Let’s get a little bit diplomatic today. I want to write about some very basic things when everybody travels, yet very few really know how they work. I’m talking about the all powerful Passport and Visa Documents. They are our key to foreign countries and to our very own when we return from our travels. There are many interesting facts about them that we really get for granted or that we just overlook and would be good to know.
First, let’s talk about the most important one, the Passport. Officially, a passport is a document issued by a country’s government, although some entities without a sovereign territory or non-recognized countries may issue passports as well. A passport is almost always required to engage in international travels, save some few exceptions like travel within the Schengen area (Almost all countries of the European Union and some other countries that have signed the agreement). Be informed if any place that you’re traveling to, has any problem with stamps from other country, as they may refuse you entry. If you have a stamp or visa from Israel, for example, Iran, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen will not let you in.
Passports have existed since a long time ago, even though they weren’t the way they are these days. People used to travel with letters of “Safe Conduct” or “Safe Passage” issued by the monarch himself. Then, passports transformed into a single sheet having a description of the bearer and more recently a photograph. A few years later, the common “booklet” form was adopted. Today, besides the photograph, they must also show the bearer’s name, date of birth, sex, place of birth and nationality. Lately, biometric passports have been issued by many nations. These have your personal biometric data such as distance between the eyes, fingerprints, iris recognition, etc. You may recognize a biometric passport if it has this symbol.
One important thing to know is that passports may be proof of citizenship for some countries but that is not applicable in others where it may not be enough when proving citizenship. People may need some other documents, like a birth certificate or a Proof of Citizenship paper.
Watch out if you have a double citizenship (and two passports), because even if one country allows you to have another country’s citizenship, the other one may not and they may not recognize your other citizenship and may even prevent you from getting consular assistance, especially if you didn’t use your first country’s passport when entering the second country. In some places, if you have a passport of one country, it is illegal to try to enter or to leave that country with a passport that is not issued by that place’s government. If you are crossing international borders (by land), it is better to use the same passport. This means, no passport “A” to leave one country and passport “B” to enter the other one. Many immigration offices require you to have a stamp showing proof of leaving the other border before allowing you into their territory. I learned this the hard way, believe me! Ask the Thai and Cambodian immigration officers that I had to deal with. This does not always apply if you travel by air.
There are some basic guidelines you have to follow to avoid having problems with your passport.
- Always, I repeat, ALWAYS sign your passport and fill out the emergency and “If lost report to…” fields. Be sure to include your e-mail address.
- Please make some copies before leaving your country. This helps when trying to identify yourself if you lost your passport. Have these copies in a different pocket than your passport, and be sure to leave one at home. This applies also to credit cards, driver’s licences and airline confirmation numbers and itineraries.
- Keep everything in a safe place. If you’re carrying your passport with you do not keep it in your coat or jacket, as these are really easy to forget somewhere. Keep it in the FRONT pocket of your trousers instead. You’re not gonna forget your trousers somewhere if you’re smart! They sell these pretty useful security belts and pouches that you wear under your clothes as well.
Well, this post has extended more than I thought! I’ll leave the Visa Document post to the next time. Leave your comments, please!!
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