The passports that open all the doors

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

But if you find yourself in a particular job – diplomat, investigative, or even presidential – you may have in your hands documentation totally inaccessible to the masses.

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

Diplomatic passport

What is it? Diplomatic passports are issued to diplomats and government consuls stationed abroad.

For example, the United States charge d’affaires in France, Brian Aggeler, has a diplomatic passport, as does the French ambassador to the United States, Philippe Étienne.

What are the benefits? Often the visa requirement is removed to ensure a smooth passage. Holders of British diplomatic passports, for example, get visa-free entry to China.

Diplomats also often enjoy diplomatic immunity (note: this does not give carte blanche to commit any crime abroad). Relatives of diplomats can sometimes also acquire a diplomatic passport.

Anything else? 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 material for about 800 years.

Meanwhile, there was controversy surrounding Canadian diplomatic passports in 2017 when it was revealed that the country was possibly handing out too many.

Presidential and Prime Minister passports

What is it? To possess the highest form of passport, you must be a president or prime minister. It is a unique variant of the diplomatic passport; the president of the united states even has his profession stamped on him.

What are the benefits? Once again, it is difficult to be precise.

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

However, the VIP carrier probably does not have to carry his passport with him; They also don’t need to queue at customs; other officials will take care of that. Another added bonus: Presidents and Prime Ministers don’t pay for their own passports.

Anything else? In 2015, an unmitigated mistake saw an Australian immigration official accidentally email personal details, including passport numbers, of Obama, Merkel, Putin and others to the organizers of the Asian Cup soccer tournament.

At least the culprit had his own identity protected; a press release from the Australian Department of Immigration read: “[Editado] could not verify that the autocomplete function in Microsoft Outlook had entered the correct details of the person in the ‘To’ field of the email. “Oops.

Official / special passport

What is it? Official passports (as they are called in the US and UK) or special passports (as they are known in Canada) are issued to senators, legislators, military officials, and various other government employees who are not strictly diplomatic but who need to travel to a post abroad, or on an official mission.

What are the benefits? On paper, these passports do not offer any particular special benefits. As the government of Canada explains: “The official passport is not designed to give the bearer any advantage.”

But while the official offices we spoke to were silent on the benefits, it appears that certain official passports provide star treatment; someone with a US one, for example, is exempt from paying visa fees.

Anything else? 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 document

What is it? Issued exclusively to agency employees, Interpol travel documents come in two formats: an electronic passport book and an electronic identification card (e-Identification Card).

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

What are the benefits? Travel documents emerged after the 79th Interpol General Assembly in 2010. Chasing criminals around the world is no easy task, and the Interpol travel document was designed to cut red tape by eliminating various visa requirements and speeding up difficult pursuer’s situation.

Anything else? Although we know that the agency has around 1,000 employees, it is unclear how many have an Interpol travel document on hand.

In recent years, some articles have dispelled myths about Interpol agents investigating the world, breaking down doors and arresting bad guys. Much of the work is administrative. And as for the Interpol red circular: it’s not really an arrest warrant.

United Nations Laissez-Passer (UNLP)

What is it? Members of the United Nations, the International Labor Organization, the 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: the blue laissez-passer and the red (for higher ranking members).

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

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

Anything else? The phrase “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 it high treason for an 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 the safe passage of refugees from war-torn areas.

When it is not mandatory to carry a passport

Although most members of royal families still require a passport to travel, reigning monarchs may be exempt.

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

What about the pope?

As sovereign 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 special privileges.