The US State Department has announced that individuals who have a US passport and have a conviction of a sex offense against a minor will have their passport revoked and reissued with one that contains a disclosure citing their criminal conviction.
The passport will contain language printed on the inside back cover stating that “The bearer was convicted of a sex offense against a minor, and is a covered sex offender pursuant to (specific regulation cited).”
The State Department has asked the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide them with a list of registered offenders so that they can begin contacting current passport holders who qualify for the ‘sex offender’ passport. The DHS is responsible for maintaining a federal database of all child sex offenders in the country.
According to the State Department, this ‘enhancement’ is part of ‘Megan’s Law’ that was passed last year to increase penalities for sex offenders of minors.
Hopefully none of you reading this need to worry about it.