American officials in Moscow had no knowledge that Oswald was in Russia until October 31, 1959,[A15-5] more than 2 weeks after he had arrived, since he failed to register at the U.S. Embassy, as Americans traveling through Russia normally did.[A15-6] However, on October 31, 1959, a Saturday, Oswald presented himself at the American Embassy in Moscow.[A15-7] He placed his passport on the receptionist’s desk and informed her that he had come to “dissolve his American citizenship.”[A15-8] She immediately summoned the consul, Richard E. Snyder, who invited Oswald into his office.[A15-9] In the room with Snyder was his assistant, John A. McVickar, who observed what ensued.[A15-10] Snyder recalled Oswald as “neatly and very presentably dressed,”[A15-11] but he also remembered his arrogance. Oswald seemed to “know what his mission was. He took charge, in a sense, of the conversation right from the beginning.”[A15-12]
Oswald stated at once that he was there to renounce his citizenship[A15-13] and that “his allegiance was to the Soviet Union.”[A15-14] He said he had already applied for Soviet citizenship.[A15-15] He said he knew the provisions of American law on loss of citizenship and did not want to hear them reviewed by Snyder.[A15-16] Having taken his passport back from the receptionist, Oswald put it on Snyder’s desk.[A15-17] Snyder noticed that Oswald had inked out the portion which would have shown his address in the United States.[A15-18] Oswald also presented Snyder with a note[A15-19] which he had prepared in advance, which reads:
I Lee Harey Oswald do herby request that my present citizenship in the United States of america, be revoked.
I have entered the Soviet Union for the express purpose of appling for citizenship in the Soviet Union, through the means of naturalization.
My request for citizenship is now pending before Suprem Soviet of the U.S.S.R.
I take these steps for political reasons. My request for the revoking of my American citizenship is made only after the longest and most serious considerations.
I affirm that my allegiance is to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.[A15-20]
Oswald told Snyder that he had not mentioned his intent to remain in the Soviet Union to the Soviet Embassy in Helsinki at the time he had applied for his tourist visa.[A15-21] Oswald’s passport, upon which his Soviet visa was stamped, shows that by the 31st of October he had already overstayed his visa, despite a 1-day extension which he had received.[A15-22]
Oswald gave as his “principal reason” for wanting to renounce his citizenship, “I am a Marxist.”[A15-23] He stated that he admired the system and policies of the Soviet Union and desired to serve the Soviet State, and that his intent to defect to the Soviet Union had been formed long before he was discharged from the Marine Corps.[A15-24] Shortly after the interview, Snyder observed that Oswald had “displayed all the airs of a new sophomore partyliner.”[A15-25] At one point, Oswald alluded to hardships endured by his mother as a “worker” and said he did not intend to let this happen to him.[A15-26] He stated that his Marine service in Okinawa and elsewhere had given him a chance “to observe American imperialism,” and he displayed some resentment at not having been given a higher rank in the Marine Corps.[A15-27] Oswald stated to Snyder that he had voluntarily told Soviet officials that he would make known to them all information concerning the Marine Corps and his specialty therein, radar operation, as he possessed.[A15-28]
Snyder did not permit Oswald to renounce his citizenship at that time. He told Oswald that his renunciation could not be effected on a Saturday, but that if he would return on a day when the Embassy was open for business, the transaction could then be completed.[A15-29] Snyder testified that his real reason for delaying Oswald was that he believed, as a matter of sound professional practice, that no one should be permitted to renounce his American citizenship precipitously; such an act has extremely serious consequences, and, once accomplished, it is irrevocable.[A15-30] Snyder noticed that Oswald was young, apparently not well educated and obviously in a highly emotional state.[A15-31] Snyder testified: “particularly in the case of a minor, I could not imagine myself writing out the renunciation form, and having him sign it, on the spot, without making him leave my office and come back at some other time, even if it is only a few hours intervening.”[A15-32] Snyder’s decision was also influenced by his familiarity with a recent unfavorable incident in which an American citizen by the name of Petrulli had been allowed to renounce his citizenship hastily, without awareness that Petrulli was mentally ill at the time.[A15-33] Snyder was able to persuade Oswald to tell him his home address and the name of his mother, however, by saying that no progress on his renunciation could be made without this information.[A15-34] The State Department has advised that Snyder’s treatment of Oswald “was in line * * * with the general policy of the Department to discourage expatriation of American citizens.”[A15-35]
The same day, the Embassy sent a telegram to the Department of State, advising that Oswald had appeared there in an attempt to renounce his American citizenship, and setting out most of the details of the interview with Snyder.[A15-36] Copies were immediately furnished to the FBI[A15-37] and the CIA.[A15-38] The telegram was followed on November 2, 1959, by an Embassy report addresed to the Department of State,[A15-39] which concluded:
* * * in view of the Petrulli case and other considerations, the Embassy proposes to delay action on Oswald’s request to execute an oath of renunciation to the extent dictated by developments and subject to the Department’s advice.[A15-40]
Copies of this memorandum were also furnished both Federal security agencies.[A15-41]
After having received the telegram of October 31, 1959,[A15-42] but not the Embassy Despatch of November 2, 1959, the State Department on November 2, 1959, sent a telegram to the Moscow Embassy which read in part: