U.S. Passport Designations

AimeeShramko

Hello,

I am curious about what the letters "SP" might mean when they precede a US passport number. I found a passenger list for the ship the US President Cleveland dated 1957. The passengers embarked in Manila, went on to Yokohama Japan and then San Francisco. The names of my grandfather, Howard H. Boyce, my step-grandmother Maxine Boyce,

HHB Maxine and Frederick leaving Manila to Hawaii to San Fran.jpg

and their son Frederick M Boyce are listed. They all have passport numbers preceded by SP, ie SP - 54187. Howard had previously worked for the US Treasury and later the American Institute of Research, but I don't know why he would have been in Manila in 1957. He would have been about 50 years old. I'm wondering if it might be a military or government designation? How could I find out more about their time in the Philippines?

Thank you!

Aimee Shramko

DeborahCarl

My guess is that SP is Special Passport.

"A special passport is the type of passport issued to civil servants working on behalf of the state and their families for 5 years as long as they meet certain requirements."

AimeeShramko

Thank you Deborah!