When Is Passport Translation Necessary?

Whether it’s to visit, study or work abroad, many people need a passport — the international travel document that admits you into a completely new country. But under what circumstances would someone need a passport translation?

While it seems like a passport should be recognized and accepted in any country, many people choose to have a passport translation done in the language of the country they are visiting for peace of mind as much as ease of travel.

What Is a Passport?

A passport is issued by a national government. It is a legal document that certifies the passport holder’s identity and country of citizenship.

The passport is generally regarded as an international travel document, though simply having a passport in your possession doesn’t always entitle you to travel wherever you wish for however long. People who wish to stay in a country for an extended period of time or who wish to study or work abroad must often obtain a visa, which usually gets added to the passport book.

In Which Languages Are Passports Issued?

In 1920, a meeting of the League of Nations — the precursor to the United Nations — decided that all passports should be issued in French and one other language, depending on the country. French was chosen as the primary passport language since the League agreed that it was traditionally “the language of diplomacy.”

These days, many passports are still issued in French, but others are not. Some are issued in several languages, eliminating the need for passport translation. In some countries, you can even choose which language you would like your passport in!

Here are some of the languages around the world that passports are issued in:

• United States: After the 1920 League of Nations meeting, US passports were issued in English and French. Spanish was added to US passports in the late 1990s in recognition of Spanish-speaking US commonwealth Puerto Rico.
• New Zealand: Passports from New Zealand are issued in English and Maori.
• European Union: Each member state of the European Union has a passport that includes every official language of the EU.
• Pakistan: Pakistani passports are issued in Arabic, English, French and Urdu.
• Belgium: Belgian passports include the three official languages of Belgium — Dutch, French and German — but citizens can choose which language is listed first on their passports.

What Are Some Reasons for Passport Translation?

Many people choose to get a passport translation before they visit a country with a large number of foreign-language speakers. Having a translation of a legal document that proves identity and citizenship can be quite useful for common transactions involved in travel.

Some countries even require a passport translation before you can enter the country. Recently, Libya made headlines when groups of tourists were denied entrance to the country despite having valid passports and the appropriate Libyan visas. Libya requires an Arabic passport translation to cross the border.

Government and immigration agencies commonly request passport translations if the country’s official language is not dominant on the passport.

If you are planning to travel to a country where the majority speaks another language, you should consider a passport translation — especially if the common language uses a completely different alphabet. A passport translation could save you a lot of time and trouble — and may even be the key in allowing you to arrive at your destination!