Automated Sync Active • Database updated as of Recent Browse All Orders →
Executive Orders Archive

Every President • 1789 to Present

Executive Order 7856 Constitutional Neutral (+0.02)

Executive Order 7856—Rules Governing the Granting and Issuing of Passports in the United States

Thursday, March 31, 1938
39 min read (7,817 words)

Plain-English Translation & Framers' Constitutional Analysis

Early Statesman synthesis distilling legal jargon into practical meaning, statutory anchors, and structural constitutional impacts.

This executive order, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on 1938-03-31, establishes federal administrative policy concerning "Rules Governing the Granting and Issuing of Passports in the United States." It is an expansive, comprehensive regulatory directive mandating coordinated enforcement, detailed procedural standards, and formal agency compliance benchmarks across multiple federal departments.

Constitutional Assessment: Scrutinized through Article II, Section 2, this action exercises the President's constitutional role as Commander in Chief. Early Framers recognized broad executive discretion in commanding military forces during conflict, provided it remains bounded by congressional declarations and respects civilian domestic courts.

Key Directives & Operative Actions

211a), I hereby prescribe the following rules governing the granting and issuing of passports in the United States.
No passport shall be granted or issued to any other persons than those owing allegiance, whether citizens or not, to the United States.
A minor child who will attain majority within two years may be included in a passport issued to a parent under the conditions stated in this Part but such passport shall be limited in validity to the date when such minor child shall attain majority.
When it is necessary to make inquiries by telegraph, the expense thereof shall be borne by the applicant.

Constitutional & Societal Entities Impacted

🏛️ Armed Forces & Military Establishments 🏛️ Merchants, Importers & Commercial Enterprises 🏛️ Sovereign State Governments & Localities 🏛️ Executive Departments & Federal Civil Servants 🏛️ Private Citizens & Property Owners
Total Words
7,817
45,937 characters
Estimated Read Time
39 min
@ 200 words / min
Flesch-Kincaid
12.7
Post-Grad reading level
Constitutional Polarity
+0.02
Framers' Alignment index
📜

Scholarly & Legal Citations

Exec. Order No. 7856, Franklin D. Roosevelt (Mar 31, 1938). Available at https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-7856-rules-governing-the-granting-and-issuing-passports-the-united-states.

Official Document Text

Source: The American Presidency Project (UCSB Archive)