Sponsors
The bill clarifies and expands passport options to better reflect noncitizen national status and reduce identity ambiguity, while creating possible confusion for some holders, modest administrative costs, and short-term legal uncertainty.
U.S. noncitizen nationals (e.g., certain American Samoans) can obtain passports that explicitly recognize their status, improving travel documentation and access to consular protection.
Residents of States or covered territories can request passports that identify them as both national and citizen, reducing ambiguity in identity documents and easing interactions with federal officials.
Clarifying statute headings and the table of contents improves legal clarity for applicants and federal staff processing passport applications, likely reducing administrative errors and disputes.
Some passport holders may receive documents stating they are 'national, but not a citizen,' which could cause confusion or difficulties when entering other countries or proving eligibility for rights tied to citizenship.
Issuing additional passport variants and processing written requests will increase administrative workload and costs for the State Department, potentially raising expenses for taxpayers.
Repealing 8 U.S.C. 1436 could remove or change existing legal provisions related to nationality, creating transitional legal uncertainty for affected individuals until regulations or guidance are updated.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires passports for qualifying U.S. non-citizen nationals labeled either "national, but not a citizen" or, in certain residency cases if requested, "national and a citizen," and repeals a related statute.
Introduced November 7, 2025 by Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen · Last progress November 7, 2025
Requires the State Department to issue passports to people who prove they are U.S. nationals but not U.S. citizens, with two labeling options: a passport identifying the holder as a “national, but not a citizen,” or, in limited cases when requested in writing by applicants residing in a State or certain territories, a passport identifying the holder as both a “national and a citizen.” It also updates related headings and repeals a separate statute; the second section contains no text.