§ 51.1 Definitions.

The following definitions are applicable to this part:

(a) Department means the United States Department of State.

(b) Electronic passport means a passport containing an electronically readable device, an electronic chip encoded with the bearer's personal information printed on the data page, a digitized version of the bearer's photograph, a unique chip number, and a digital signature to protect the integrity of the stored information.

(c) Minor means an unmarried, unemancipated person under 18 years of age.

(d) Passport means a travel document regardless of format issued under the authority of the Secretary of State attesting to the identity and nationality of the bearer.

(e) Passport acceptance agent means a U.S. national designated by the Department to accept passport applications and to administer oaths and affirmations in connection with such applications.

(f) Passport agent means a U.S. citizen employee of the Department of State, including consular officers, diplomatic officers and consular agents abroad, and such U.S. citizen Department of State employees or contractors as the Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs may designate for the purpose of administering oaths and affirmations for passport applications.

(g) Passport application means the application form for a United States passport, as prescribed by the Department pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 213 and all documents, photographs, and statements submitted with the form or thereafter in support of the application.

(h) Passport authorizing officer means a U.S. citizen employee who is authorized by the Department to approve the issuance of passports.

(i) Secretary means the Secretary of State.

(j) United States when used in a geographical sense means the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands of the United States, and all other United States territories and possessions. (Corrected effective 2/1/2008; 73 FR 5435 )

(k) U.S. citizen means a person who acquired U.S. citizenship at birth or upon naturalization as provided by law and who has not subsequently lost such citizenship.

(l) U.S. national means a U.S. citizen or a U.S. non-citizen national.

(m) U.S. non-citizen national means a person on whom U.S. nationality, but not U.S. citizenship, has been conferred at birth under 8 U.S.C. 1408, or under other law or treaty, and who has not subsequently lost such non-citizen nationality.

Subpart A--General