Passports are our golden tickets to exploring the world! To seek new experiences with friends and family or to embark on epic solo adventures.
Whatever the destination, we must invest in a passport to travel far away from home, unless you’re the King (because all British passports bear the title of ‘His Majesty Charles III’). Also, a passport is free for anyone born in or before 1929. So, if you happen to be under 95, whenever you’re going and wherever you’re going remember your passport!
A brief history
Our passports are older than we may think! The earliest reference dates back to 450 BC in the Bible’s Book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah (an official serving King Artaxerxes I of Persia), asked the King for permission to travel to Judea. He was granted a letter “to the governors beyond the river” requesting safe passage as he travelled through their lands. The earliest use of the word ‘passport’ has been traced to a medieval document that was required in order to ‘pass’ through the gate (French: “porte”) of a city wall.
The oldest passport in Britain (still in existence) dates back to June 18th, 1641, bearing the signature of Charles I. However, the first modern British passport (including a photograph and signature) was issued in 1915, meaning the book is over 100 years old.
Passports today
Today the main differences are arguably on the outside. You may remember scribbling your dependants on the back of either parent’s passport before adopting the global standard of one passport per person – even babies. You may also have a red passport compared to a friend/relative who has a blue one. Now out of the EU, we have welcomed the return of blue passports with a hardcover.
In our digital age, the passport is one of the few physical travel documents left. With banking, bills and tax documents moving online, it may only be a matter of time until the passport ‘as we know it’ is gone forever, thanks to Biometric Technology. However, it doesn’t look like this will happen anytime soon.
Passports around the world
All countries issue their passports. However, not all passports have the same status (due to the issuing country’s political climate, foreign policy, etc.).
Fortunately, anyone with a British passport can now travel to 191 destinations without a visa. This makes it one of the most desirable passports in the world!
10 Fun facts about passports
- Between January – June 2023, over 5 million passports were processed.
- Passport photo pages in the UK were unlaminated until it was changed in 1975 to stop alterations.
- More security features have been used since 1975 such as watermarks, holograms, elaborately printed patterns and the polycarbonate page. Likely there are many that are not public knowledge.
- British travellers have access to a standard passport with 34 pages or a new jumbo UK passport with 54 pages which is useful for frequent flyers.
- British passports were first written in English and Latin until 1778. Then from 1778, they were written in French (historically the language of diplomacy) until 1858 when our passports became a British identity document.
- The text on Swiss passports is in five languages: German, French, Italian, Romansh and English.
- The World’s ‘most powerful’ passports are from Japan, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore and Spain, which allow you to travel to 194 locations without a visa. This is stated on the Henley Passport Index.
- Mexico’s 10-year passport is the most expensive in the world at $353.90 (£279.91). On the other hand, the United Arab Emirates has the cheapest at just $27.13 (£21.46).
- Passports are issued in four colours globally – red, blue, green and black.
- The Finnish passport works as a fun ‘flipbook’ of a walking moose.
To find out a bit more about the power of your passport, visit the passport index website for more information.
What cover does Free Spirit Travel Insurance provide for passports?
When travelling, you must ensure all your travel documents are kept safe and secure. However, should the unfortunate happen, Free Spirit can provide cover if your passport(s) are lost or stolen. Cover will also include reasonable additional travel and accommodation expenses necessary abroad to obtain a replacement passport(s).
You should report any incident of lost or stolen travel documents to the police as soon as possible. Ideally, this is within 24 hours of discovery. A written report with a reference number must be obtained to document this and support your claim.
Keep a copy of all receipts for your travel and accommodation expenses because you will need these if you make a claim.
Please note: Free Spirit will not cover trip cancellation due to incorrect travel documentation.
Before booking a trip, always check that your passport has not expired on the dates of travel. Today, passports are required to be under 10 years old on the date you arrive at your chosen destination. Review up-to-date information on passport validity, visas and entry requirements online on the FCDO travel advice country webpage.
If your passport has expired, ensure you have sufficient time to obtain a new one or you have the recommended duration left on your passport. It’s recommended to apply for a new passport ten weeks before you leave home for your trip. You may also need to know that although the demand for a passport is seasonal, intake is at its highest from January – July.
Also, failing to ensure your passport is in date may lead to a claim not being paid.
Download and save our infographic which states 6 ways to travel with confidence – with your passport.
Travel, With Confidence
There’s something strangely satisfying about filling up a passport with stamps. However, we should always look after that little blue (or red) book and stop it from getting worn or dog-eared.
For more travel advice visit our Travel Tips for Free Spirit’s page.
