Passport
Photo: Chris Corwin, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
A passport is a personal identification document for travel, issued by national governments to their citizens. This is used by others to establish your nationality and thus, the rights and privileges accorded to your nationality (e.g. your ability to enter and work in a certain country without additional documents, avail of consular services whilst abroad, open bank accounts overseas).
Passports are usually complemented by visas, which are issued by the country the traveller intends to visit. These can be obtained through an embassy or consulate (or through a company to which they delegated the application reception), and sometimes at a border crossing; they are usually pasted or stamped onto one of the passport pages. A valid passport and visa do not guarantee entry into another country, but are usually necessary.
In a foreign country, only your passport may be accepted as ID document; establishments may refuse service if you are unable to show it when requested. This is especially important when for instance boarding flights, changing money, and purchasing and activating prepaid SIM cards. A passport can sometimes also be used as identification in your own country, which is especially handy if your country has no national ID card and driver's licenses are not accepted or you don't have one.
Historically, children often could be included on a parent's passport. Today, most countries require even babies to have their own passport. Even when not required, having a passport for your child is a good idea. For example, if your child is on Mom's passport and Mom has to fly home for some reason, then she must take the child with her. If the child has their own passport, you have more options.
Children travelling with only one parent may require additional documentation. This documentation may be a court order granting that parent sole custody or a notarized document in which the other parent gives permission. There are often strict measures in place for many countries to prevent incidents in which one parent takes a child to another country without the other parent's permission or in defiance of a court order.
ContentsOn modern passports, "PASSPORT" / "PASSEPORT" / "PASAPORTE" and the standard page of basic identifying information are printed in the official language(s) of the issuing nation plus at least one of English, French, or…
Types of passports issuedThis is the most common type of passport issued to citizens for general international travel for both tourism and business.
Technology and securityOver the years, the way passports are produced have changed. Passports with handwritten information pages still exist, although they are being phased out due to security concerns.
Where and how to apply) or the ministry controlling the border guards, immigration, national police, or registration of person (HM Passport Office is part of the UK Home Office).
What if I lose it while travelling?Some people have experienced the nightmare of losing their passport. If this happens, take a deep breath and contact your embassy or consulate immediately to begin the replacement process.
Expiry datesg. opening a bank account, voting). For travel however, the last date when you can use a passport is well before the expiration date.
Other restrictionsCitizens of many countries may not have legal or constitutional rights to be issued a passport by their country of citizenship. The passport can thus be denied.
See also
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Passport" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Chris Corwin, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons