An Introduction to Passports and Your Rights
Most people in the UK these days are passport holders, as package holidays have been common for nearly 30 years. But what is a passport for? So what happens in the situation when I show my passport documents to Swedish officials, as an example?
Firstly, your passport fundamentally highlights you as a specific citizen of a particular nation. This instantly tells local authorities (wherever you are) of your rights in their country. Your passport book is the place to keep your visas and stamps which further tell local authorities as to how many days you’ve stayed in their country, and how many days you’re allowed to reside for.
Many people mistake having a passport as having the same rights as residents of that nation. That is not case. For example, if you’re an Australian and have resided in the UK for the last 30 years, then return to Australia on your Australian passport, you will almost certainly not have the same rights as a resident of Australia (e.g. claim particular benefits or get help with government grants). Being a resident and being a passport holder for a country are two different things. It’s critical to understand this as more and more individuals are dual passport holders these days.
You should always store your passport in a safe place, and make a copy of your photo page and your visa/stamped pages just in case your passport goes missing. If your passport does go missing while abroad, contact your embassy : they can supply you a temporary passport. Your embassy has the power to give you a new passport if you lose your previous one.
