Non-U.S. citizens are now required to be accompanied by a U.S. citizen with Department of Defense credentials when visiting the U.S. Naval Academy and Naval Support Activity Annapolis, according to a recent announcement.
The new policy, effective Wednesday, mandates that non-citizens must also be visiting for official business and present an official passport for entry.
Previous versions of the academy's visitor page did not specify restrictions for non-U.S. citizens, as noted by the internet archive, Wayback Machine. Naval District Washington, responsible for REAL ID-related queries, did not provide comments on the matter.
Furthermore, non-U.S. citizens can only access the facilities when escorted by a U.S. citizen with Department of Defense credentials for official events, as outlined in the recent announcement. The requirement to present an official passport remains unchanged.
The new restriction was introduced alongside the implementation of REAL ID-compliant credentials for guests entering through Pedestrian Gate 1. These changes align with the nationwide policy updates at airports, federal government facilities, and military installations in compliance with The REAL ID Act of 2005.
The REAL ID Act mandates the use of federally compliant state-issued licenses or identification cards, deemed more secure by the Department of Homeland Security.
When asked about the previous non-U.S. citizen visitation policy, a Naval Academy public affairs spokesperson stated that they were unaware of the prior policy or its existence.
Reference from News: Naval Academy appears to change how non-U.S. citizens can visit