Forgery or false use of passport
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
Whoever falsely makes, forges, counterfeits, mutilates, or alters any passport or instrument purporting to be a passport, with intent that the same may be used; or
Whoever and knowingly uses, or to use, or furnishes to another for use any such false, forged, counterfeited, mutilated, or altered passport or instrument purporting to be a passport, or any passport validly issued which has become void by the occurrence of any condition therein prescribed invalidating the same—
Shall be , imprisoned not more than 25 years (if the offense was committed to facilitate an act of international terrorism (as defined in section 2331 of this title)), 20 years (if the offense was committed to facilitate a drug trafficking crime (as defined in section 929(a) of this title)), 10 years (in the case of the first or second such offense, if the offense was not committed to facilitate such an act of international terrorism or a drug trafficking crime), or 15 years (in the case of any other offense), or both.
History: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 771 (PDF, 39 MB); Pub. L. 103–322, title XIII, §130009(a)(2), title XXXIII, §330016(1)(I), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2030 (PDF, 52 MB), 2147; Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title II, §211(a)(2), Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–569; Pub. L. 107–273, div. B, title IV, §4002(a)(3), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1806.)
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime to forge, counterfeit, alter, or damage a passport, or make a fake one, intending it to be used. It is also a crime to knowingly use, try to use, or give someone a fake or altered passport, or a passport that has become void.