A passport is a travel document that anyone legally outside his or her home country will be carrying. It is an ID that is specific to country of origin, and confers rights and privileges on the bearer specific to the nation that issued the passport. For example, American travelers have the luxury of traveling without visas in most of western Europe by virtue of their American passports.

To get a passport, you must apply in person through the country of which you are a citizen. You cannot get a passport from any nation that you are not a citizen of. If you are not in your home country, you should already have a passport. If you lose your passport while abroad, you can get a replacement issued by your consulate, and should do so as quickly as possible.

What You Need to Get a Passport

When you apply for a passport, you will need to prove your citizenship with a birth certificate or similar document. In addition, you will need current government-issued ID (like a driver's license). Furthermore, you must produce your own passport photos. There are specific guidelines for these photos, which must be 2"x2" frontal face shots against a white background.

American passports are issued through the Department of State, and other countries have equivalent agencies to regulate travel into and out of the nation. For instructions on how to apply for a passport from a specific country, you should contact that nation's state department or your nearest consulate. If you hold dual citizenship, you can carry two passports at once--otherwise, an old passport becomes invalid if you change your citizenship, even if it has yet to expire.