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A passport is a travel document issued by a national government that usually identifies the bearer as a national of the issuing state and requests that the bearer be permitted to enter and pass through other countries.

Passports are connected with the right of legal protection abroad and the right to enter one's country of nationality. Passports usually contain the holder's photograph, signature, date of birth, nationality, and sometimes other means of individual identification. Many countries are in the process of developing biometric properties for their passports in order to further confirm that the person presenting the passport is the legitimate holder.

History

One of the earliest references to passports was made in about 450 B.C. Nehemiah, an official serving King Artaxerxes of ancient Persia, asked permission to travel to Judah. The King agreed and gave Nehemiah a letter "to the governors of the province beyond the river" requesting safe passage for him as he travelled through their lands

The term 'passport' most probably originates not from sea ports, but from medieval documents required to pass through the gate ('porte') of city walls. In medieval Europe such documents could be issued to any traveller by local authorities and generally contained a list of towns and cities through which the holder was permitted to pass. This system continued in France, for example, until the 1860s. During this time passports were often not required for travel to seaports, which were considered open trading points, but were required to travel from them to inland cities. Early passports often, but not always, contained a physical description of the holder, with photographs being added only in the early decades of the 20th century.

Before the First World War, passports were not widely used for international travel, and in most areas few people had one. Crossing a border was usually very easy, and no supporting documentation or declarations were required. They were, however, commonly used for travel within a handful of states such as the Ottoman Empire and tsarist Russia, where they were commonly held documents. During the war European governments suddenly had an interest in preventing people with useful skills or potential manpower from leaving, and keeping out spies or other security threats, so passports were demanded at border crossings. After the war the new controls were not removed and became standard procedure, although not without controversy. British tourists of the 1920s complained about the new annoyances, and especially about the attached photographs and physical descriptions, which led to a "nasty dehumanization" in the words of one traveller.

Following the world wars, the League of Nations (International Conference on Passports, Customs Formalities and Through Tickets, 1920), and later the United Nations and the ICAO, issued standardisation guidelines on the layout and features of passports. These guidelines have largely shaped the modern passport.

In recent years there has been a movement to introduce biometric information to passports to improve identity security. It is at present questionable whether such technology is sufficiently developed and robust for this task. The U.S., for example, twice delayed the introduction of this technology due to poor reliability results.

Types

Ordinary Passports are the normal passports issued to most citizens and have no special connotations.

Diplomatic Passports are issued to Diplomats and diplomatic representatives of a home country, or can be issued for any state employees who serve on long-term (resident) duty, and in other cases official passport holders may be granted visa-free entry, while normal passport holders are required to get a visa.

Official or Service Passports are issued to employees of a goverment travelling for work related reasons who either do not qualify as Diplomats or are not entiled to Diplomatic Status under the Vienna Convention.

Alien's passports are documents issued by some countries to non-citizen residents.

A collective passport may be issued, for example, for a school trip. All children on the trip would be covered by the group passport for the duration of the trip.

Internal passports have been issued by some countries, as a means of controlling the movement of the population. Examples include the Soviet internal passport system and the hukou residency registration system used in the People's Republic of China.

Emergency or Temporary Passports are issued to persons whose original passport has been lost or stolen and who need to urgently travel.

Business Passports are passports with extra pages issued to frequent travellers.

Laisser Passer are documents issued by organisations such as the United Nations for their officials.

Family Passports are passports that are not issued to individuals but to family units (parents and children).

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Government restrictions and special cases

Although most countries recognise the passports of most other countries, there are a number of exceptions. Generally these exceptions are due to circumstances where one country does not recognise another territory's administration as a sovereign state. Some countries also decline to accept passports that do not afford the bearer the right to live in the issuing country.

Most countries make it a policy not to accept passports issued by authorities they do not recognise as states. The usual one-off exceptions are persons involved in negotiation between authorities (analogous to diplomatic talks) and those offering humanitarian relief. Standing exceptions include passports issued by the Hong Kong and Macau Special Administrative Regions of China (see below). In Brazil, citizens of such countries must apply for a Brazilian laissez-passer, a type of travel document usually allowing only a single entry into the issuing country.

In most countries, passports are state property which may be withdrawn at any time. In some countries the executive authorities may declare a passport void, although such cases may be subject to judicial review; judicial decision may be needed for other countries. For instance, typically, a person on bail must temporarily surrender their passport while awaiting trial if they pose a flight risk.

Many countries issue only one passport per person. Once the passport is expired, the applicant is required to surrender the expired passport, or have the issuing authority punch holes through the passport to invalidate it. A growing number of countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States, are allowing their citizens to hold more than one passport per person. It may be useful for a person who travels frequently to many countries while one passport is used to obtain a visa, the person may travel abroad with another passport.

Some countries issue passports and exit visas only to those who meet particular political and ideological requirements.

China (PRC and ROC) and colonial passports in Hong Kong and Macau

Under the auspices of their Basic Laws, Hong Kong and Macau SARs have the authority to issue passports, to contract agreements, to abolish visa requirements with other countries, and to exercise immigration control on foreign nationals. Passports issued by the respective SAR governments state that the bearer is a Chinese national with a right of abode in the issuing SAR. The National People's Congress has also delegated powers to the Hong Kong and Macau governments to administer Chinese nationality laws in their respective regions.

The PRC does not recognise the Republic of China (ROC) as a sovereign state and considers Taiwan a part of its territory. The ROC based in Taiwan since 1949 has not renounced claims to mainland China. Despite presence of mutual immigration control, neither side of the Taiwan Strait considers travelling to and from the mainland and Taiwan international travel. The PRC and the ROC never stamp passports issued from the other side.

A Taiwan resident entering mainland China uses a special permit issued by mainland public security authorities and usually collects this permit in Hong Kong or Macau, which must usually be used as a point of transfer. The ROC government once required all Taiwan residents who planned to go to mainland China to obtain official approval beforehand and would administratively fine (NT$ 20,000 to 100,000) those who did not. However, often unable to ascertain if someone has broken this rule as the PRC would never stamp ROC passports, the authorities practically could not enforce the requirement except on those who had lost their travel documents in the mainland. It has been outright abolished except for officials of the administration who still require case-by case approvals.

At a port of entry in Taiwan, there is a conspicuous facility where mainland residents must surrender their passports and other travel documents issued by mainland authorities. On the other hand, Taiwan residents keep their identity documents issued by Taiwan while in the mainland.

As Hong Kong is considered as a part of the People's Republic of China, travelling to and from Hong Kong and the mainland is not considered international travel. The Public Security Bureau of the Guangdong province has been issuing a special permit (dubbed Home Return Permit) for Hong Kong residents who are Chinese nationals to enter and exit the mainland before and after the handover. Although it has been proposed that the HKSAR passport should supplant this permit, the proposal has been dismissed.

Although many Chinese in Hong Kong hold British National (Overseas) passports (and British citizen passports issued under the auspices of a programme instituted by the UK in 1990), the PRC Government considers them its nationals, and does not recognise these passports they hold while the PRC does not recognize dual nationality. These people have been using the Home Return Permit to enter mainland China since before the handover.

Although a Hong Kong resident may not use British National (Overseas) nor HKSAR passports in its own right for entering Taiwan, these passports must be used in conjunction with a special travel permit issued by Taiwan's administration. First-time travellers must apply beforehand but most other travellers can collect this permit upon arrival, subject to certain restrictions.

British Citizen passports obtained in Hong Kong can be used in its own right to enter the Republic of China on Taiwan.

On the other hand, Taiwan residents travelling to Hong Kong apply for entry permits and collect them at specified airlines. Repeated travellers satisfying certain conditions may apply online.

Cyprus

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) issues passports, but only Turkey recognises the statehood of Northern Cyprus. TRNC passports are not accepted for entry into the Republic of Cyprus. Until 2003, the Republic of Turkey did not accept passports of the Republic of Cyprus, because it did not recognize that government. Turkey now accepts Republic of Cyprus passports, but does not stamp them; rather, Turkish immigration officials stamp a separate visa issued by the Turkish state.

The Republic of Cyprus also refuses entry to holders of Yugoslavian passports "bearing a renewal stamp with the name 'Macedonia'" .

Israel

Many Arab and Muslim countries will not allow entries to people with evidence of visits to Israel or used or unused Israeli visas in their passports, since the existence of the state of Israel is not recognised by these countries. To help foreigners circumvent these restrictions, Israel does not require visitors to have their passports stamped upon entry or advanced visas, making it difficult for those countries to tell if a citizen or tourist went there. Many of these nations are aware of the exit stamps placed in passports by Egypt and Jordan at their land borders with Israel and may block entry based on the presence of these stamps. For example, a traveller may be denied entry to certain countries because of the presence of an Egyptian exit stamp indicating the person left Egypt at Taba, at the Israeli border. Some nations will void

old passports and reissue new passports to their nationals based on the presence of evidence of a visit to Israel, recognising the passport's function is compromised. The United Kingdom and the United States Department of State may allow a passport holder to have two valid passports to circumvent the restrictions concerning Israel if the applicant can satisfactorily explain why a second passport is needed when applying.

Arab and Muslim countries not accepting Israeli passports are:

• Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Comoros, Djibouti, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia (except with written permission from the Malaysian government), Maldives, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

Muslim countries that do accept Israeli passports include:

• Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Mauritania, Morocco, Turkey, and former Soviet republics with Muslim majority: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

The only non-Arab and non-Muslim countries that do not accept Israeli passports are Cuba and North Korea due to these nations' enduring alliance with the Palestine Liberation Organization.

Koreas

Exiting from the region under Republic of Korea's administration (commonly known as South Korea) directly to the North is not international travel from the South's point of view. The Republic of Korea's constitution considers the North as part of its territory, although under different administration. In other words, the South does not view going to and from as breaking the continuity of a person's stay, as long as the traveller does not land on a third territory.

The privilege of a passport in North Korea is limited to a select few. Membership of the Korean Workers' Party is essentially a requisite.

Pakistan

Pakistan imposes a requirement on its Muslim citizens when they apply for a passport, requiring them to agree to the following:

1. I am a Muslim and believe in the absolute and unqualified finality of the Prophethood of Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) the last of the Prophets.
2. I do not recognize any who claims to be a prophet in any sense of the word or any description whatsoever, after Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) or recognize such a claimant as a prophet or a religious reformer as Muslim.
3. I consider Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani to be an impostor nabi and also consider his followers whether belonging to the Lahori, Qadiani or Mirzai groups, to be non-Muslims.

With the issuance of the new biometric passport in 2005 (in which the religion column was to be deleted), the above declaration would have been made unnecessary. However, this decision was recently reversed by the Pakistan Government on religious parties' resistance. After much debate, the column has come back. New passports will carry religion columns on Page 3; passports already printed will bear a rubber stamp mark declaring the holder's religion. There is no mention of religion on the Pakistani National ID Card.

Saudi Arabia

The Government of Saudi Arabia like some other governments does not officially recognise dual nationality for its citizens. Citizens who have dual nationality generally keep this confidential when in Saudi Arabia. If a second passport is discovered, it will be confiscated,,,, and the bearer may be arrested.

Spain and Gibraltar

The Government of Spain has had a policy of not accepting British passports issued in Gibraltar, on the grounds that the territory's government is not a competent authority for issuing such documents. Consequently some Gibraltarians have been refused entry to Spain when travelling on these documents. However, the word "Gibraltar" now appears beneath the words "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland", as appears in passports of other British colonies and dependencies.

Tonga

Some countries decline to accept Tongan Protected Person passports, though they do accept standard passports issued to Tongan citizens.

Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland

Citizenship of the Republic of Ireland is given to all those born in the island of Ireland (from 2005 all those with parents legally resident) regardless of what side of border with Northern Ireland (which is a part of the United Kingdom). This was due to the Irish state's territorial claim to Northern Ireland and the situation was formalised by the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 with the United Kingdom government and the political parties in Northern Ireland. Irish Citizenship can be claimed by grandchildren of Irish born people, meaning approximately 5 million people in Britain can obtain Irish passports. In the Republic of Ireland a significant number are entitled to British passports through connections by descent or residence with the United Kingdom. Furthermore those born before 1949 can also obtain UK passports as British subjects.

International travel without passports

In some circumstances, travel between countries may be done without showing a passport. These include:

Reciprocal agreements

Some countries have a reciprocal agreements such that a visa is not needed under certain conditions, e.g. when the visit is for tourism and for a relatively short period.

A few countries have agreements allowing for cross-border travel without passports (but generally with identification). Examples include:

• The United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland: Citizens of the UK and Ireland do not require a passport to travel between the two countries. Other EEA nationals must show a national ID card or Passport. All other nationals require a passport. Many nationals also require visas for both countries. Further information: ]
• The CA-4 countries: Citizens of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua do not require a passport to travel between any of the four countries. A National ID card (Cédula) is sufficient for entry. In addition, the CA-4 agreement implemented the Central American Single Visa (Visa Única Centroamericana) Further information: ]
• The NAFTA countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico, although after an announcement on September 02, 2005 (Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative), all persons entering the United States, including U.S. citizens, will be required to have a passport, even from Canada and Mexico, starting January 8, 2007 for air and sea travel. On December 31, 2007, the passport requirement will also be extended to all land border crossings . The Canadian Government has responded to this by stating that soon U.S. citizens will be required to have a passport to enter Canada . A passport is not generally required to enter Mexico. As of December 31, 2007 (January 8, 2007 for air or sea travel), citizens of the United States will not need a passport to enter into Mexico, but will be required to show their passport when leaving Mexico and re-entering the United States. Citizens of Mexico, however, were never allowed to enter the United States without passports and visas, although since the start of NAFTA, Mexicans have had access to a special visa category that is solely for NAFTA countries (see TN visa).
• The Nordic countries (since 1952), Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, including Faroe Islands and Greenland. (Called the Nordic Passport Union, this area joined the larger Schengen treaty region in 1997.)
• Lebanese citizens entering Syria do not require a passport if carrying their Lebanese IDs. Similarly, Syrian nationals do not require a passport to enter Lebanon either, if carrying their Syrian IDs.
• Indian, Nepalese and Bhutanese citizens do not require a passport to travel between the three countries. However some identification is needed to cross the borders.
• Croatia does not require a passport for citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina who have a Bosnian ID card. Likewise Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Slovenia and Hungary do not require Croatian citizens to have a passport, only a Croatian ID.
• Serbia does not require a passport for citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina who have a Bosnian ID card. Likewise Bosnia and Herzegovina does not require Serbian citizens to have a passport, only a Serbian ID.
• Russia and some former Soviet Union Republics: the participating countries may only require the equivalent of the national ID card (which is called Internal passport (внутренний паспорт)), as opposed to an "international" passport (заграничный паспорт) that a former Soviet citizen would be required to produce to enter other foreign countries.

Many Latin American nationals can travel within their respective regional economic zones, such as Mercosur (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela) and the Andean Community of Nations (Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela) or on a bilateral basis (e.g. between Chile and Peru) without passports, presenting instead their national identification cards or voter registration cards for a limited period. Often, this travel must be done overland rather than by air. There are plans to extend these rights to all of South America under the new South American Community of Nations.

• Turkey does not require a passport for citizens of Greece that hold a new ID card (the one including the bearer's details in both the Greek and the Latin alphabets.) Greece still requires a passport with a Schengen visa for Turkish nationals to enter Greece.

EU, EEA, and the Schengen treaty

Citizens of the European Economic Area (the European Union plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway) enjoy the freedom to travel and work in any European Union country without a visa (see Visa), although transitory dispositions may restrict the rights of citizens of new members to work in other countries. The same rights are also accorded to citizens of Switzerland although they remain separate from the EEA.

Furthermore, countries that have signed and applied the Schengen treaty (a subset of the EEA) do not implement passport controls between each other, unless exceptional circumstances apply. Customs controls are unaffected by the Schengen treaty. Most of the balance of EU countries, plus Switzerland, have signed the Schengen treaty, but not applied it yet. The main reason is, that, according to EU laws, the member states which had joined the EU in 2004 would have to meet strict criteria with respect to their efforts protect EU external borders before intra-EU border controls between the old member states and such new member states may be lifted. Switzerland requires some time to adopt national databases to those of the EU.

As a consequence of the above, for instance, a French citizen may travel to the United Kingdom, another EEA nation, and then freely work in that country. However, since the UK has not signed the Schengen treaty, they will have to carry at least a national ID card, which will normally be checked at the border. On the other hand, if and when Switzerland applies the Schengen treaty, the French citizen will be able to travel to Switzerland without being stopped at the border, but they will not be able to work freely in that country without authorisation, as it is not a member of the EEA (this notwithstanding the fact that, in most cases, such authorization to work would nevertheless have to be granted by Swiss authorities according to a specific treaty on free movement which had been concluded between the EU and Switzerland). Further, most European countries require all persons to carry or, at least, possess an identity card or passport. So while Switzerland will not check our French traveller's passport at the border, they may have to show their ID card at some stage within the country, although in practice this is rare. Except at the border, ID cards are not required by UK law; however, there is a de facto requirement to prove your identity to conduct business. Our French traveller would have to show ID to obtain a UK bank account or to prove their eligibility to work.

Refugees and stateless persons

Persons who do not have access to National Passports, for example Refugees and Stateless persons, may be issued a travel document by the Country in which they reside. Holders of these documents generally require visas for international travel and will not be entitled to Consular Protection in the event that they run into trouble while travelling. Exceptions to this include persons holding 1951 Convention Documents who may benefit from some visa free travel as a result of the convention and those persons who reside within the areas of a passport union such as the Schengen system or the Nordic Passport Union. Holders of UK and Irish Travel Documents do not, however, benefit from visa free travel within the Common Travel Area.

The Vatican

The Vatican has no formal immigration controls. As the only entrance to the tiny country is overland from Italy, the de-facto immigration requirements of the Vatican are the same as those of Italy. However, having crossed the border into the Vatican, visitors are subject to Vatican law, not Italian; the Vatican retains its authority as a separate state. The Vatican, however, does issue its own passports to certain Vatican officials born in foreign countries who need to be permanently based at the Vatican or in other Vatican offices. The pope is always given the privilege of 'Passport No.1', which is reissued with the same number for every successive pontiff.

The British monarch

The British monarch does not have a passport as British passports are issued in her name. In Commonwealth countries, where the British monarch is also the head of state, passports are issued in the name of the Governor General of that state, except in Canada where passports are issued on behald of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Immigration stamps in passports

Immigration authorities usually place immigration stamps in passports at a border crossing as part of their immigration control or customs procedures. This endorsement can serve many different purposes. In the United Kingdom the immigration stamp in the passport includes the formal "leave to enter" granted to a person subject to control when they enter the country. Alternatively the stamps activates and/or acknowledges the continuing leave conferred in the individuals's entry clearance. Other authorities, such as the Schengen system, simply stamp a passport with a date stamp that does not indicate any duration and this stamp is taken to mean either that the person is deemed to have permission to remain for 3 months or an alternative period as shown on their visa. In both systems it is not allowed to stamp the passports of persons not subject to Immigration Control, for example citizens of that country (or other EU nationals within the European Union). This is because the stamping of the passport imposes a control that the person is not subject to. This does not apply in other countries where the stamp in a passport simply acknowledges the entry and exit of a person - for example in Australia, Russia or China.

Most countries have different stamps for arrivals and departures to make it easier for officers to quickly identify the movements of the person concerned.

Camouflage passports

A camouflage passport is issued in the name of a non-existent country. It is manufactured by private businesses and sold openly, usually by mail order or over the internet. These are marketed to security-conscious international travelers and tacitly as novelties.

The intended use is mainly to allow a person to conceal their nationality in event of a terrorist hijacking, riot or some similar situation where their identity may single him out as a crime victim. To this end, the passports are also often sold with a package of matching documents, including an international driver’s license and similar supporting identity papers. As of 2006, prices tend to range between $400 and $1000.

Camouflage passports are not regarded to be counterfeit documents because they are not purporting to be internationally recognised passports. Nevertheless, some national authorities have expressed concern over the use of camouflage passports in criminal activities, e.g. taking advantage of undertrained personnel to open a fraudulent bank account.

See also

General category

• Citizenship
• Travel Document
• Nansen passport
• Nationality law
• Visa (document)
• World citizen
• World Service Authority

Identity documents

• Identity document
• Identity document forgery
• Internal passport
• British national identity card
• United Kingdom Identity and Passport Service

Passport & Identity document technologies

• Biometric passport
• RFID

Special passports

• Hajj Passport
• World Passport

Other passports

• Belarusian passport
• South African passport

Incidents involving fake passports

• Wesley_Snipes#Fake_South_African_passport

References

1. Marrus, Michael. The Unwanted: European Refugees in the Twentieth Century. New York: Oxford University Press, 1985. p. 92.
2. "Passports, Visas & Permits". Cyprus Facts. Retrieved June 15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
3. "Application Form". New Passport. Retrieved June 15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
4. Do You Have Your Passport
5. Upcoming U.S. passport requirements from Canada & Mexico
6. U.S. will demand passports from Canadians
7. "QUEEN AND PASSPORT". The Monarchy Today. Retrieved June 15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)

• Lloyd, Martin (2003). The Passport: The History of Man's Most Travelled Document. Stroud, UK: Sutton Publishing. ISBN 0-7509-2964-2.

• Salter, Mark B. (2003). "Rights of Passage: The Passport in International Relations." Boulder: Lynne Rienner.

• Torpey, John (2000). "The Invention of the Passport: Surveillance, Citizenship, and the State." Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

External links

• Passports of the World (with images)
• History of Canadian Passports
• History of UK Passports (UK Passport Service)
• History of Australian Passports
• History of Sri Lankan Passports
• Lativa passport information (Link to history at the bottom of page)
• Chinese passports (Embassy of People's Republic of China in France, in French)
• United States passport information (U.S. Department of State)
• U.S. Passport Service Guide Directory of Private U.S. Passport Expediters
• The new German Passport
• Book about new German passport (ePass) Some chapters may be downloaded for free
• How Passports Work US focused information from Howstuffworks
• ICAO MRTD Machine Readable Travel Documents
• The Optical Character Recognition standard, a free link
• Belgian Electronic Passport (E-Id) (Information Site)
• Guidelines for Producing High Quality Photographs for U.S. Travel Documents U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs

• Passports
• International travel documents
• Personal identification