(U) THIRD PARTY ATTENDANCE AT PASSPORT AND CRBA APPOINTMENT
INTERVIEWS
Generally, immediate family members may accompany passport or CRBA applicants to
their appointment interviews at a U.S. embassy or consulate, and all minor children must
be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Passport or CRBA applicants also have the
option of being accompanied by an attorney at their appointment interview. Attendance
by any third party, including an attorney, accompanying an applicant is subject to the
following parameters designed to ensure an orderly appointment interview process and
to maintain the integrity of the adjudication of the application(s):
• Given space limitations in the consular section, not more than one attendee at a
time will be allowed to accompany an applicant (or the applicant’s parent or guardian if the applicant is a minor).
• Attendance by an attorney does not excuse the applicant and/or the minor
applicant’s parent or guardian from attending the appointment interview in
person.
• The manner in which a passport or CRBA appointment interview is conducted,
and the scope and nature of the inquiry, shall at all times be at the discretion of
the consular officer, following applicable Departmental guidance.
• It is expected that attorneys will provide their clients with relevant legal advice
prior to, rather than at, the appointment interview, and will advise their clients
prior to the appointment interview that the client will participate in the
appointment interview with minimal assistance.
• Attorneys may not engage in any form of legal argumentation during the
appointment interview and before the consular officer.
• Attendees other than a parent or guardian accompanying a minor child may not
answer a consular officer’s question on behalf or in lieu of an applicant, nor may
they summarize, correct, or attempt to clarify an applicant’s response, or
interrupt or interfere with an applicant’s responses to a consular officer’s
questions.
• To the extent that an applicant does not understand a question, s/he should seek
clarification from the consular officer directly.
• The consular officer has sole discretion to determine the appropriate language(s)
for communication with the applicant, based on the facility of both officer and
applicant and the manner and form that best facilitate communication between
the consular officer and the applicant. Attendees may not demand that
communications take place in a particular language solely for the benefit of the
attendee. Nor may attendees object to or insist on the participation of an
interpreter in the appointment interview, to the qualifications of any interpreter,
or to the manner or substance of any translation.
• No attendee may coach or instruct applicants as to how to answer a consular
officer’s question.
• Attendees may not object to a consular officer’s question on any ground
(including that the attendee regards the question to be inappropriate, irrelevant, or
adversarial), or instruct the applicant not to answer a consular officer’s question.
Attendees may not interfere in any manner with the consular officer’s ability to
conduct all inquiries and fact-finding necessary to exercise his or her
responsibilities to adjudicate the application.
• During a passport or CRBA appointment interview, attendees may not discuss or
inquire about other applications.
• Attendees may take written notes, but may not otherwise record the appointment
interviews.
• Attendees may not engage in any other conduct that materially disrupts the
appointment interview. For example, they may not yell at or otherwise attempt
to intimidate or abuse a consular officer or staff, and they may not engage in any
conduct that threatens U.S. national security or the security of the embassy or its
personnel. Attendees must follow all security policies of the Department of State
and the U.S. embassy or consulate where the appointment interview takes place.

Attendees may not engage in any conduct that violates this policy and/or otherwise
materially disrupts the appointment interview. Failure to observe these parameters will
result in a warning to the attendee and, if ignored, the attendee may be asked to leave the
appointment interview and/or the premises, as appropriate. It would then be the
applicant’s choice whether to continue the appointment interview without the attendee
present, subject to the consular officer’s discretion to terminate the appointment
interview. The safety and privacy of all applicants awaiting consular services, as well as
of consular and embassy personnel, is of paramount consideration.