Passport - Definition, Brief History, Classes / Types and Uses

Passport is an authoritative document issued by a national Government to citizens for proving identity while traveling abroad. More broadly, Passport is a document to passing ports of another nation or country, which means a person who used to prove his identity and citizenship by showing a document when passing (traveling) one port to another port. This document, passport, normally a small booklet called Passport (pass-port) must have verified and certified information identifying the holder such as address, date of birth, profession, photograph, biometric data, endorsement or stamps of departure, arrival and Travel Visa(s) of visited countries.

Passport with valid Visa will protect rights of the passport holder while being abroad and right to return home country on or before expiry of the visa.

Primarily, passport book considers basic travel document to those who travels outside home country.

Brief History of Passport

The word "Passport" is widely known and familiar to most of the people across the globe. In biblical history, we find a passport like document Nehemiah used during the reign of King Artaxerxes (The Bible, book of Nehemiah: 2: 7-9). Hence the concept of passport is not at all new yet its evolution taken place slow compared to other administrative systems. Below given image shows the referred portion of the Bible, an example for the passport like document from the history.

Ancient Passport like letter in The Book of Nehemia, The Bible
Ancient Passport like letter in The Book of Nehemia, The Bible

Classes / Types of Passport

Passing ports may have different intentions, purpose and missions in which each country will also have various options called types. All over the world, these types of passport have standardization in the generic data / information structure. Size, number of page, quality of booklet etc. may vary country to country so that the look and feel may differ.

Uses of Passport

The primary use of a Passport is a travel document that allows departing from home country to another country and it act as identity proof while traveling abroad. When a person legally enters into the port of another country, the port office, usually immigration department endorse stamp, called Travel Visa, confirming, passport has been examined and allowed the person to enter into that country, if obtained valid Visa from that country.