A passport is an official document issued by a government. It identifies the holder and is commonly required for international travel.

What a passport contains

A passport usually includes the holder's name, photo, date of birth, nationality, passport number, issue date, expiration date, and issuing authority.

Passport versus visa

A passport identifies the traveler. A visa is permission from a destination country to enter, stay, work, study, or transit under certain rules.

A passport does not automatically guarantee entry into another country, but it is the core international travel document.