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22 USC § 213a - Authority to designate additional passport acceptance agents 

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t22/s213a"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "22 USC § 213a - Authority to designate additional passport acceptance agents"
title_number: 22
title_name: "FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE"
section_number: "213a"
section_name: "Authority to designate additional passport acceptance agents"
chapter_number: 4
chapter_name: "PASSPORTS"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-03-26"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 118–31, div. F, title LXI, § 6109, Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 967; Pub. L. 118–159, div. G, title LXXV, § 7507(a), Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 2547.)"
---

# § 213a. Authority to designate additional passport acceptance agents

**(a)** **Authority to designate** The Secretary may designate any person described in subsection (b) that meets such other requirements as the Secretary may prescribe pursuant to regulations to serve as a passport acceptance agent, unless the Secretary withdraws such authorization on a case-by-case basis with respect to a given person.

**(b)** **Authorized persons** A person described in this subsection is any of the following:

**(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 department or agency that has been selected to accept passport applications.

**(6)** A United States citizen who, as determined by the Secretary, is employed by and provides services through a reputable, established company or institution and is commissioned or appointed as a notary or notary public or otherwise authorized to perform a notarization under the laws of a State, district, or territorial government.

**(7)** Any other person specifically designated by the Secretary.

**(c)** **Regulations** The Secretary shall prescribe or revise such regulations as may be necessary to carry out this division.

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 118–31, div. F, title LXI, § 6109, Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 967; Pub. L. 118–159, div. G, title LXXV, § 7507(a), Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 2547.)

## Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This division, referred to in subsec. (c), is div. F of , , , known as the Department of State Authorization Act of 2023. For complete classification of div. F to the Code, see Tables.

### Amendments

2024—Subsec. (b)(6), (7).  added par. (6) and redesignated former par. (6) as (7).

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Definition

For definition of “Secretary” as used in this section, see , set out as a note under .