Department of Defense updated the Foreign Clearance Guide

The Department of Defense updated the Foreign Clearance Guide June 16, 2021.

Official Travel with a Special Issuance Passport is mandatory for all Military service members, DoD Civilians, and DoD-sponsored family members.

Effective July 1, 2021, newcomers and their families are required to have their Special Issuance Passport before entering Germany.

Personnel initiating PCS travel must have applied for the Special Issuance Passport prior to departure from the U.S.

Until the end of September, 2021, an exception to policy applies to those who are not in possession of the Special Issuance Passport prior to departure.

As an exception, travelers must prove they submitted a Special Issuance Passport application by possessing a memorandum from a DoD Passport Agent on hand.

However, this exception will expire on Sept. 30.

The memo must identify each applying applicant by name, date of submission, country of travel for permanent change of station, and Visa Passport Automated System ID.

Boarding a flight on official travel status with a blue, tourist passport is only permissible when this memo can be presented to boarding officials upon request.

The Foreign Clearance Guide outlines all the requirements you must complete before traveling.

These requirements vary by combatant command and country, and change continually based on current threats.

Changes made to the Foreign Clearance Guide are permanent and not related to COVID-19.

For additional information, or to check on travel requirements, please visit https://www.fcg.pentagon.mil/fcg.cfm.