Mr. Snyder.

Yes.

Mr. Coleman.

Didn't you stamp that passport before you returned it to him? I show you Commission Exhibit No. 946 and ask you would you indicate to the Commission----

Mr. Dulles.

Could I ask one question before the witness answers this question? Was that application and questionnaire considered in the State Department before the passport was issued, or was the passport issued on general instructions before they received this application?

Mr. Snyder.

I will have to correct a word we used before. It is renewal, and not issuance.
His passport was good for another 2 years if we renewed, and he was applying for renewal of his passport, not issuance of a new one.
In either event, the issuance or renewal would have been done by the Embassy, by me.

Mr. Coleman.

The problem, Mr. Dulles, is the existing passport he had, by its term, would expire September 1961, is that correct?

Mr. Snyder.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Coleman.

And you felt he would not be able to get out of the Soviet Union prior to September 1961, and therefore his existing passport would have to be renewed?

Mr. Snyder.

I don't recall offhand what the purpose of renewing the passport at that time was. There was no prospect of his leaving the Soviet Union at that time, and probably not for quite some time to come, in my estimation, and based upon my experience with other cases he would have required his passport, and I presume this is why I was returning it to him.

Mr. Coleman.

On July 10, 1961, you did two things with respect to the passport. First, you returned to him his old passport, isn't that correct?

Mr. Snyder.

I think I did I might reread my despatch and see.

Mr. Coleman.

And, second, you accepted his application for renewal of the passport.

Mr. Snyder.

Yes; my mind is clear on that. Yes; I recall now.

Mr. Coleman.

When you returned to him his old passport, you first stamped the old passport?

Mr. Snyder.

Yes.

Mr. Coleman.

Will you indicate for the record how you stamped the old passport?

Mr. Snyder.

The passport was marked "This passport is valid only for direct travel to the United States." (Commission Exhibit No. 946, p. 6.)

Mr. Dulles.

Are you quite clear you returned the passport to him before he made his final plans to return?

Mr. Snyder.

I am not entirely----

Mr. Coleman.

Sir, before you answer the question, I suggest if you look at the Foreign Office Despatch dated July 11, 1961, you will find that you told the Department what you did at the time.

Mr. Snyder.

Oh, yes.

Mr. Dulles.

Could that be read into the record--just what he did say about the handling of the passport at that time--that is July what?

Mr. Snyder.

July 8, 1961.
This was July 8. "Oswald intends to institute an application"----

Mr. Coleman.

Pardon me. Wasn't it really July 10? July 8 was the day he came over to the Embassy just for a few moments. Then he came back on the 10th.

Mr. Snyder.

I don't know. It isn't clear from my despatch, I would say.

Mr. Coleman.

Would you read----

Mr. Snyder.

Actually, if we knew what day of the week the 8th was----

Mr. Coleman.

Subject to check, it was a Saturday.

Mr. Snyder.

"Oswald intends to institute an application for an exit visa ira-mediately upon his return to Minsk within the next few days. His American passport was returned to him for this purpose after having been amended to be valid for direct travel---for direct return to the United States only."

Mr. Coleman.

In that same Foreign Service Despatch you indicated at the end