What is a Passport & Why Do You Need One?

I already know what you are thinking, who doesn’t know what a passport is?  

Well, I am here to tell you after working overseas in small towns and rural areas, trust me when I say that not everyone knows what a passport is, what it’s used for, and how do you get one. All I know is that everyone that has the desire, deserves to travel internationally.

If you’ve never traveled internationally before, you’re not alone.

Many people have the desire to travel, but don’t start because they feel either overwhelmed, confused or just unsure where to begin the process.

And that’s exactly why I created Passportamore.com, to make international travel feel simple, clear and most of all possible. Whether it’s your first time on a plane, first time traveling outside of your country or you have not traveled internationally in years — the first step is all the same.

Let’s start with something that every traveler needs: A Passport.

No matter what country you are from you will need passport to travel internationally.

Of course they may have heard of the word “passport,” but  if you have never traveled outside of your community you may possibly have no idea of the following:

• What does a passport do?
• Why do you need a passport? 
• How do you get a passport?
• What does a passport cost in my country?

So, I am writing this blog post on gettting a passport for my folks from all over the world that need a bit more knowledge and information about the almighty travel document called a passport.

So, What is a Passport?

A passport is a government-issue document that certifies your identity and nationality.

A passport allows you to temporarily enter another country for tourism or business.

A passport also allows a person to re-enter their home country after traveling abroad.

Today’s passports include your name, birthdate, your photograph and other identifying information. 

Governments, immigration or embassies around the world issue passports to their citizens. The cost of a travel passport depends on the country where you live that issues the document.

Various Types of Passports in the US and around the World?

Tourist/Traveler’s Passport:  

The most common type of passport is the regular traveler’s passport. Used by citizens for tourism or visiting another country.  Each country’s passport usually is a specific color and has a expiration date of usually 10 years. 

A passport is needed for infants up to the elderly.  A passport for ages 16 years old and under is valid for only 5 years.

Diplomatic Passport:

In the US the diplomatic passport has a black cover.  These passports are for Foreign Service Officers and government officials that have to travel on official diplomatic business.

Passport Card

Is valid only for land and sea travel between the USA and Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean and Bermuda, 

The Passport Card is less expensive than a regular US passport and cannot be used for International Air Travel only for land or sea travel.

Important Passport Rules and Requirements

Six-Months Must be Remaining Before your Passport’s Expiration Date:

Most countries require that your passport’s expiration date has at least 6 months remaining  before leaving your home country.

Blank Passport Pages:

Travelers should typically have at least two totally blank pages in their passport for entry and exit stamps.  Each time you enter or leave most countries you will get a date stamp at the immigration counter before you leave the airport.

When my daughter and I were traveling around Asia, she realized she only had one blank page remaining in her US passport, and we still have a few countries to visit during that time.  We did not want to take the chance of having issues with immigration at the airport, she then made an appointment at the US Embassy in that country and had to get an emergency temporary passport until she was able to get a new one. 

In that case while traveling, Janine had to carry both her new temporary emergency passport and her old passport during the rest of her travels until she could get a new one.

What are Emergency Passports:

Emergency Passport are strictly for emergency purposes such as if your passport was lost or severely damaged.  If you have all your passport pages stamped or the passport has expired while you are traveling.  Your country’s embassy or consulate will determine if an emergency passport is necessary based on your individual situation.

Tip:  Always know the phone number or email address to your country’s embassy, consulate or immigration office in case you have an emergency in your travel destination.

When you decide to travel internationally, make sure you apply for your passport early enough before your departure date. 

Note: Passports can sometimes take weeks or a few months to be processed and returned to you for your travels.

To make things easier for my family we always have our valid passport availabel, just in case we find a great airfare or get a last-minute opportunity to travel abroad, we don’t want to have to wait nervously for our passport to arrive!