§ 212a. Restriction of passports for sex tourism

• (a) Following any conviction of an individual for a violation of section 2423 of title 18 , the Attorney General shall notify in a timely manner—
  • (1) the Secretary of State for appropriate action under subsection (b); and
  • (2) the Secretary of Homeland Security for appropriate action under the Immigration and Nationality Act [ 8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.].
• (b)
  • (1)
    • (A) The Secretary of State shall not issue a passport or passport card to an individual who is convicted of a violation of section 2423 of title 18 during the covered period if the individual used a passport or passport card or otherwise crossed an international border in committing the offense.
    • (B) The Secretary of State shall revoke a passport or passport card previously issued to an individual described in subparagraph (A).
  • (2)
    • (A) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the Secretary of State may issue a passport or passport card, in emergency circumstances or for humanitarian reasons, to an individual described in paragraph (1)(A).
    • (B) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the Secretary of State may, prior to revocation, limit a previously issued passport or passport card only for return travel to the United States, or may issue a limited passport or passport card that only permits return travel to the United States.
  • (3) In this subsection—
    • (A) the term “covered period” means the period beginning on the date on which an individual is convicted of a violation of section 2423 of title 18 and ending on the later of—
      • (i) the date on which the individual is released from a sentence of imprisonment relating to the offense; and
      • (ii) the end of a period of parole or other supervised release of the covered individual relating to the offense; and
    • (B) the term “imprisonment” means being confined in or otherwise restricted to a jail, prison, half-way house, treatment facility, or another institution, on a full or part-time basis, pursuant to the sentence imposed as the result of a criminal conviction.