land. has engaged in
business or professional pursuits wholly in
foreign countries, has shaped his plans
as to make ii impossible or improbable that
they will ever include domiciie in this
country, these and similar circumstances
should exercise an adverse influence in de-
termining the question whether or not a
passport should issue. On the other hand
a favorable conclusion may be influenced by
the fact that family and property connec-
tons with the United States have been kept
up, that reasons of health render travel and
return Impossible or inexpedient and that
pecuniary exigencies interfere with the de-
sire to return. But the circumstance which
is, perhaps, the most favorable of all is
that the applicant is residing abroad in
representation and extension of legitimate
American enterprises"