To All Offices.

The attention of all offices is drawn to the practice in relation to applications for passports to visit the USSR and Iron Curtain countries. In case the practice of Missions in this matter should not be uniform, Missions are now instructed that, in accordance with a recent ruling of the Minister, passports should be refused out of hand to applicants disclosing that they intend to visit any of these countries. Where Missions suspect that such, although not specifically disclosed, may be the intention of applicants, the applications should be referred for decision to the Department, a full report on each case being furnished for this purpose.