Posted by:
cludgie
(
)
Date: May 10, 2021 06:44PM
...is contrary to US law, and probably against the law of any country. A passport belongs to the country of issuance, and the holder named in the passport is the custodian. By the US law, you are not allowed to surrender it to anyone who isn't a US official who has the legal ability to confiscate a passport. And confiscation, whether temporary or permanent, means you've done something illegal or are considered a flight risk.
Wherever you go as a foreigner in another land, it's generally mandatory to carry your passport at all times. While some mission homes make you a copy to keep in your pocket, it would have to contain a stamp from a US consular section of the US embassy to even be considered any kind of legal document. But I know from personal experience that, official stamp or no, police and other authorities are not required to accept to accept the copy.
If you know anyone going on a foreign mission, tell them not to surrender their passport, even if it pisses of the MP or mission home staff. One's passport is one's own business and responsibility. I'm a former government employee, and as such had to complete annual course on how to spot human trafficking. One observation is that traffickers always confiscate victims' passports. That literally makes the MP party to putting you under duress.
Mission presidents have learnt to confiscate and hold missionaries' passports to keep anyone from bolting, which has happened to a significant portion. So,it's good to inform anyone who goes on a foreign mission that, if they want to bolt and fly home, they can go to the nearest US consulate or embassy and report that their passport was stolen or lost, and the consular section can issue a temporary official passport waiver, which allows a person to depart the country.