The US Passport: A Look Back and What’s Next

In medieval times, documentation was often required to pass city gates without hindrance or payment of any fees.

The first passports were medieval documents that allowed the holder to pass the 'porte' or gate, of a city without paying any local fees on his person or his goods. Individual cities often had reciprocal arrangements to waive such fees on each other's freemen, and issued a 'pass porte' accordingly. In1780, needing a more formal way to send former Continental Congressman Francis Dana from France to Holland, Benjamin Franklin used his own printing press to create a new document. The single-sheet letter, written entirely in French, politely requested that Dana and his servant be allowed to pass freely as they traveled for the next month. Franklin signed and sealed the page himself and handed it off to Dana, creating one of the first known U.S. “passe-ports.”

The US Passport provides visa-free access to 189 nations, thereby making it one of the most desirable in the world.

Today, the nation’s passports still display vestiges of their Eighteenth Century diplomatic origins with a written entreaty to let “the citizen national named herein to pass without delay or hindrance.” But in almost every other aspect, the modern 32-page, eagle-emblazoned booklets bear little resemblance to Franklin’s makeshift bit of ambassadorial decorum. The differences hint at the profound shifts—in appearance, in use, in meaning, in trust, in who got to carry them—that produced a document that came to play a much larger role in American life than originally intended. But, how did today's passports come about?

The first General Assembly of the League of Nations took place in Geneva's Palais Wilson on November 15, 1920.

The concept of the modern, worldwide passport standard isn’t actually that old. In fact, the system began about a century ago in 1920 when the League of Nations convened for a meeting that would shape modern travel. After the First World War, easing border crossings by train was a priority, but the lack of a standardized passport design posed “a serious obstacle to the resumption of normal intercourse and to the economic recovery of the world,” the League noted. Border officials struggled to scrutinize foreign certifications of dizzying shapes and sizes, with sometimes partial information and little guidance as to what was authentic. The League's Conference on Passports & Customs Formalities and Through Tickets specified the size, layout, and design of travel documents for 42 nations. It ratified the template for a 32-page booklet exactly 6.1 inches x 4.1 inches with the first four pages detailing the bearer’s facial characteristics, occupation, and residence. Assuming that travelers were married males traveling with their families, the layout included a box for a photo of the bearer’s spouse and space for the names of his children. Each passport was to be in French and at least one other language with its cardboard cover bearing the country’s name and coat of arms in the center.

The State Department allowed US citizens to use expired passports to return to the country during the pandemic.

There’ve been many changes to American passports in the last 100 years and more changes are on the horizon. To begin with, US citizens are no longer allowed to use their expired passports for direct return to the country starting on July 1. Wait a minute. Were Americans allowed to travel with an expired passport? Yes, but the rule was initially implemented to aid returning US citizens if their passport had expired on or after January 1, 2020. The unusual rule was initially implemented during the pandemic to help travelers navigate delays in passport processing due to consulates and embassies being forced to cut back staffing. That led to an “unprecedented” backlog of passport service appointments. In the US alone, processing times topped up to 18 weeks and the State Department even removed the option to book last-minute appointments online for a time.

Countries and airlines have strict passport expiration rules and the burden for knowing them rests with the traveler.

US passports are valid for ten years from the date of issue, so it would seem logical to assume that you could wait and renew your passport two or three months before it expires, right? Wrong. Before March 2020, a standard passport renewal took six to eight weeks to process, while an expedited passport could be turned around in just two weeks. Wait times are now eight to eleven weeks for a standard passport, but for the least stressful experience, submit your renewal at least four months before you need it to travel. If you’re considering a vacation abroad you should be aware that many countries will not allow you to cross their borders - or even board an airplane to fly to fly there - unless your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your intended date of departure. Others, including the twenty-six European nations that participate in the Schengen Agreement, have shorter requirements, mandating that your passport be valid for at least three months past your date of departure. A few countries have a one-month validity requirement, while others have no validity restrictions at all (other than it being valid during your stay, of course). Before your trip, be sure to verify the passport validity requirements of the countries on your itinerary, lest you show up at a border and get sent back home. It's a safe rule of thumb to always ensure you have at least six months of validity past your intended departure date from your destination, no matter where you intend to travel.

“The Next Generation Passport uses new technologies to produce a more robust passport with enhanced security.

If you recently applied for a new or renewed US passport, there’s a chance the one you have or will receive looks very different from the one with which most of us are familiar. That’s because the State Department has begun issuing new Next Generation Passport books. Their rollout began last year and by the end of 2022, all passport agencies will be issuing the books, according to the State Department. Unfortunately, between now and then there’s no way to request a Next Generation Passport and there’s no guarantee that’s the new passport you’ll get—for now. But starting next year, all new passports should be Next Generation. What makes these different? The most noticeable change is the enhanced data page, which displays the traveler’s name, photo, date of birth, and nationality. The photo is now a laser engraved black-and-white image and the page itself is much more durable with high-tech imagery on it. These passports are “a modernized US passport book—redesigned to be smarter, safer [and] better,” a Department spokesperson offered in a recent statement. The Next Generation Passport also features enhanced images of U.S. history, culture, and traditions on the visa pages and there is a new perforated passport number throughout. The passport number in the new passports begins with a letter followed by eight numbers. For those in possession of the previous generation of passport books, known as the “ePassport,” which was initially rolled out in 2007, don’t worry because these passports are still valid for international travel until their expiration date.

Travelers can pay an additional $17.56 for one-day or two-day delivery for the return of their completed passport.

Finally, passport prices, like everything else, have gone up. Starting this year, the cost of a US passport rose $20 for all customers. The price for a first-time or replacement adult passport is now $165 and a renewal is $130. The cost for new and renewed passport books for minors under the age of 16 is now $100 as opposed to $80. The expedited fee, which gets your passport weeks earlier, remains at $60. The State Department said the fee increases were “necessary to ensure we continue to produce one of the most secure travel and identity documents in the world.” Americans are now paying more for goods and services in many places, from the gas pump to the grocery store, and apparently, government service are not immune. Prices across the US continue to rise. In fact, inflation hit a fresh 40-year record in June, with consumer prices increasing 9.1% over the last twelve months, the Labor Department recently reported. It's the fastest increase in prices since November of 1981.The good news is that President Biden signed an executive order at year-end allowing Americans to renew their passports online for the first time in an effort to speed up the process. This has eliminated the need for physical documents and paper checks to be sent through the mail. Unfortunately, at the same time, the White House said the order regarding online renewals could take between six to twelve months to implement.

Until next time...safe travels.