|
The International Travel
Section (ITS) is the Department
of State’s designated USDA
Control point for all Official
and Diplomatic passports issued
to USDA employees and is the
USDA’s recognized control point
for both acquiring passports and
visas for USDA employees. ITS
manages over 6000 passports and
processes 400 to 600 passport
and visa cases monthly.
The following information
was provided by the Department
of State (DOS) Passport Services
office regarding the Department
of State's policy on the use of
"Official and Diplomatic"
passports and is supplemented by
USDA Regulations.
REQUIRED USE POLICY
A USDA employee SHALL NOT
use their personal passport to
travel overseas to conduct
official U.S. Government
business. In compliance with DOS
and USDA Departmental
regulation,
DEPARTMENTAL MANUAL-2300-1
APPENDIX A, INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
PROCEDURESUSDA employees traveling to a
foreign country conducting
official business for his/her
Agency SHALL travel using either
an "Official or Diplomatic"
passport. In recent discussions
with the DOS's Passport Services
office we were advised that
based on the type and use of
passports as governed by
CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS ‒
TITLE 22: FOREIGN RELATIONSthe law requires the use of an
"Official or Diplomatic"
passport for travel to foreign
countries to conduct official
U.S. Government business. There
are no exceptions other than
those stated below.
EXCEPTIONS TO THE REQUIRED USE
POLICY
U.S. Government employees
traveling to Taiwan in any
official capacity must use a
personal passport. If the
employee requests that the
Government provide the
"Personal" passport at the
Government's expense, then the
employee must return the
passport to the Government
(International Travel Section)
within 5 days after returning
from the trip.
PROHIBITED USE
U.S. Government employees
traveling abroad on personal
travel shall not use an
"Official or Diplomatic"
passport in any capacity.
U.S. Government employees
detailed to a private or
international organization shall
not use an "Official or
Diplomatic" passport. The fact
that the Government employee's
salary is still being paid by
the employee's agency does not
constitute a reason to use an
"Official or Diplomatic"
passport.
PROVISIONAL USE
U.S. Government employees
assigned overseas in an official
capacity as approved by the
Department of State may use
their "Official or Diplomatic"
passport for personal travel
during their tour.
U.S. Government
employees traveling abroad on
official business may use the
"Official or Diplomatic"
passport for Agency approved
personal stops incident to the
official trip.
|
