Mr. DULLES. I will withdraw that question and ask Mr. Chayes that when
it comes, because that probably is a matter for him rather than for you.
Does the Embassy in Moscow have any facility for learning about or
finding out about errant American citizens, or any American citizens
that are wandering around Russia? Do they register at the Embassy?
Mr. DULLES. They may.
Mr. DULLES. There is not a requirement?
Mr. SNYDER. No; as a matter of fact, most do. Most that are in Moscow
do stop in.
Mr. DULLES. There is a book in the Embassy that they can come in and
sign?
Mr. SNYDER. Yes.
Mr. DULLES. Oswald did not sign in the book, I gather.
Mr. SNYDER. I don't think he would; no. There would be no need for him
to. He came into the Embassy and spoke to an officer, which is a higher
form of registration in a sense.
Mr. DULLES. For the record, how long was it after his arrival in Moscow
that he reported to the Embassy?
Mr. COLEMAN. He arrived on October 16, and he didn't go into the
Embassy until October 31.
Mr. DULLES. That was about the time his visa--his permission to stay
was going to expire?
Mr. COLEMAN. His permission to stay as designated on his visa had
already expired.
Mr. DULLES. Was that a 12-day?
Mr. COLEMAN. He was in the Soviet Union 15 days before he went to the
American Embassy.
Mr. DULLES. How long was his permit good for?
Mr. COLEMAN. His permit was good for 6 days.
Mr. DULLES, Only 6 days? You, of course, get no word from the Soviet
Union when they give visas to Americans to come into the country.
Mr. SNYDER. Oh, no, no; we get no cooperation from the Soviet
authorities on anything concerning American citizens--excepting in
circumstances where they desire the Embassy's help. A citizen gets sick
while he is traveling in the Soviet Union, and they want the Embassy
assistance in some way or other. But even in such cases, surprisingly
often, we do not hear from the Soviet authorities. We hear from the
traveler himself, somehow, but not from the authorities.
Mr. DULLES. Am I correct in my understanding that the State Department,
having issued a valid passport for travel abroad, had no way of knowing
whether the owner of that passport is going to the Soviet Union or not?
Mr. SNYDER. Well, no.
Mr. DULLES. They have no way of knowing? So they have no way of
informing you about it?
Mr. SNYDER. No.
Mr. DULLES. I think there is a misunderstanding by a great many
American people that there are certain countries that are named on the
passport, which at one time I think was the case, but no longer is. As
I recall it now an American passport was only stamped "Not good for
Hungary," as I believe Oswald's passport was stamped. That has been
changed, has it not.
Mr. SNYDER. These stamps are changed a little from time to time.
Mr. DULLES. I will ask Mr. Chayes that question.