Editing Passport (section)

{{short description|Documents for international travel issued by national governments}}
{{about|passports issued by national governments|travel documents in general (including laissez-passers, identity cards, certificates of identity, and travel documents for animals)|travel document|other uses of the term "passport"|Passport (disambiguation)}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2021}}

<!--The image in use here is a compromise following discussion on the article talk page.  Please do not replace it without discussing the matter there and gaining a new consensus first. -->[[File:Passports-assorted.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Clockwise, from top left: Dutch ordinary, Nepalese diplomatic, Chinese service, and Polish ordinary passports]]

A '''passport''' is an official [[travel document]] issued by a government that certifies a person's [[Identity (social science)|identity]] and nationality for international travel.<ref>{{cite web|title=Definition of Passport|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/passport|access-date=2024-05-18|website=www.merriam-webster.com|language=en}}</ref> A passport allows its bearer to enter and temporarily reside in a foreign country, access local aid and protection, and obtain [[consular assistance]] from their government. In addition to facilitating travel, passports are a key mechanism for [[Border control|border security]] and [[Immigration|regulating migration]]; they may also serve as [[Identity document|official identification]] for various domestic purposes. 

State-issued travel documents have existed in some form since antiquity; the modern passport was universally adopted and standardized in 1920.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-05-16 |title=A History of the Passport |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/a-history-of-the-passport |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=History |language=en}}</ref> The passport takes the form of a booklet bearing the official name and [[National emblem|emblem]] of the issuing government and containing the biographical information of the individual, including their full name, photograph, place and date of birth, and signature. A passport does not create any rights in the country being visited nor impose any obligation on the issuing country; rather, it provides certification to foreign government officials of the holder's identity and right to travel, with pages available for inserting [[Passport stamp|entry and exit stamps]] and [[Travel visa|travel visas]]—endorsements that allow the individual to enter and temporarily reside in a country for a period of time and under certain conditions.

Since 1998, many countries have transitioned to [[biometric passport]]s, which contain an embedded [[microchip]] to facilitate [[Machine-readable medium|authentication]] and safeguard against [[counterfeit|counterfeiting]].<ref name="lawcompanion">{{cite book|author1=Cane, P|url=http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199290543.001.0001/acref-9780199290543-e-1616|title=The New Oxford Companion to Law|author2=Conaghan, J|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2008|isbn=9780199290543|location=London|author-link=Passport|name-list-style=amp}}</ref> As of July 2024, over 150 jurisdictions issue such "e-passports";<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/markets/digital-identity-and-security/government/passport/electronic-passport-trends|title=The electronic passport in 2021 and beyond|website=Thales Group}}</ref> previously issued non-biometric passports usually remain valid until expiration.[[File:Aeroport de dubai terminal 3 egate (echecking of passport).jpg|thumb|Passport control at [[Dubai International Airport]]]]
Eligibility for a passport varies by jurisdiction, although [[citizenship]] is a common prerequisite. However, a passport may be issued to individuals who do not have the status or full rights of citizenship, such as [[American nationality law|American]] or [[British nationals]]. Likewise, certain classes of individuals, such as [[diplomat|diplomats]] and government officials, may be issued special passports that provide certain rights and privileges, such as [[Diplomatic immunity|immunity from arrest or prosecution]].<ref name="lawcompanion" />  

While passports are typically issued by national governments, certain subnational entities are authorised to issue passports to [[Citizenship|citizens]] residing within their borders.{{efn|The local governments of most inhabited [[British Overseas Territories]] issue passports to [[British Overseas Territories citizen]]s resident holding [[belonger status]] in the territory concerned, while the Chinese [[Special Administrative Region]]s of Hong Kong and Macau issue passports to Chinese citizens holding permanent residence in the region concerned. Additionally, the British territories of [[British passport (Gibraltar)|Gibraltar]], [[Jersey-variant British passport|Jersey]], [[British passport (Guernsey)|Guernsey]], and the [[British passport (Isle of Man)|Isle of Man]] are permitted to issue passports identifying their bearers as full [[British citizen]]s.}} Additionally, other [[Travel document|types of official documents]] may serve a similar role to passports but are subject to different eligibility requirements, purposes, or restrictions. 

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