Most people in the UK nowadays are passport holders, as package holidays have been popular for nearly 3 decades. But why have a passport? So what happens on the occasion when I present my passport documents to foreign police, for example?

Your passport primarily highlights you as a particular citizen of a particular nation. This straightaway informs local authorities (in whatever land you are in) of your set of rights in their nation. Your passport is also the place to hold your stamps and visas which further tell local authorities as to how long you’ve been in their nation, and how many days you’re allowed to stay for.

It’s a common misunderstanding to trust a passport entitles you to the same rights as the residents of the nation you hold a passport for. That is not case. For instance, if you’re a resident of the United States (holding a French passport) and have resided in the United States for the last 10 years, then go back to France using your French passport, you will most certainly not have the same rights as a resident of France (e.g. be able to claim unemployment benefits immediately). Being a resident and being a passport holder for a particular nation are two different things. It’s important to note this as more and more people are dual passport holders these days.

You ought to always store your passport in a safe location, and make a copy of your photo page and your stamped pages in case it gets lost. If you do lose your passport when in a foreign country, get in touch with your embassy who will be able to supply you an emergency passport. Your embassy is there to aid you with passport help when you need it, even passport renewal if you are a semipermanent immigrant in a foreign land.