What Are the Basic Passport Requirements?

While passport requirements vary between countries, a lot of countries have the same or similar rules regarding this travel document. Being able to prove identity and citizenship and having an acceptable passport photograph are basic passport requirements. In addition, if a person is trying to have his or her passport renewed, it is generally required that the passport be in good condition. Under most circumstances, passport applications must be turned in with fees to pay for the passport.

Certain documents are considered basic passport requirements. These passport requirements are primarily used to prove the applicant’s identify and determine whether he or she is eligible for a passport. Proof of citizenship and photo identification are commonly used, usually in the form of a birth certificate or government-issued identification card, respectively. In addition, sometimes even the paper the application is printed on matters to the accepting government. The weight of the paper, if the form can be printed double-sided, and more are often detailed.

One area in which passports usually have specific requirements is the photograph. Both the contents of the photograph and the technical specifications of the photograph often have very specific requirements. For example, it is usually against the guidelines for the subject of a passport photograph to wear items such as a hat or glasses unless he or she is doing so for a medical or religious reason. Furthermore, the size, color, and quality of the material used to display a passport photograph are a few other areas that typically have specific requirements. It is usually imperative that a passport photograph be completely original and not contain other people.

Passports do not last forever; they must usually be renewed after a decade or so and cannot be renewed if severely damaged. If a person changes his or her name or moves out of the country, the same passport also cannot be renewed. The old passport is needed to renew a passport, and it is usually given back to the person renewing it. In cases where the passport is defaced or altered, the government agency handling the passport renewal process might simply destroy the document.

Among the most basic passport requires are fees. Governments charge varying amounts to get a passport, renew a passport, and process passport applications faster than normal. Sometimes these fees are waived; for example, the country might temporarily stop charging for passports if citizens need to evacuate because of a natural disaster.