A passport, in the modern sense, began to be used worldwide less than a century ago, but has already managed to make life and travel so much easier. In fact, it’s no wonder why this small booklet is often called ‘the key to the world.’
Having a passport is essential for any trip, whether it’s an important business meeting with clients across the world, or just a fun sightseeing holiday. However, there are plenty of interesting facts and useful information that not too many people know about passports.
From FAQs about passport renewal to passport covers, what to do in case of a damaged passport, visa questions and more, this article will help shed some light about this important travel document.
How are passports made?
The production of a passport is a very important job that is carried out by printing companies that specialize in this sort of work. Each country has certain standards that a passport must comply with in order to be valid and, as such, these companies must rigorously control each process so that all conditions are met.
Typically, passports are made of anti-counterfeit paper with special details and patterns. In newer biometric passports, there is also a chip inside containing the passport owner’s information that is quickly read and displayed in the system when scanned at the border.
Depending on the country, some passports have the owner’s fingerprints and may also include holograms, laminated paper, special types of fonts, engraving, and other interesting security features.
Despite the prominence of typical paper-based passports, some companies have already started experimenting with digital passports that can be stored on a user’s smartphone.
How many blank pages are required?
If you travel a lot, you’ve probably wondered what to do if your entire passport is stamped with visas and entry/exit stamps and the blank pages are quickly running out.
In fact, the number of remaining pages is very important when crossing the border, and different countries have different requirements regarding the amount of ‘free space’ in a passport.
For example, countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and Morocco require visitors to have only one empty page to be let in. In contrast, Germany, India, and South Africa require a minimum of two blank pages.
That’s not all: some countries require at least six blank pages in a passport before visitors are allowed to enter!
Travellers whose passports do not have the required number of pages will simply not be allowed on the plane by representatives of the airline. Before traveling, it is better to conduct thorough research and make sure that your passport has the appropriate number of blank pages.
What to do if you lost your passport
A passport is one of the most important documents and should be treated as such.
If you suddenly realize that you have lost your passport or it has been stolen, you need to report this to the relevant authorities and/or law enforcement agencies as soon as possible.
This means that you should contact the police and file a claim and contact the nearest embassy or consulate (if you are already abroad). Your country’s embassy will provide you with the necessary assistance and invalidate your old passport so that it cannot be used anymore.
Afterward, the embassy will give you a temporary passport which can be used to travel home. Once you are back, you will need to apply for a new passport if you wish to travel again.
Can I travel with a damaged passport?
A passport should always be in good condition, but unfortunately, accidents happen. If a passport is considered to be heavily damaged, you will most likely not be allowed to use it as a travel document.
There are many ways that a passport could be considered damaged and unusable. For example, if the RFID chip does not work and it becomes impossible to identify you. Other signs include significant water damage, torn-out pages, loose binding, and so on.
What should you do if you accidentally damage your passport? If you are planning a trip, it is best to apply for a new passport as soon as possible, as it usually takes some time to receive a new document. Otherwise, you will not be able to travel without a valid passport.
What does your passport’s color mean?
Now that we’ve covered the basics and other useful information regarding this travel document, it’s time to get a closer look at other interesting aspects of a passport.
You may have noticed that most passport covers around the world have four colors: red, green, blue, and black (which is also the rarest).
Let’s start with red, which is the most widely used passport color in the world. You can expect to find this passport color on nearly every continent, including countries like China, Poland, Georgia, Japan, Chile, and so on.
Turkey, Albania, and Macedonia also have a softer shade of red passport, albeit for a different reason. These countries want to join the EU and, since most countries in the union have burgundy passports, these countries have altered their passport to match.
A blue passport color symbolizes modernity and innovation. Passports of this color can be found in most Caribbean countries, as well as the United States of America, Ukraine, Australia, Brazil, and South Korea.
The color green is very popular in Muslim countries such as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Morocco. It’s no coincidence either, as it is regarded as a sacred color in Islam.
Last but certainly not least, there are only seven countries that use black as the main color of their passport’s front page. There is no hidden meaning in this dark shade, unlike the previous three colors. Rather, countries choose this color for practicality, as it tends to hide dirt and scratches better than other colors. The exception is the passport of New Zealand because black is their national color.
Interesting passport details
Most often, passports look stern and like any other official document, there are exceptions.
For example, inside a typical Norwegian passport, you can find images of landscapes from all over the country, including its famous fjords and mountains. But that’s not all: you can even see the Northern Lights right inside a Norwegian passport! This natural phenomenon, popular in Norway, can be seen on the pages of the document when exposed to ultraviolet rays.
Canadian passports also have a similar feature. When exposed to ultraviolet light, the passport pages come alive with images of Canada’s sights and symbols (including maple leaves!)
Passports for animals
Although we’ve been discussing passports for humans, special ‘pet passports’ are also available for our furry friends.
There aren’t many differences, either. Pet passports also have a special biographical page that shows the pet’s photograph, name, nationality, breed, and date of birth. Just like regular passports, pet passports are used for animals to travel between different countries.
Pet passports are usually issued for cats, dogs, ferrets, and, most recently, birds. These passports can be obtained by talking to your local veterinary office and filling out the necessary paperwork, getting the required shots, and registering.
A passport, in the modern sense, began to be used worldwide less than a century ago, but has already managed to make life and travel so much easier. In fact, it’s no wonder why this small booklet is often called ‘the key to the world.’
Having a passport is essential for any trip, whether it’s an important business meeting with clients across the world, or just a fun sightseeing holiday. However, there are plenty of interesting facts and useful information that not too many people know about passports.
From FAQs about passport renewal to passport covers, what to do in case of a damaged passport, visa questions and more, this article will help shed some light about this important travel document.
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