travel document usually issued by a country's government
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Travel topics > Preparation > Passport


Passports are usually complemented by visas, which are issued by the country the traveller intends to visit. These can always be obtained through an embassy or consulate, and sometimes at a border crossing; they are usually pasted or stamped onto one of the passport pages. A valid passport or visa do not guarantee entry into another country.











Only the information page and the booklet's physical dimensions are standardised by ICAO. The issuing nation or trading bloc is free to change any of the other content at will.

Extra pagesEdit

Information page of a Hungarian passport



A second passportEdit



  • If a place is insisting that they require a passport as collateral (Hotels, car rental), providing them the second passport not used for entry is the safer option. If they wrongfully withhold this passport, the damage done is reduced, as you still have the correct passport to clear immigration.

Types of passports issuedEdit

Regular (or tourist) passportEdit


Diplomatic passportEdit

See also: Diplomatic missions


Official passportEdit

This type of passport is generally issued to government employees, military personnel, and elected officials for work-related travel. These are often treated like diplomatic passports, although the covers will differ in color from standard or diplomatic passports.

Internal passportEdit

Particularly in communist/post-communist countries, an internal passport is for the citizen's domestic use only; for international travel a regular (tourist) passport should be issued. An internal passport often serves as a citizen's identity card, and as a mean to prevent the flow of persons from one region of a country to another. However, a number of countries including China and Russia now abolished such travel restriction.

The Belorussian passport is a special example of internal passport, as it is both an internal and external passport. Permission stamps for international travel was abolished in 2007.

Passport cards and EDLsEdit

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, a U.S. law which since 2009 has required a valid passport or other approved secure document for even the most trivial "international" trips overland between the U.S. and adjacent points (such as Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean), has been accompanied by a flood of specialized identity cards and trusted traveller programs. These cards do not comply with ICAO standards; they are intended as passport alternatives for travel to adjacent countries by land or sea. They are not usable for air travel.

If you live on CanUSA Street in tiny Beebe Plain, Vermont these cards will let you leave your driveway. (The road, Québec Route 247, is in Canada.)



The U.S. passport card has identical requirements to the passport book, but is issued in card form for convenience. It is cheaper than a passport book(only $35), but otherwise no easier to obtain. It can be used as proof of citizenship, and for entry at land borders and seaports of WHTI countries. The Passport card cannot be used for international air travel.

U.S. state-issued enhanced driver's licenses often cost more than the $30 passport card for a validity period that is half or less. In addition, you might forfeit any existing time on your existing driver's license, and you're left with just one form of ID, instead of two. Even if a regular U.S. passport book has expired, you have five years to apply without extra fees for verification.

Canada does not issue a "passport card". Canadian passport renewals are possible if the passport expired less than a year ago, but incur the same onerous fees as a new passport ($190/5yrs or $260/10yrs, plus the photo).

If you lose your wallet, a couple of forms of alternate identification are often needed to get your driver's licence and other cards replaced. An ICAO-style standard passport, because it's separate from your other documents, is invaluable in this case.

Identity cardsEdit

Most European countries have some form of government-issued ID that is often mandatory to possess for every citizen above a certain age and is accepted in lieu of a passport when crossing some international borders. Within the Schengen area, this type of ID is all you need to legally cross borders, even though some airlines might think otherwise. Citizens of EEA countries can also use this ID card to enter countries on the Balkan Peninsula and Turkey (from the West, not from Iran, Iraq, Syria), despite the fact that they are not part of the EU.



Hong Kong permanent residents can use their identity card to enter Macau, and vice versa.

Temporary or emergency passportsEdit



Certificate of identityEdit


In Hong Kong, new immigrants who haven't became permanent residents can apply for the Document of Identity for Visa Purposes which works essentially the same as normal passports. However, document of identity holders enjoy much less visa-free privilege.

Meanwhile, Taiwanese travellers who wish to visit places which deny holders of Taiwanese passports, or simply inconvenient to apply for a Taiwan Compatriot Pass for a visit to China can also apply for a Travel Document (中华人民共和国旅行证) issued by Chinese (PRC) foreign embassies or consulates, which won't affect their Taiwanese citizenship. However, airlines and other businesses may not be familiar with Chinese travel documents, so you should prepare for explanation.


Other documentsEdit

In many countries, foreigners who have been granted long-term stay or permanent residency may be required to apply for some sort of identity card issued by local authorities, which certifies additional privileges (such as multiple entry and exit) when used in conjunction with your passport.

Technology and securityEdit





  • tracking by intrusive governments
  • tracking by merchants or con artists who target certain nationals

If concerned, you might:

  • do Internet research to understand the issues.

Where/How to applyEdit

Your home country's passport issuing authority will most often be part of the ministry of foreign affairs (the State Department for the U.S.) or the ministry controlling the border guards, immigration, national police, or registration of person (HM Passport Office is part of the UK Home Office). Applicants may go to their nearest representative or satellite office.




A passport photo studio in Canada.




What if I lose it while travelling?Edit

See also: Theft#Passport and identity theft



Make copiesEdit






Giving your passport to othersEdit

In some countries, such as China, it may be necessary for your long-term residence or immigration status to be registered with the local police. It is advisable to give your passport to a trusted agent if you will not do this in person. Often the employer will have a staff member handle this.

Some countries require hotels to keep photocopies of your passport, both the photo and the visa page. It is not clear whether they are required to check the visa and call police if it is expired, but certainly some will refuse a room if your visa is not correct. If you don't trust hotel staff with your passport, for instance if staff have to leave the hotel premises to make a copy, you can provide your own photocopies.

Under international law it is quite legal for anyone you do business with to ask to see a passport as positive ID, and even to keep a photocopy for their records. However it is not legal to ask anyone to surrender a passport for any purpose except visa processing by the host government or things your consulate might do like renewing your passport or issuing one for your child. Not "for safekeeping" or as any sort of "security guarantee". If your passport is taken for any such reason, contact your embassy or consulate; they can demand that the host government get it back for you and, at least in theory, that government is obligated to do so; typically they will contact local police who will in turn contact whoever has the passport. However, while international law is absolutely clear on this, it may not work in all countries.

Expiry datesEdit





In some countries, particularly the United States, a multiple-entry visa before its expiry date affixed on a expired passport remains valid, and you should bring your new and expired passports for immigration if you still wish to use the visa.

Other restrictionsEdit

See also: Visa trouble

Citizens 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. Those convicted of certain illegal drug and sex crimes may be ineligible, especially if they're on probation or parole. Also, those who owe money for taxes, child support, etc. Even if no law was broken, service in the military or government of a foreign nation may cause ineligibility, especially if you were a non-citizen where you served. On the other hand, if you immigrated to another country and later became a citizen, prior service would rarely be a problem to obtaining a passport of your new nationality.

In some countries, travellers may be required to surrender their passport to local authorities at certain times, such as when they are subject to criminal investigation. An exit visa is required to leave some countries and that may be denied for various reasons.

The US is now restricting entry by holders of some passports.






See also: Americans in Cuba


Multiple citizenshipEdit

  • Equally challenging: when flying into a country, if possible you should use on entry the passport you used to check in for the flight.
  • Once you've entered a country, you should generally keep using whatever passport you used to enter it for the whole time you're there. (The obvious exception is that you might want to use a different passport to check in for your flight out.)
  • In some countries, such as Australia, Colombia, South Africa, China, and the United States, you are legally required to use that country's passport to enter and exit the country if you are a citizen of it, even if you hold multiple citizenships.
  • Multiple citizenship does not exempt you from legal responsibilities such as military conscription of any of the countries of your nationalities. Serving in a foreign military is also grounds for loss of citizenship in many countries, though there is often an exception for conscription.
  • It is very unlikely that consular assistance is available from any of your other countries if you need help in a country where you are a citizen. Often a prisoner can ask to be transferred to their own country, but this option may not be available for you.
  • If you have multiple citizenship, you may find yourself wanting to leave a country on one passport and then enter another country on a different passport, for instance to avoid visa fees. If you want to do this at a land border crossing, contact a consulate beforehand, in writing, to ask if it will be all right. Even if they say it'll be okay, the second country's border control may be confused by your lack of an exit stamp—if so, explain your situation; they may ask to see your other passport, but they have surely seen dual citizens before. In some countries, border officials may insist on you using the same passport on both sides of the border, so it really is important to ask first and get the answer in writing. When traveling by air, this is not typically a problem.

Exit visa or stampEdit



See alsoEdit
