Be it France, Italy, Bora Bora, or Japan, a passport is one such document that travels with us to all of our dream destinations. We get our VISA stamps and show them off as our accolades of traveling the world. As stylish and important as they are, how much do we actually know about them? When was the last time you stopped to learn more about this precious booklet that lets you live out your dream? Here we are with a few fun facts about passports that you probably did not know!
1. Passports have been in use since the 13th century!
King Henry V introduced this concept so it would be easier to prove their nationality and identity when traveling to foreign lands. It didn’t have the name “passport” but their function was clear!
2. Queen Elizabeth II does not have a passport!
The only person who is legally privileged to not have a passport is the Queen of the UK, Elizabeth II. All the other royal members are supposed to have one but only the queen gets the royal treatment apparently.
3. Red is a passport favorite!
Out of the four passport colors available; black, blue, red, and green, red seems to be the most popular color! There are countries that use different shades of red but they are essentially the majority! Funnily enough, UK’s nickname for their passports is “Red Book”.
4. UAE passports are the mightiest of them all!
According to the Passport Index of 2020, a person holding a passport of the United Arab Emirates can travel to a whopping 179 countries without a VISA! This includes 26 Schengen countries of Europe as a result of numerous negotiations. Talk about globetrotters!
5. Ramses II had a passport after he was dead!
The mummy of Ramses II was transported to France in the 70s and it was issued a legal Egyptian passport. The funniest part is that his occupation mentioned “King [Deceased]” along with a picture of his face!
6. China has one of the coolest passports ever!
People owning Chinese passports that were made after 2012 are mesmerizing to look at. These passports boast a series of secret sceneries of famous tourist attractions from all over the land that can be viewed only under UV lights. Technology at its finest!
Some passports with notably incredible passports are that of Australia, Canada, Sweden, and New Zealand. Check out their interesting features to be amazed!
7. Family Photos on passports?
Way back in 1915 in Britain, passports were allowed to have family photographs. The pose did not matter as long as the faces of all the members were clearly seen. So just a question. Could we have had a passport with peace signs and pouts?? Missed opportunity!
8. Banned smiles :(
As facial recognition technology improved, the passport authorities had to ban people from smiling in their photos to better differentiate between individuals along with fringes and head coverings in the year 2004. So long wide smile passports.
So now that you know so much about your dear passports, you must have a newfound appreciation for them. To make them feel just that extra special, you can select from our wide range of passport covers and keep them safe. If you want to go the extra mile and be extra, you can look at our selection of quirky passport covers to jazz it up a bit.