Everything You Need To Know Nigh Passports

What is a Passport

What Is a Passport?

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

Passports are small-scale booklets that typically contain the bearer'due south name, place of nativity, date of nascence, 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 home country.

What Is an Official Passport?

An official passport, or service passport, is a blazon of passport that is issued to government employees. Its purpose is to let officials in the destination country know that the bearer is entering the land on official business, representing their country in an official capacity. Holders of official passports are not typically granted whatsoever special privileges.

What Is a Diplomatic Passport?

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

Diplomats are appointed past the government to conduct official business abroad and maintain political, economic and social relations with other countries. Their passports typically grant them sure privileges and immunities, such equally exemption from prosecution and taxes in the host land.

What Is an Emergency Passport?

An emergency passport, or temporary passport, is issued when you've lost your passport or had it stolen and you don't have fourth dimension to utilise for a new one. For example, if you lot left your passport on the plane by accident and therefore cannot board your connecting flight, you may call your embassy and be issued an emergency one-way passport that will get you home.

What Is a Collective Passport?

A commonage passport may be issued to a grouping, such every bit schoolchildren, travelling abroad together. However, children are typically encouraged to travel on their own passports.

What Is a Family unit Passport?

Family unit passports are issued to one member of the family simply may exist used for all family unit members for travelling purposes. However, the official passport bearer must be travelling likewise. 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 chip in the cover. This chip contains the passport bearer'south 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 prophylactic passage and protection in a strange state.

You lot typically must present your passport several times at the airport if you lot are flying, and at the edge if you are travelling by automobile. Additionally, you may also need a visa in social club to enter your destination land.

Practice I Need a Passport for Domestic Flights?

No. Typically you do not need a passport for domestic flights as other authorities-issued photo identification is adequate. However, be sure to check your country'south travel regulations to find out what documents you demand for domestic and international travel.

Tin I Use My Passport as My ID?


Yes. You can use your passport as identification outside the airdrome. All the same, it is not recommended to conduct around your passport on a daily basis or for a nighttime out, as replacing a lost passport can exist costly and time-consuming.

What Does a Passport Wait Like?

According to the International Civil Aviation Organization'southward Doc 9303 "Motorcar 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 viii pages and a data page. The data on the data folio must be in specific locations and zones that allow it to exist electronically read. In addition, the ICAO mandates various security features on passports to prevent counterfeiting and fraud.

Where Can I Travel With a Passport?

Possession of a passport doesn't necessarily guarantee entry into the country you'd like to visit. Nevertheless, passports are necessary for international travel. You may demand to apply for a travel visa beforehand in order to be allowed entry into your destination country.

Earlier embarking on your journey, brand sure to visit Passport Index to notice out how many countries you tin travel to visa-complimentary with your passport and which countries require you to apply for a visa kickoff.

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

Passports must usually be valid for at least six months from the starting time of your travel appointment. Your destination state may not let you lot enter if at that place is a risk that your passport will expire while yous are travelling.

Each land has different requirements for how long your passport must be valid. Be sure to check with your destination state's regime website before embarking on your journey.

How Many Bare Visa Pages Do I Need in My Passport to Travel?

Passports must typically take two to four blank visa pages for international travel. The airline may not let you board or your destination country may not let you enter if there is no space for the entrance visa to be stamped into your passport.

Each country has different entry requirements for the number of bare visa pages required. Exist sure to bank check with your destination state's government website before starting your travels.

Do Children Require Passports?

Yep, children and babies crave passports.

Exercise I Need a New Passport If I Change My Name?

Yes. If y'all have officially changed your given name 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 marriage certificate, of the name alter.

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

If you lose your passport or it is stolen you must report it to the authorities immediately. Contact the local police every bit well as your country's passport authorities or embassy to report what happened. Your passport will invalidated to ensure that it cannot exist used fraudulently and you may be issued a temporary passport with which you can travel abode. You must then employ for a new passport.

Can I Travel With a Damaged Passport?

Probably not. If your passport is damaged in any style your best bet is to utilize for a new ane. It is possible and highly probable that the border security at your destination will refuse y'all entry to the country if you present them a damaged passport.

Co-ordinate to the regime of Canada a passport is considered damaged if it appears to have been altered in any way and if identifying the bearer is hindered in any way. Types of damage include exposure to water and humidity, tears, and unauthorized markings.

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

Tin can My Passport Be Revoked?

Yes. Your passport may be revoked for several reasons, such equally if you lose your citizenship, if you accept been charged with a crime, or if you provided false data of your passport application. The passport-issuing authority reserves the right to refuse or revoke your passport if they feel they have sufficient grounds for doing so.

What Kinds of Security Features Do Passports Have?

Co-ordinate to the International Civil Aviation System'due south Medico 9303 "Machine Readable Travel Documents," passports must take sure security features to forbid counterfeiting and fraud.

Some of the security features include holograms that light up under UV calorie-free, an electronic fleck with the bearer's information, optically variable ink, which changes color under different lite sources and anti-scan patterns.

Passport-issuing authorities are encouraged to use a variety of security features in lodge to make it as difficult every bit possible to forge their passports.

How Are Passports Made?

Passports are made by passport-press companies. These companies ensure that all passports follow the standards set up out by the International Ceremonious Aviation Organization's Doc 9303 "Machine Readable Travel Documents". Doc 9303 sets the standard for how passports should exist made and what kinds of security features they should include in club to avoid attack.

Passports are made with special paper bound together using secure sewing engineering science. Passport booklets include several empty visa pages, fix to certificate your travels, besides as a biodata page that features your photograph, personal information, and in some cases, a digital copy of your signature. They may also include holograms, special font types, and an electronic flake. Each function of the passport is congenital with diverse security features.

Do Passports Include Addresses?


No. Passports exercise non 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 appointment of issue and date of expiry.

Should I Sign My Passport?

Yes. Passports typically accept a signature page that tell you exactly where you lot need to sign information technology. Some passports may also include a digital copy of your signature on the biodata page. Information technology is important that y'all merely sign your passport in the appropriate space on the designated page. Marker up your passport in any other way volition invalidate information technology.

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

If you are in possession of the passport of a deceased family member be certain to check your government'southward website for the proper procedures for returning it to the authorities.

Typically if the passport is still valid, as in it has non yet passed the death date, the passport must be returned to the proper authorities. However, if the the passport has already expired it may not need to be returned.

Exercise U.s.a. Citizens Demand a Passport to Visit the Bahamas?

Yes. United states citizens must have a valid passport when travelling to the Bahamas as it is required for re-entry into the US.

Which Passport Is the Best in the Globe?

Co-ordinate to the Passport Index, the passport of UAE is the strongest in the world as information technology allows visa-free travel to 116 countries and visa-on-inflow travel to 57, for a full mobility score of 173 countries.

How Many Passports Can I Person Take?

There is no real limit on how many passports a single individual can take. However, the citizenship laws of your domicile country may include provision about dual citizenship. Some countries exercise non permit their citizens to agree dual or multiple passports and require them to give up their current nationality for a new ane. Other countries exercise allow dual or multiple citizenship with varying conditions. For example, if both countries stop upward in a war against each other, your passport for 1 may be revoked if yous take up arms against it.

Passport Visa page

Applying for a Passport

How Can I Apply for a Passport?

Each land has its ain process for passport applications. Bank check your country'due south regime 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 lot volition accept to make full out a passport awarding form, provide proof of your identity and citizenship, provide passport-sized photos, listing two references on the application form and pay the application fee.

It is extremely of import to make sure yous fill out the awarding course correctly and truthfully as your asking may be denied otherwise.

What Documents Practise I Demand for My Passport Application?

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

For case, for the Canadian passport application supporting documents must include proof of Canadian citizenship, such as an original nativity certificate, as well as a 2nd proof of identity, such as a driver'due south license, 2 identical passport photos and a valid Canadian travel document.

Each country has its ain passport application requirements. Be certain to check your authorities'south website for the relevant listing of accepted supporting documents.

How Long Does it Take to Get a New Passport?

Time to passport varies between countries. For example, it can accept betwixt ten and 20 days to receive the Canadian passport after successful awarding, and 3 to half dozen weeks to receive the British passport after applying.

Check your country's government website to discover out how long information technology will take to receive a new passport in one case you lot've filed your application. If you need it more urgently y'all may have to pay a rush fee.

How Tin I Get a Passport Quickly?

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

For example, you lot can receive the Canadian passport the next day past paying the CA$110 fee. Exist sure to cheque 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 regime's passport-issuing authorization. Typically if your old passport is returned to you it volition exist returned in a damaged grade to invalidate it, for example with a hole through the booklet. If you have an entry visa that is still valid in your quondam passport, then information technology volition be returned to you.

Does My Passport Number Change When I Renew My Passport?

Yes. When you receive a new passport information technology volition feature a dissimilar number than your previous passport. If y'all have applied for any official documents using your old passport, y'all may accept to update that application with your new passport.

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

Passports are usually valid for five years or x years, depending on the state, after which they get invalid for travel. When travelling brand sure your passport is still valid for at least six months from the get-go of your travel date, otherwise you may be refused entry into your destination country.

Tin My Passport Application Be Refused?

Yes. The passport-issuing authorities of your country may refuse to issue you a passport if, for instance, yous provided imitation information on your application, you are non a citizen of the country, or if y'all have been charged with a law-breaking. At that place are many reasons why your passport awarding may be refused. Be sure to check your government's passport website to find out the relevant details.

When Was the First Passport Issued?

Passports are an invaluable certificate dating back to Biblical times when individuals could be granted safe acquit letters requesting that the governors of foreign lands grant them condom passage. The get-go mention of a passport is in the Bible's book of Nehemiah from approximately 450 BC.

In the 13th century Marco Polo's father became the starting time European to receive rubber comport from Kublai Khan, granting him safe passage and access to the unabridged Mongol Empire.

Mentions of prophylactic behave appeared in England as early as 1414 under King Henry 5, who had the authority 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 employ at this time. However, 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 Act of 1914 produced the offset modernistic British passport. By 1920 the League of Nations had adopted a standard passport format.

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