Most people in Britain nowadays are passport holders, as foreign vacations have become ever cheaper over the last 30 years. But why have a passport? What happens when I hand my passport to a German hospital, for example?
Your passport document principally identifies you as a particular citizen of a certain country. This immediately informs local bureaus (wherever you are) of your set of rights in their country. Your passport book is the place to keep various visas and stamps which further tell local bureaus as to how many weeks you’ve stayed in their country, and how many days you’re permitted to stay for.
It’s a common misconception to believe a passport entitles you to the same rights as the residents of the country you hold a passport for. That is not case. For instance, if you’re a resident of the United States (holding a French passport) and have lived in America for the last 15 years, then go back to France on your French passport, you will almost certainly not have the same rights as a resident of France (e.g. claim particular benefits or get help with small business grants). Residency and being a passport holder for a particular country are not the same thing. It’s vital to mention this as dual passport holders and on the increase.
Always store your passport in a safe location, and make a copy of your photo page and your stamped pages in case it gets lost. If you do lose your passport while abroad, get in touch with your embassy : they can give you a temporary passport. Your embassy is there to give you passport help when you need it most.
