The World’s First Passports

  A passport is an official travel document issued by a government that contains a given person's identity. It enables its holder to travel to and from foreign countries and to access consular assistance while overseas. The document certifies the personal identity and nationality of its holder. Standard passports contain the full name, photograph, place, date of birth, signature, and expiration date of the passport. While passports are typically issued by national governments, certain subnational governments are authorized to issue passports to citizens residing within their borders.