The passport that opens all doors

Posted On: January 13, 2022

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(CNN) – Most likely, you only have one passport, maybe two if you have dual citizenship.

But if you find yourself in a certain occupation – diplomatic, investigative, or even presidential – you may have documentation on your hands that is completely inaccessible to the masses.

World’s Most Powerful Passport in 2022

These are some of the less common passports and travel tickets in the world.

diplomatic passport

What’s that? Diplomatic passports are issued to government diplomats and consuls stationed abroad.

For example, the United States agent in France, Brian Aggeler, has a diplomatic passport, as does the French ambassador to the United States, Philippe Tienne.

What are the benefits? Often visa requirements are removed to ensure a smooth journey. British diplomatic passport holders, for example, get visa-free entry to China.

Diplomats also often enjoy diplomatic immunity (note: this does not confer full powers to commit crimes abroad). Relatives of diplomats are sometimes also able to obtain diplomatic passports.

Any other? In the UK, there is a very special type of diplomatic passport, stamped with the Queen’s Messenger Service (QMS) stamp.

This is an elite group of couriers who have been delivering classified diplomatic materials for about 800 years.

Meanwhile, there was controversy surrounding Canada’s diplomatic passports in 2017 when it was revealed the country might be handing out too many.

Passports of the President and Prime Minister

What’s that? To have the highest form of passport, you must be president or prime minister. This is a unique variant of the diplomatic passport; The president of the United States has even been branded his profession.

What are the benefits? Again, hard to pinpoint.

When we asked the UK Home Office about the benefits of Boris Johnson’s passport, he told us: “We don’t comment on individual cases.”

However, VIP carriers may not have to carry their passports with them; They also don’t have to queue at customs; another official will take care of it. Another bonus: The President and Prime Minister don’t pay for their own passports.

Job benefits: US President Joe Biden doesn’t have to pay for his passport. (Saúl Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

Any other? In 2015, an unmitigated mistake saw an Australian immigration official inadvertently email personal details, including passport numbers, Obama, Merkel, Putin and others to the organizers of the Asian Cup football tournament.

At least the culprit has his own identity protected; A press release from the Australian Department of Immigration reads: “[Editado] cannot verify that the autocomplete function in Microsoft Outlook has entered the correct person details in the ‘To’ field of the email”. Oops

Official/special passport

What’s that? Official passports (as they are called in the US and UK) or special passports (as they are known in Canada) issued to senators, legislators, military officers, and various other government employees who are not strictly diplomatic but need to travel to overseas posts, or on an official mission.

What are the benefits? On paper, this passport does not offer any particular special benefits. As the Government of Canada explains: “A legal passport is not designed to confer any advantage on its holder.”

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But while the official offices we spoke to didn’t discuss the benefits, it seems certain official passports offer stellar treatment; a person on a US visa, for example, is exempt from paying the visa fee.

Any other? Just as they can be issued, official passports can be revoked. In August 2021, 14 official passports belonging to Turkish Cypriot officials were reportedly withdrawn following a dispute over the reopening of the former tourist hotspot, Varosha.

Interpol travel documents

What’s that? Issued exclusively to agency employees, Interpol travel documents are available in two formats: electronic passport book and electronic identity card (Electronic Identification Card).

Interpol passports unveiled at the opening of the 79th session of the Interpol General Assembly in Doha on November 8, 2010. (Karim Jafar / AFP / Getty Images)

Both are equipped with high-tech integrated circuits that contain personal information such as fingerprints and photos that are identical to those printed on the document itself.

What are the benefits? Travel documents came into existence after the 79th Interpol General Assembly in 2010. Chasing criminals around the world is no easy task, and Interpol travel documents are designed to cut red tape by eliminating various visa requirements and speeding up difficult chase situations.

Any other? While we know that the agency has around 1,000 employees, it’s not clear how many have Interpol travel documents.

In recent years, several articles have debunked myths about Interpol agents investigating the world, breaking down doors and catching bad guys. Most of the work is administrative in nature. And as for Interpol’s red circular: it’s not actually an arrest warrant.

United Nations Laissez-Passer (UNLP)

What’s that? Members of the United Nations, International Labor Organization, World Health Organization and several other organizations can obtain this document, which was first released in 1946 and became electronic in 2012.

There are two types of UNLP: blue and red laissez-passers (for higher ranking members).

El documento de viaje azul “’Passed’ the UN. (Ralf Hirschberger / Image Alliance / Getty Images)

What are the benefits? The United Nations claims that red UNLP holders may receive “diplomatic privileges and diplomatic immunities and facilities when traveling on UN business.”

In some countries, that includes a visa waiver. Unlike many of the other passports on this list, UNLP does not officially replace the national passport, but rather complements it. The United Nations instructs: “Both documents must always … be carried together on official journeys.”

Any other? The expression “laissez-passer” translates to “let go.” The term may have been used shortly after the Safe Conduct Act of 1414, in which Henry V made high treason for his international counterpart to break a promise to allow someone to travel freely through his country.

Documents called laissez-passers were also used during World War I to ensure safe passage for refugees from war-torn areas.

When you don’t have to carry a passport

No passport required if you are Queen Elizabeth II, seen here arriving in Fiji during her Silver Jubilee tour of the South Pacific in 1977. (Anwar Hussein/Getty Images)

While most members of the royal family still need a passport to travel, the reigning monarch can be exempted.

We know for sure that Queen Elizabeth II does not have a passport, because as the official website of the British royal family says: “Since a British passport is issued in Her Majesty’s name, the Queen does not need to have one. . “.

What about whales?

As ruler of Vatican City, the pope has a special passport from the Holy See.

But in 2014, shortly after being elected, Pope Francis took the unusual step of renewing his identity card and passport, identifying himself as an average Argentine, with no privileges.