passportIt is an international travel identification document issued by the government of a country to its citizens. In China, the passport can also be used for identification purposes, such as opening an account in a bank.
For tourists to come for an international trip, in addition to a passport, they may also need to applyvisa, The visa is issued by the country of destination (through the embassy or consulate) and is usually pasted or stamped on the inside page of the passport. Nowadays, more and more countries are beginning to try electronic visas, which can be applied for through the Internet.
background knowledge
The first international convention on passports was formulated by the League of Nations in 1920. The convention stipulated that all passports must have French content, because French was the diplomatic language at that time. Today, all passports have at least English, French or Spanish (one or more) and the language of the issuing country.
PassportCoverThe words "passport" written in the language of the issuing country and the international common language (see the previous paragraph) and the country name of the issuing country and some symbols of the country (such as the national emblem); if the country is a member of an organization, there will also be The logo of the organization, for example, all EU countries will add "European Union" (may be written in other languages) before the country name.
Information pageThe basic information of the passport is recorded, including the licensee’s name, photo, date and place of birth, expiry date, issuing agency, issuing place and passport number, as well as the date and expiry date of the passport. Most passports usually also contain requests for safe passage and assistance in emergency situations. At present, there is a machine-readable strip at the bottom of common machine-readable passport photos, which can prevent counterfeiting and increase the work efficiency of related personnel.
In some countries, next isRemarkPage, which records travel restrictions, changes in travel conditions abroad, or changes in the validity period.
Visa pageLeave it to embassies or consulates from different countries to paste visas. These pages also have entry and exit records left by the border inspection agencies of various countries. Please do not intentionally damage or alter your visa and entry and exit records, as this may be illegal.
The passport cover is marked with the issuing country of the passport and the corresponding coat of arms (usually the national emblem)
The passport information page contains the licensee’s personal information and passport number
Additional page
Some countries allow additional pages to be added to the passport. Some countries require two blank pages in the passport when entering the country. If you don’t have enough blank pages, please contact the nearest passport issuing authority, embassy or consulate. They will add extra blank pages for you. The charges and fees vary from country to country.
Other countries will issue a 48-page passport, but it is not allowed to add additional additional pages, so if you want to go to more places, please apply for this type of passport.
Some countries allow their citizens to hold multiple passports, but not all countries allow this. In addition, even in countries that allow this, not all foreign visa officers are aware of this policy. It is recommended that when undergoing border inspections, only show the passport and visa of the required country, and hold multiple passports at the same time. Make you easy to be suspected.
Reasons for using the second (or more) passport:
- There is no extra space in the old passport to accommodate new visas. But the visa in the old passport still needs to be used.
- Two passports must be presented to the embassy for a visa.
- In some countries (such as Islamic countries), you will not be allowed to enter other countries (such asIsrael), so you need to prepare a new passport to enter these countries at the same time.
Passport type
Ordinary passport
This is the most common type of passport, and ordinary people use this passport to travel and travel abroad.
Diplomatic passport
As the name suggests, this type of passport is specifically for diplomats and senior government officials. Sometimes, holding a diplomatic passport will have a different visa method than holding a regular passport.
Official passports
This type of passport is suitable for government employees on business trips. The license holders of this type of passport receive similar treatment to those of diplomatic passport holders.
Internal passport
In some countries (for example: Russia), citizens use internal passports to travel within the country, but to go abroad they need to use ordinary passports. The role of internal passports is generally to prevent large-scale movement of people, and to prevent people in conflict areas from transferring conflicts to other areas.
Travel Document
If your passport is lost or damaged abroad, it may take a long time to reissue your passport, which will cause a lot of inconvenience, and sometimes you will even need to apply for a visa. Therefore, foreign agencies in many countries will issue travel documents (also known as emergency passports or temporary passports). The time required to issue a travel permit is much shorter than that of a passport.
There are many restrictions on the use of travel permits. For example, only a single trip is allowed for the holder, and the validity period is often as short as several months. In addition, some countries have additional visa requirements for travelers holding travel permits. The airline may also refuse to carry passengers for this reason.
safety technology
The security technology for passports has undergone many improvements over the years. Due to outstanding security risks, the handwritten passport has been basically eliminated.
In the 1990s, machine-readable passports were put into use, and personal data and photos were printed on information pages. This information is also stored in the magnetic strip at the bottom of the page to facilitate quick access to passport information such as border inspections and airlines.
At present, most countries have begun to issue e-passports. The e-passport contains a radio frequency identification chip that stores personal information. Special equipment can read the information. This technology can make the work of immigration officials more efficient, and the anti-counterfeiting technology is also Greatly improved. However, the chip of the electronic passport may also be read by unauthorized devices, which may lead to privacy leakage.
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Passports issued in 1987 for manually filling in personal information. At present, most countries have stopped issuing such passports
Identification code of machine-readable passport (top)
Logo of e-passport (below)
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How to apply
I want to get a passport, who should I call?
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- In China, passport applications are usually processed by the diplomatic department, and applicants can go to their office. In some countries, applicants can apply for a passport through the Internet or post office.
- If you are abroad, you can go to the embassy or consulate of your country of citizenship to apply for a visa.
Generally, when applying for a passport for the first time, you may need to provide relevant supporting documents (such as an ID card); when renewing a passport, the old passport can be used as proof. When applying for a passport, you also need to provide a photo that meets the requirements.
What should I do if I lose my passport while traveling?
If you lose your passport unfortunately, you want to return to your country as soon as possible...
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If you unfortunately lose your passport abroad, please don't be too nervous and immediately contact the embassy or consulate of your country of nationality to apply for a replacement passport. Depending on the actual situation, the process may take several days to several weeks. Applicants may need to go to the embassy or consulate in person to submit the application.
Some countries provide documents similar to travel permits, which are issued faster than ordinary passports so that applicants can return home earlier.
When applying for a replacement passport, the applicant may need to provide a certificate issued by the local police, a photo that meets the passport specifications, etc.
Tips to prevent loss of passport
Bring a copy
In order to avoid losing the original passport, please carry the copies of your passport and other important documents (such as visas) and store them separately from the original. You can also scan these documents and store them in your electronic device.
The practice of carrying a passport copy is particularly useful for tourists visiting high-risk areas. When your passport is lost, you can use the copy to prove your identity and legal residence status to the local authorities, which may save you from further investigation and even arrest.
Holding a copy of your passport can also speed up the process of reissuing your passport at the embassy or consulate, which will help you return home as soon as possible.
Under normal circumstances, when going out, please keep the original passport in a safe place. The photocopy is usually sufficient for inspection by the relevant departments. When taking a cruise, unless you want to go ashore, please put the original passport in your cabin and bring the copy with you. Please use the original passport when you have special requirements. Such circumstances include but are not limited to boarding and immigration inspection.
Give your passport to a trusted person
- Some countries require foreigners to register their identity. If you cannot go there in person, please refer the matter to a trusted agency.
- Some countries require hotels to keep copies of their guests’ passports. If you do not want the hotel staff to take the original passport, you can provide a self-made copy.
- Unless required by local laws, please do not let others take your passport in the name of "security" or "guarantee".
Valid period
Validity of some ordinary passports
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Your passport will expire when the deadline arrives. When you start international travel, passenger transport companies (such as airlines or cruise companies) will require your passport to have a sufficient validity period (usually 6 months or more) to meet the requirements of the immigration department of the destination country. Due to some irresistible reasons (such as injuries or natural disasters), your actual stay may be longer than planned. Overstaying or holding an invalid passport may violate local laws.
If your passport does not have a sufficient validity period, you may be refused entry by the passenger transport company or denied entry by the immigration department of the destination country.
Passports issued by some countries are valid for up to 10 years, while others are only valid for 5 years. In some countries, the validity period of the passport depends on the passport type. For example, the validity period of the passport for adults is 10 years, and the validity period for minors is 5 years.
All passports have a day to expire, and it may take from one day to several months to issue a new passport. Some countries provide expedited passport services for a fee. As a tourist, please be sure to calculate your time and make sure you can get your passport before you leave.
limit
Citizens of many countries may not have the right to apply for a passport from the country of nationality. This means that they may need to surrender their passports to the relevant authorities under certain circumstances, such as when they have pending civil lawsuits or are under criminal investigation. In addition, sometimes the validity period of some passports is shorter than that of normal passports. This may be due to the fact that the licensee needs to perform military service.
In some cases, countries that have a bad relationship may restrict the entry of citizens of the other party or even third-country passengers whose passports have entry and exit records of the other party.
Israel
Holders of Israeli passports and tourists with Israeli entry and exit stamps on their passports will be restricted or even prohibited from entering the country by some Islamic countries. Similarly, tourists who hold passports from some Islamic countries or passports with entry-exit stamps from some Islamic countries will be subject to stricter scrutiny when entering Israel. Tourists can ask Israeli immigration officials not to stamp entry and exit stamps on their passports. The immigration officials have discretion in this regard. In addition, if you enter Israel from Egypt or Jordan by land, the exit records of certain ports in these two countries will also cause some Islamic countries to restrict your entry.
Multiple nationalities
Local recognition of multiple nationalities
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- Most countries require tourists to use the same passport when entering and leaving the country. If you don't do this, it may be more troublesome, such as being considered illegal entry and so on.
- Some countries such as the United States, Australia and South Africa allow their citizens to hold multiple nationalities, but when you enter these countries, you must use their passport.
- Some countries do not recognize multiple nationalities. Citizens may be punished when they are found to have multiple nationalities (for example, their nationality will be revoked). Therefore, if you actually have multiple nationalities, you must ensure that you can use the corresponding passport to enter and leave the country of citizenship, otherwise you may be held accountable by the country of entry.
- When you are in a country of nationality, multiple nationalities will not allow you to escape legal sanctions. The government of another country of your nationality will generally not provide you with consular protection in this case.
Exit Permit
Some countries, especially those of the former Soviet Union, require their citizens to obtain an exit permit before international travel.RussiaThis requirement has now been abolished, but in other CIS countries (e.g.Uzbekistan), their citizens still need to apply for an exit permit before leaving the country. Compared with a passport, the validity period of the exit permit is usually shorter. For example, the validity period of the exit permit in Uzbekistan is 2 years. Outside the Commonwealth of Independent States, the expiration of the exit permit for citizens of the Commonwealth of Independent States will not cause any problems; however, there may be some trouble when they are in another Commonwealth of Independent States, such as when a citizen is in Russia. After the Uzbek citizen's exit permit expires, he will only be able to leave Russia and return to Uzbekistan instead of going to other countries.
Gulf countries (Saudi Arabia、Bahrain、Kuwait、Oman、Qatar、UAE) Foreigners holding specific visas will be required to obtain the consent of their employers and apply for them before leaving the countryDeparture Permit。
