[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 22, Volume 1]
[Revised as of April 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 22CFR13.1]

[Page 67]
 
                       TITLE 22--FOREIGN RELATIONS
 
                     CHAPTER I--DEPARTMENT OF STATE
 
PART 13_PERSONNEL--Table of Contents
 
Sec.  13.1  Improper exaction of fees.

    Any consular officer who collects, or knowingly allows to be 
collected, for any services any other or greater fees than are allowed 
by law for such services, shall, besides his or her liability to refund 
the same, be liable to pay to the person by whom or in whose behalf the 
same are paid, treble the amount of the unlawful charge so collected, as 
a penalty. The refund and penalty may be recovered with costs, in any 
proper form of action, by such person for his or her own use. The amount 
of such overcharge and penalty may at the discretion of the Secretary of 
the Treasury be ordered withheld from the compensation of such officer 
for payment to the person entitled to the same (22 U.S.C. 1189).
    Note: The foregoing relates to improper collection and personal 
withholding of funds by consular officers. For procedure where a 
collection, having been erroneously made, has been returned by the 
officer to the Treasury in good faith, making a subsequent accounting 
adjustment necessary, see Sec.  22.4, Refund of fees of this chapter.

(22 U.S.C. 2658 and 3926)

[22 FR 10789, Dec. 27, 1957, as amended at 49 FR 16989, Apr. 23, 1984]