-----Original Message-----

From: Papier, Joel (NIH/OD)

Sent: Friday, August 22, 2003 12:26 PM

To: List ICTRAVELPOC-L

Cc: Stith, Kenneth (NIH/OD); Koitz, Barry (NIH/OD); Howard, Florence (NIH/OD); 'Mbharlow@aol.com'; Smith, Marcia (NIH/FIC); Miller, Richard (NIH/FIC)

Subject: Transmittal No. 111 - Use of Official Passports

Importance: High

All,

This serves as clarification to the recently issued guidance in the revised HHS Travel Manual Chapter 6 "International Travel", and in the March 19, 2003 memorandum from the OS/Special Assistant to the Secretary for International Affairs (SASIA) to the Heads of OPDIVs/STAFFDIVs.

Employees/staff, e.g., Visiting Fellows, who are not eligible for official passports in the conduct of official business, are now permitted to travel with their personal passport, provided they first obtain State Department country clearance. Such employees/staff are still responsible for securing the relevant visas required for their destinations.

In addition the SASIA received numerous calls from employees, expressing security concerns about carrying an official passport. Thus, the SASIA provides that while official passports must always be used for official functions, e.g., border crossings, employees are permitted to carry their personal passport along with their official passport, if they wish. However, as a reminder, official passports must never be used for personal travel.

Please make wide distribution of this information to your respective IC communities.

Thanks,

Joel