A passport is an official travel document issued by a government that certifies a person's identity and nationality for international travel. [1] 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.

Sep 13, 2014 · Between 1810-1910, over 500,000 passports were issued by the US government, many of which were group or family passports. All of them were issued to men unless the party involved was a child and his or her mother.

American consular officials issued passports to some citizens of some of the thirteen states during the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783). Passports were sheets of paper printed on one side, included a description of the bearer, and were valid for three to six months.

Feb 10, 2025 · The term “passport” itself originates from the Latin words, passer (to pass), and portus (harbor or gateway). It first came into use in 1540, when the English Privy Council began to issue travel documents during the reign of Henry VIII. The modern passport, however, is a relatively recent invention.

May 16, 2017 · With their microchips and holograms, biometric photos and barcodes, today’s passports can seem like stunning feats of modern technology, especially when considering their origins can be traced back...

Sep 5, 2024 · Over 369,844 passports were granted between 1877 and 1909, indicating the growing popularity of world travel in the late-19th and early 20th centuries. Until the mid-1800s, it cost nothing to obtain an American passport. The first passport fee of $3 was imposed by Congress in 1862.

Oct 18, 2016 · The first United States passports were issued during the American Revolution. Early American passports were modeled after the French passports at the time and looked much like this example from 1873. This style was used from 1789 until 1900. This passport is slightly larger than 11 x 17 inches.

Mar 18, 2025 · Passports, letters of transit, and similar documents were used for centuries to allow individuals to travel safely in foreign lands, but the adoption of the passport by all countries is a development of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Oct 8, 2023 · The history of the passport is a testament to the changing nature of international relations, security concerns and the facilitation of global travel. From ancient safe-conduct letters to modern biometric passports, this document has evolved to serve diverse purposes in our interconnected world.

The history of the passport is long and complex, stretching back to at least 1500BC in Egypt, where people were required to have permission documents before leaving port.