Everything You Need To Know About Passports

What is a Passport

What Is a Passport?

A passport is a travel document issued by a country's government to its citizens that verifies the identity and nationality of the holder for the purpose of international travel.

Passports are small booklets that typically comprise the bearer's name, place of birth, date of birth, the date of issue, date of expiry, passport number, photo and signature. There are several types of passports depending on the status of the bearer in their dwelling country.

What Is an Official Passport?

An official passport, or service passport, is a blazon of passport that is issued to authorities employees. Its purpose is to allow officials in the destination state know that the bearer is entering the country on official business, representing their country in an official capacity. Holders of official passports are non typically granted any special privileges.

What Is a Diplomatic Passport?

A diplomatic passport is granted to diplomats who are travelling for official business organisation and representing their habitation state abroad.

Diplomats are appointed by the authorities to comport official business organization abroad and maintain political, economical and social relations with other countries. Their passports typically grant them sure privileges and immunities, such as exemption from prosecution and taxes in the host country.

What Is an Emergency Passport?

An emergency passport, or temporary passport, is issued when y'all've lost your passport or had information technology stolen and yous don't have time to apply for a new one. For case, if you left your passport on the plane by accident and therefore cannot lath your connecting flight, yous may telephone call your embassy and be issued an emergency 1-style passport that will get you home.

What Is a Commonage Passport?

A collective passport may be issued to a group, such equally schoolchildren, travelling away together. However, children are typically encouraged to travel on their own passports.

What Is a Family Passport?

Family unit passports are issued to i member of the family but may be used for all family unit members for travelling purposes. All the same, the official passport bearer must be travelling as well. Family passports are quite rare these days.

What Is an ePassport?

An epassport, or electronic passport, is a regular passport booklet that contains an electronic fleck in the cover. This bit contains the passport bearer's information and provides an extra layer of security against passport fraud.

Why Do I Need a Passport?

Passports are necessary if you'd like to travel abroad as they verify your identity and nationality. They grant the bearer safe passage and protection in a foreign land.

Y'all typically must present your passport several times at the airport if you lot are flying, and at the border if yous are travelling past motorcar. Additionally, you may also demand a visa in social club to enter your destination country.

Do I Need a Passport for Domestic Flights?

No. Typically you practise not need a passport for domestic flights as other government-issued photo identification is acceptable. All the same, exist sure to bank check your country's travel regulations to detect out what documents you need for domestic and international travel.

Can I Employ My Passport as My ID?


Yeah. You can utilize your passport as identification outside the airport. Nevertheless, it is not recommended to bear around your passport on a daily basis or for a night out, as replacing a lost passport can exist plush and time-consuming.

What Does a Passport Look Like?

According to the International Civil Aviation Organization's Doc 9303 "Machine Readable Travel Documents," passports are size 3 travel documents that must follow specific regulations for their construction, layout and contents.

Size iii travel documents must take the form of a booklet with at least eight pages and a data page. The information on the data folio must be in specific locations and zones that allow it to be electronically read. In addition, the ICAO mandates diverse security features on passports to preclude counterfeiting and fraud.

Where Tin can I Travel With a Passport?

Possession of a passport doesn't necessarily guarantee entry into the country yous'd like to visit. However, passports are necessary for international travel. Y'all may need to employ for a travel visa beforehand in order to be allowed entry into your destination country.

Earlier embarking on your journey, make sure to visit Passport Alphabetize to find out how many countries you tin can travel to visa-free with your passport and which countries require you to utilise for a visa first.

For How Long Must a Passport Be Valid When I Travel?

Passports must usually be valid for at least half-dozen months from the start of your travel date. Your destination country may non let y'all enter if there is a risk that your passport will elapse while you are travelling.

Each land has different requirements for how long your passport must exist valid. Be certain to bank check with your destination country'southward authorities website earlier embarking on your journey.

How Many Blank Visa Pages Do I Demand in My Passport to Travel?

Passports must typically have two to 4 bare visa pages for international travel. The airline may not let you lath or your destination country may non let y'all enter if there is no infinite for the entrance visa to be stamped into your passport.

Each country has different entry requirements for the number of blank visa pages required. Be sure to check with your destination country'due south government website before starting your travels.

Do Children Require Passports?

Yes, children and babies require passports.

Practice I Demand a New Passport If I Modify My Proper name?

Yes. If you lot take officially changed your given proper noun or surname then you must apply for a new passport. It is important that your travel documents accurately reflect your identity.

When applying for a new passport due to a name alter make sure to include official proof, such as a wedlock certificate, of the name alter.

What Should I Do If My Passport Is Lost or Stolen?

If you lose your passport or information technology is stolen you must study it to the government immediately. Contact the local police every bit well as your country'due south passport authorities or embassy to written report what happened. Your passport volition invalidated to ensure that it cannot be used fraudulently and y'all may be issued a temporary passport with which you can travel habitation. You lot must then apply for a new passport.

Can I Travel With a Damaged Passport?

Probably not. If your passport is damaged in whatsoever fashion your best bet is to apply for a new one. Information technology is possible and highly likely that the border security at your destination volition pass up yous entry to the country if y'all present them a damaged passport.

According to the authorities of Canada a passport is considered damaged if it appears to accept been altered in any way and if identifying the bearer is hindered in whatever way. Types of damage include exposure to water and humidity, tears, and unauthorized markings.

Passports are official documents and should be taken care of at all times.

Tin can My Passport Be Revoked?

Yes. Your passport may be revoked for several reasons, such as if you lose your citizenship, if you have been charged with a law-breaking, or if you provided fake data of your passport application. The passport-issuing potency reserves the correct to reject or revoke your passport if they feel they have sufficient grounds for doing and so.

What Kinds of Security Features Do Passports Have?

According to the International Civil Aviation Organization'due south Doctor 9303 "Motorcar Readable Travel Documents," passports must have sure security features to forestall counterfeiting and fraud.

Some of the security features include holograms that lite upward nether UV light, an electronic chip with the bearer'south information, optically variable ink, which changes colour nether different low-cal sources and anti-scan patterns.

Passport-issuing regime are encouraged to utilize a diverseness of security features in order to make it every bit difficult as possible to forge their passports.

How Are Passports Made?

Passports are fabricated by passport-press companies. These companies ensure that all passports follow the standards set out by the International Civil Aviation Organisation's Physician 9303 "Machine Readable Travel Documents". Doc 9303 sets the standard for how passports should be made and what kinds of security features they should include in order to avert assail.

Passports are fabricated with special newspaper bound together using secure sewing applied science. Passport booklets include several empty visa pages, fix to document your travels, also as a biodata page that features your photo, personal information, and in some cases, a digital re-create of your signature. They may besides include holograms, special font types, and an electronic chip. Each office of the passport is built with various security features.

Do Passports Include Addresses?


No. Passports practise not include your address. Passport data pages, or biodata pages, only include your name, passport number, nationality, date and place of birth, your sex, and the passport's date of effect and date of death.

Should I Sign My Passport?

Yes. Passports typically have a signature folio that tell you exactly where you need to sign it. Some passports may also include a digital copy of your signature on the biodata page. It is important that you but sign your passport in the appropriate infinite on the designated folio. Marking upward your passport in any other manner will invalidate information technology.

What Do I Exercise With the Passport of a Deceased Family Member?

If you are in possession of the passport of a deceased family unit member be sure to check your government's website for the proper procedures for returning it to the regime.

Typically if the passport is still valid, equally in information technology has not yet passed the expiry engagement, the passport must be returned to the proper authorities. Notwithstanding, if the the passport has already expired it may not need to be returned.

Practice US Citizens Need a Passport to Visit the Bahamas?

Aye. US citizens must take a valid passport when travelling to the Bahamas every bit it is required for re-entry into the US.

Which Passport Is the Best in the Earth?

According to the Passport Index, the passport of UAE is the strongest in the world as it allows visa-free travel to 116 countries and visa-on-arrival travel to 57, for a total mobility score of 173 countries.

How Many Passports Can One Person Have?

There is no real limit on how many passports a single individual can have. However, the citizenship laws of your abode country may include provision nigh dual citizenship. Some countries do non let their citizens to hold dual or multiple passports and require them to surrender their current nationality for a new ane. Other countries do allow dual or multiple citizenship with varying conditions. For example, if both countries end up in a war against each other, your passport for one may be revoked if you have up arms confronting it.

Passport Visa page

Applying for a Passport

How Can I Utilise for a Passport?

Each state has its ain process for passport applications. Check your state's government website for all the instructions on obtaining a passport. You may have to apply in person at a government office or your may exist able to apply online.

Typically you will have to fill out a passport application form, provide proof of your identity and citizenship, provide passport-sized photos, list two references on the application form and pay the application fee.

It is extremely important to brand sure y'all make full out the application form correctly and truthfully as your request may be denied otherwise.

What Documents Do I Need for My Passport Application?

When applying for a passport yous must provide documents supporting your identity and citizenship.

For example, for the Canadian passport application supporting documents must include proof of Canadian citizenship, such as an original birth certificate, equally well every bit a 2d proof of identity, such as a driver's license, 2 identical passport photos and a valid Canadian travel document.

Each country has its own passport application requirements. Exist sure to cheque your regime'due south website for the relevant list of accepted supporting documents.

How Long Does it Have to Get a New Passport?

Fourth dimension to passport varies between countries. For case, information technology can take between x and twenty days to receive the Canadian passport after successful application, and three to half-dozen weeks to receive the British passport afterwards applying.

Bank check your land's government website to find out how long it will take to receive a new passport one time yous've filed your application. If you lot demand it more urgently you lot may take to pay a rush fee.

How Tin I Get a Passport Speedily?

If you lot've checked your government's passport processing times and detect you need your passport quicker y'all may be able to pay an extra fee for expedited service.

For case, yous can receive the Canadian passport the adjacent day past paying the CA$110 fee. Be sure to check with your authorities's website to find out the fee for urgent service.

When Renewing My Passport, Will My Old Passport Be Returned to Me?

Your erstwhile passport may be returned to you or it may be securely destroyed by your authorities's passport-issuing authorisation. Typically if your old passport is returned to yous it will be returned in a damaged class to invalidate it, for example with a hole through the booklet. If yous have an entry visa that is still valid in your onetime passport, then information technology will be returned to you.

Does My Passport Number Change When I Renew My Passport?

Yes. When you receive a new passport it will feature a different number than your previous passport. If you accept applied for any official documents using your old passport, you lot may have to update that application with your new passport.

For How Long Is My Passport Valid?/Tin My Passport Expire?

Passports are usually valid for five years or ten years, depending on the land, afterward which they become invalid for travel. When travelling make certain your passport is still valid for at least six months from the start of your travel appointment, otherwise you may be refused entry into your destination country.

Can My Passport Application Be Refused?

Yeah. The passport-issuing authorities of your state may refuse to result y'all a passport if, for case, you provided fake information on your awarding, yous are not a denizen of the country, or if y'all have been charged with a criminal offense. There are many reasons why your passport application may be refused. Be sure to cheque your government'southward passport website to find out the relevant details.

When Was the Kickoff Passport Issued?

Passports are an invaluable document dating back to Biblical times when individuals could be granted safe conduct letters requesting that the governors of strange lands grant them safe passage. The first mention of a passport is in the Bible'southward book of Nehemiah from approximately 450 BC.

In the 13th century Marco Polo'south begetter became the start European to receive safe acquit from Kublai Khan, granting him safe passage and access to the unabridged Mongol Empire.

Mentions of safe carry appeared in England as early as 1414 nether Male monarch Henry V, who had the authorisation to grant safe conduct to anyone, even foreigners. By 1540 in England the granting of travelling papers became normalized under the Privy Council. The term passport was already in use at this fourth dimension. Nevertheless, they were not necessarily required for international travel, being mostly used as identity documents.

Travelling and identity were finally officially merged in the early 20th century. The British Nationality and Status Aliens Human activity of 1914 produced the starting time modern British passport. By 1920 the League of Nations had adopted a standard passport format.

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