The State Department has revoked the passport of a registrant who was convicted in and resides in California. This is the first known passport revocation following passage of the International Megan’s Law (IML) in February 2016. According to a letter from that federal agency, the registrant’s passport was revoked because it did not include the “unique identifier” required by the IML.
The letter stated that the registrant’s passport “remains the property of the U.S. Government, and must be surrendered upon demand.” The letter also stated that the registrant must “immediately return” his passport to the federal government.
According to the letter, there is “no administrative appeal before the Department of State” regarding the revoked passport. The letter advised the registrant that he may apply for a new passport that will contain the following “unique identifier” — “The bearer was convicted of a sex offense against a minor, and is a covered sex offender pursuant to 22 United States Code Section 212b(c)(1).”
The registrant received notice that his passport had been revoked after returning to California from a trip to South America. He was allowed to enter South America and did not encounter problems upon his return to the United States.
The registrant, who does not travel overseas on a regular basis, has surrendered his passport. He has not yet determined, however, if he will apply for a new passport.
No need to apologize. I understand completely. There was no internet or SO registry when I plead either. No mention of it in my plea or my sentence. That’s the thing I have the biggest problem with. That the state can come in after my sentence has been meted out and impose new requirements on me that were never in play before.
Thank you again for answering my questions.