Chapter 34 of the Second Book of Arthashastra concerns with the duties of the Mudrādhyakṣa ( lit. 3rd century BC) make mentions of passes issued at the rate of one masha per pass to enter and exit the country. Nehemiah 2:7–9, dating from approximately 450 BC, states that Nehemiah, an official serving King Artaxerxes I of Persia, asked permission to travel to Judea the king granted leave and gave him a letter 'to the governors beyond the river' requesting safe passage for him as he traveled through their lands. One of the earliest known references to paperwork that served in a role similar to that of a passport is found in the Hebrew Bible. Previously issued non-biometric machine-readable passports usually remain valid until their respective expiration dates. As of January 2019, there were over 150 jurisdictions issuing e-passports. Many nations issue (or plan to issue) biometric passports that contain an embedded microchip, making them machine-readable and difficult to counterfeit.

While passports are typically issued by national governments, certain subnational governments are authorised to issue passports to citizens residing within their borders. It is typical for passports to contain the full name, photograph, place and date of birth, signature, and the expiration date of the passport.

A passport certifies the personal identity and nationality of its holder. A person with a passport can travel to and from foreign countries more easily and access consular assistance. Clockwise, from top left: Dutch ordinary, Nepalese diplomatic, Chinese service, and Polish ordinary passportsĪ passport is an official travel document issued by a government that contains a person's identity.

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