Free passports are issued for official state business and come in different styles, such as diplomatic and official passports. Applicants must provide proof of eligibility and supporting materials. Travelers must meet entry requirements and may also carry a regular tourist passport.
A free passport is a specialized passport that is issued to someone traveling on official state business. There is no document fee because a passport is required for international travel, rather than obtained by choice. These passports come in different styles and are restricted to use for official business only, meaning that many people with free passports also have regular passports, known as tourist or fee passports.
A common type of free passport is the diplomatic passport, which is issued to people posted overseas on diplomatic missions. Official passports, used for official business abroad, are also free. Some governments extend free privileges to people who obtain regular passports for overseas service in organizations such as the Peace Corps, through cooperative agreements between service organizations and governments.
To apply for this type of passport, someone must fill out a special form and include the supporting materials needed for a regular passport, including a copy of a birth certificate, photographs, and proof of citizenship and identification. In addition, applicants must provide proof that they are eligible for a free passport. Many governments issue these passports through separate agencies from the regular issuing agency, and people may be required to submit applications to special places or send applications to the national capital.
Once a passport has been issued, someone can use it whenever they travel abroad on official state business. The passport must be approved with the appropriate travel visas, and travelers get no special privileges when using a free passport. For example, they must be able to provide proof of vaccinations and meet other entry requirements and are not eligible for diplomatic immunity. Persons who are unsure of visa requirements should contact the embassy of the country they intend to visit with a free passport.
Some people carry both types of passports, in which case the tourist passport should usually be endorsed with visas at every place where the free passport is stamped. People can also use the tourist passport alone, such as when a Peace Corps member uses the free passport to enter Ghana for service, and then travels to Zambia as a tourist, using the tourist passport for entry visas and exit to Zambia.
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