PASSED: Passport Harmonisation Act

[New Rockport]

I ran this proposal by my country's privacy commissioner and he had the same concern that my esteemed colleague from Tjennewell did. I do not think my government will allow me to support this proposal unless the required passport specifications are established in the proposal itself, rather than left to WA bureaucrats to establish. The risk to our citizens' privacy is just too great.

In spite of the recently passed WA right to privacy your Excellency ?

Yes, your Highness*. There is no guarantee that the right to privacy will not be repealed. Additionally, the right to privacy might only bind WA member states, and not WA agencies.

-Silvana Rossi, Ambassador

* OOC: I was unable to find the proper form of address for a Khan. If this is incorrect let me know and I'll change it.

[Qumkent]

I ran this proposal by my country's privacy commissioner and he had the same concern that my esteemed colleague from Tjennewell did. I do not think my government will allow me to support this proposal unless the required passport specifications are established in the proposal itself, rather than left to WA bureaucrats to establish. The risk to our citizens' privacy is just too great.

In spite of the recently passed WA right to privacy your Excellency ?

Yes, your Highness*. There is no guarantee that the right to privacy will not be repealed. Additionally, the right to privacy might only bind WA member states, and not WA agencies.

-Silvana Rossi, Ambassador

* OOC: I was unable to find the proper form of address for a Khan. If this is incorrect let me know and I'll change it.

OOC. If you really want to be fawning and formal, you'd call him "Noble Khan", but since Mongkha is a civil servant it is perfectly good manners jus to call him "Your Excellency" in line with his rank of Ambassador

[Cobdenia]

I ran this proposal by my country's privacy commissioner and he had the same concern that my esteemed colleague from Tjennewell did. I do not think my government will allow me to support this proposal unless the required passport specifications are established in the proposal itself, rather than left to WA bureaucrats to establish. The risk to our citizens' privacy is just too great.

In spite of the recently passed WA right to privacy your Excellency ?

Yes, your Highness*. There is no guarantee that the right to privacy will not be repealed. Additionally, the right to privacy might only bind WA member states, and not WA agencies.

-Silvana Rossi, Ambassador

* OOC: I was unable to find the proper form of address for a Khan. If this is incorrect let me know and I'll change it.

To do this is impossible when one considers that there are a) many, many nations that are populated by non-human sentients b) nations exist in different technological eras and c) a word count.

[Cobdenia]

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, but nevertheless mindful of the variation in law and legal systems between nations,

1. DEFINES:
a) 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;
b) a "Visa" as a document issued by a recieving nations allowing a foreign citizen entry into that nation, subject to terms and conditions (made clear to those wishing to aquire a visa).

2. 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,

3. 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,

4. FOUNDS the Standardised World Assembly Safe-conduct for Travel and International Control Association (SWASTICA),

5. CHARGES the SWASTICA to 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. SWASTICA will not hold any personell information

6. MANDATES that member states abide by the requirements laid down by the SWASTICA,

7. 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 and other diplomatic missions as they may require,

8. 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 barristers and/or solicitors, and guidance on the legal process of the nation in which they are detainedl;
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 a substitution;
c) diplomatic and consular officers are prohibited from interfering with the legal actions taken against a nation of the country they represent.

9. 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 their 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

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

11. 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.

New revision, though need to check wordcount prior to submission.

[Charlotte Ryberg]

Honoured ambassador Sir Cyril MacLehose-Strangways-Jones, regrettably it is over the character limit. You may like to shorten the committee name if you wish. That would save some character space.

[Cobdenia]

This has been submitted. One or two changes to wording to bring down number of letters, but no change to the content. Obviously, SWASTICA has been changed to something more boring

http://www.nationstates.net/page=UN_proposal1/match=passport

[Cobdenia]

Bump for resubmission, the link the above post should work. Tell you're freinds, family, and coworkers!

Prizes on offer for all those delegates that approve!

Yes, real prizes!

[Cobdenia]

Yet another resubmission; here's the current wording:

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 Something or Other, which is charged with establishing mandatory 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. It will not collect any personal information,

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.

Proposal link is once again:
http://www.nationstates.net/page=UN_proposal1/match=passport

[Cobdenia]

Quroum Dance!

[Grays Harbor]

OOC - whats with the pointless and completely unrelated poll?

[Omigodtheykilledkenny]

OOC - This is the WA; why does the poll need to be relevant?

[The Palentine]

OOC: I'll have you know that my efforts to rebuild the Roman Empire in Pittsburgh is moving along quite swimmingly.

[Enn]

Good to see the UN/WA Creative Acronym Service is still alive and well.

[Sidh Ohn]

5. CHARGES the SWASTICA to 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

My only issue is with this part. Specifically the words "but not limited to" as it essentially gives SWASTICA unlimited power over the passport and thus emigration systems of sovereign nations. Remove "but not limited to" from the wording and you'll have my support.

[Cobdenia]

I fail to see how giving the committee power over passport appearance and detail inclusion would affect immigration in any way, shape, or form.

[Sidh Ohn]

It doesn't really, but the current wording already includes those basics, however to add "but not limited to" potentially gives it far more reaching and really unnecessary authority over the passport system than these basics, and thus very well could effect the emmigration (not immigration) policies of the nations that would then be forced to abide by it's rules.

[Cobdenia]

The problem of attempting to ensure that everything that should be covered is cover (the few I listed would not, I feel, be adequate), plus there is the tech/alien issue. This way, the organisation can theoretically say "passports may be made of rock, paper, or be ethereal concepts, a data disk, etc", as well as alter it for non-humans - i.e., if the species doesn't have faces. It allows for every permutation to be covered without worrying to much about what those permutations are. Plus, there are word count issues.

[The Palentine]

Not bad, old boy. Normally I'd be against the Festering Snakepit forming another damned commitee and bureaucracy, but refeshingly, this one seems useful. You can count on my nation's support, old bean.

Excelsior,
Sen. Horatio Sulla

[Sionis Prioratus]

OoC: It's more a case that one addresses the nations, rather then the organisation. With the UN, the United Nations term was actually addressing the nations, but was grammatically correct. With the WA, World Assembly grammatically can only refer to the body, not to the actually countries as the World Assembly - hence world assembled

OOC: ^ This.

Btw, The World Assembly, alongside its constituent Peoples of the World Assembled, or variations of the theme, have passed a relevant portion of laws already

IC: In what regards SWASTICA. what would its symbol be? Would a BIG stamp of it appear on the cover of every single passport of the Worlds?

I suggest instead OMGWTF (Organization for Managing and Granting Worldwide Travel Freedom).

Yours truly,

[Sionis Prioratus]

And the poll makes me feel disenfranchised. Weren't my firstborn son approaching his hundreth anniversary, I'd be naming him Willy Wonka.

[Freeoplis]

Upon reading the proposal this Nation notes the following points which we recognize have already been raised but we also see as issues:

4. FOUNDS the Standardised World Assembly Safe-conduct for Travel and International Control Association (SWASTICA),

This Nation is uncomfortable with such an abbreviation used for an organisation.

5. CHARGES the SWASTICA to 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,

On the basis such requirements could be prescribed as including race, religeon, sexual orientation we would oppose such loose terminology. We feel this should be restricted to only those requirements "deemed to be in the interests of facilitating the purpose of this legislation" This would exclude such unneccesary requirements and information about citizens being included.

9. 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 their 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

We would like a particular Nation to maintain discretion at all times as to who is granted admission into their Nation.

[New Rockport]

Upon reading the proposal this Nation notes the following points which we recognize have already been raised but we also see as issues:

4. FOUNDS the Standardised World Assembly Safe-conduct for Travel and International Control Association (SWASTICA),

This Nation is uncomfortable with such an abbreviation used for an organisation.

Don't worry. It's been changed.

5. CHARGES the SWASTICA to 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,

On the basis such requirements could be prescribed as including race, religeon, sexual orientation we would oppose such loose terminology. We feel this should be restricted to only those requirements "deemed to be in the interests of facilitating the purpose of this legislation" This would exclude such unneccesary requirements and information about citizens being included.

My nation's government agrees. Suppose this agency mandates that passports include fingerprints or genetic information. A person should not have to have such sensitive personal information put into a government database in order to be able to travel internationally.

[Freeoplis]

My nation's government agrees. Suppose this agency mandates that passports include fingerprints or genetic information. A person should not have to have such sensitive personal information put into a government database in order to be able to travel internationally.

With such an unrestricted freedom being created this Nation cannot support this proposal.

[Sionis Prioratus]

Upon reading the proposal this Nation notes the following points which we recognize have already been raised but we also see as issues:

4. FOUNDS the Standardised World Assembly Safe-conduct for Travel and International Control Association (SWASTICA),

This Nation is uncomfortable with such an abbreviation used for an organisation.

Don't worry. It's been changed.

Fixed indeed!

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.

I, for one, await eagerly our new GESTAPO overlords at every border!

[Cobdenia]

My nation's government agrees. Suppose this agency mandates that passports include fingerprints or genetic information. A person should not have to have such sensitive personal information put into a government database in order to be able to travel internationally.

With such an unrestricted freedom being created this Nation cannot support this proposal.

The proposal does not allow the organisation to gather any personel information. Indeed, there is no requirement that the information that goes on passports be held on a government database - so even if they were to require fingerprints (which they won't. Not all species have fingers) on passports, they only have to be on passports - not collated by the government. Plus, the right to privacy already covers many concerns

If one doesn't want someone entering their nation, don't issue visas. Simple