[Enn]

Standardised Passport Act
A resolution to restrict political freedoms in the interest of law and order.

Category: Political Stability
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Cobdenia

Description: NOTING the potential security risks arising from being unable to accurately assess those entering and leaving a nation,

FURTHER NOTING that such a potential security risk may be exacerbated by the inability of relevant officials to guarantee the authenticity of a foreign passport,

BELIEVING that foreign nationals, excluding diplomatic and consular officers, should abide by the laws of the nation in which they are present, though mindful of the variation in law and legal systems between nations,

DEFINES a "Passport" as a travel document issued by the nation of which the person is a citizen, national, or subject, identifying the bearer as being a citizen, etc., of that country, and a "Visa" as a document issued by a receiving nations allowing a foreign citizen entry into that nation, subject to terms and conditions (made clear to those wishing to acquire a visa).

MANDATES that all citizens carry a Passport issued by a relevant nation in which they hold citizenship or other nationality status, when travelling abroad, except where deemed unnecessary through the existence of bilateral and multilateral border control agreement, or when unilaterally declared unnecessary by the receiving nation,

PERMITS issuing nations to allow children under the age of majority, or a specific age that is lower than that of the age of majority, in the issuing country to travel on the passport of one or both of their parents, as necessary under national law,

FOUNDS the Global Emigration, Security, Travel And Passport Organisation.
a) This organisation will establish minimum requirements of details to be included into passports, including but not limited to passport numbers, facial representations of the owner, name, date of birth, validity, and anti-forgery features;
b) Members states are required to abide by these requirements.

AFFIRMS that the passport entitles the holder to any of the consular services available from their nation's Embassies, Consulates, Consulates-General, High Commissions, Deputy High Commissions, & Legations as they may require,

ENSHRINES the right of consuls to visit nationals carrying an appropriate passport of the nation they represent when detained for legal reasons:
a ) allows consuls to give the detainee legal advice, lists of approved counsels and/or barristers, and guidance on the legal process of the nation in which they are detained;
b) in cases where there is no diplomatic or consular presence of the detainee's nation a consul of another nation may be substituted for a consul of the detainee's nation, where bilateral or multilateral agreements are in place for such.

AFFIRMS that any national of a member state, carrying a valid passport and visa cannot be denied entry to a nation, except where either the security of that nation is at stake, for reasons of medical quarantine, where there is reason to believe the terms of the visa are likely to be violated or if there is reason to believe the visa was obtained fraudulently,

URGES all nations to recognise the passports of nationals of member states,

MANDATES the publication of all passport appearances (including information about recognising counterfeits), to be made available to all relevant officials, including but not limited to: immigration officials, customs and excise officers, security personnel, and constables of the law.

[Bears Armed]

"For", on the whole.
There are a few typoes (as one expects from a Cobdenian proposal , and one or two places where I think that the wording could be better, but it's basically sound... and in my opinion this is the sort of 'international cooperation' matter on which the WA/GA should be focussing.

Besides, how could we (OOC) reject the opportunity to give the WA its very own 'GESTAPO'?
(Well, actually, I can see where some people could reasonably be offended by that detail...)

[Jade Tigers]

For the most part it s good and sound, but am rather troubled by these sections:

FOUNDS the Global Emigration, Security, Travel And Passport Organisation.
a) This organisation will establish minimum requirements of details to be included into passports, including but not limited to passport numbers, facial representations of the owner, name, date of birth, validity, and anti-forgery features;
b) Members states are required to abide by these requirements.

This portion would be alright if it did not include the "but not limited to" statement as this basically allows the GESTAPO (Did they do that on purpose?) to dictate anything it wishes concerning passports to sovereign nations.

and...

AFFIRMS that the passport entitles the holder to any of the consular services available from their nation's Embassies, Consulates, Consulates-General, High Commissions, Deputy High Commissions, & Legations as they may require,

This seems completely redundant as citizens abraod would normally be given this right anyway passport or no. At the worst, it potentially takes away this generally granted right should a citizen abroad not possess a passport (such as if it were stolen.)

As such, I cannot support this proposal. (Even though I accidentally voted for Abstain...)

[Enn]

I would be very surprised if GESTAPO was there by accident. The UN/WA Creative Acronym Service is still alive and well.

I suspect the 'including but not limited to' is to avoid hamstringing GESTAPO when it comes to new technologies (or old ones, given that it is Cobdenia writing this).

An 'Affirms' clause does just that. It's mainly there, I suspect, to close a potential loophole during drafting. And I don't see how a 'reasonable nation' would deny non-passport-carrying citizens the use of their embassies and consulates.

FOR.

[Federalist]

I agree with Sidh Ohn, Against

[Hindopia]

I really don't see the harm in this proposal. I am a tad uncomfortable with the freedom granted to the "GESTAPO" (hehe) to require any information on people but really what could the WA do with that info anyway?
FOR