Title 22, Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-102
§4218 False Certificate as to Ownership of Property
Title 22 › CHAPTER 52 — FOREIGN SERVICE › SUBCHAPTER XIV — POWERS, DUTIES AND LIABILITIES OF CONSULAR OFFICERS GENERALLY › § 4218
Summary
Punishes a consul or vice consul who knowingly signs a false document saying property owned by foreigners belongs to U.S. citizens. They can be put in prison for up to three years and fined up to $10,000.
Full Legal Text
Title 22, §4218
Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
If any consul or vice consul falsely and knowingly certifies that property belonging to foreigners is property belonging to citizens of the United States, he shall be punishable by imprisonment for not more than three years, and by a fine of not more than $10,000.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Codification R.S. § 1737 derived from act Feb. 22, 1803, ch. 9, § 7, 2 Stat. 204. References to “commercial agent” and “vice-commercial agent” were omitted in view of the abolition of the grade of commercial agent by act Apr. 5, 1906. Section was not enacted as part of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 which comprises this chapter. Section was formerly classified to section 1200 of this title, and prior thereto to section 104 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
22 U.S.C. § 4218
Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102