22 U.S.C. § 217a

Validity of passport; limitation of time

A passport shall be valid for a period of ten years from the date of issue, except that the Secretary of State may limit the validity of a passport to a period of less than ten years in an individual case or on a general basis pursuant to regulation.

( July 3, 1926, ch. 772, § 2 , 44 Stat. 887 ; July 1, 1930, ch. 782 , 46 Stat. 839 ; May 16, 1932, ch. 187 , 47 Stat. 157 ; Pub. L. 86–267 , Sept. 14, 1959 , 73 Stat. 552 ; Pub. L. 90–428, § 1 , July 26, 1968 , 82 Stat. 446 ; Pub. L. 97–241, title I, § 116(b)(1) , Aug. 24, 1982 , 96 Stat. 279 .)