Portuguese passport
Encyclopedia
Portuguese passports are issued to citizens of Portugal
for the purpose of international travel. However the bilhete de identidade (Identity Card) can serve as a travel document
within the countries of the European Union
, Iceland
, Liechtenstein
, Norway
, Croatia
, Macedonia and Switzerland
.
The PEP meets ICAO standards for electronic passports, and contains the biometric passport
symbol (a small eye-like image.) The PEP meets all the requirements for the United States Visa Waiver Program
. The passport is valid for 5 years, and can not be renewed (when it expires a new application needs to be made.) Passports issued before the PEP are still valid as long as they have not passed their dates of expiry.
, in both its technical and aesthetic elements. Images were provided by the Portuguese painter Júlio Pomar
.
Security features on the cover include: invisible ink printing which is visible under an ultraviolet light.
(the other 4 pages include the translation of the fields in the biographic page into each of the official languages of the EU)
Security features on the visa pages include: security paper with watermark (the Portuguese Coat of Arms), passport number is perforated into the bottom of all pages.
, and French
(in that order), with translations in the last three pages of the passport.
In order to apply for a passport, an individual needs to provide proof of citizenship (if over 10 years of age with a valid bilhete de identidade, if under 10 years of age with a current birth certificate). Consular authorities may require other pieces of identification (i.e. expired passports) as required by local law. Currently no photograph is required, as a digital photograph is taken at the time of the application.
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
for the purpose of international travel. However the bilhete de identidade (Identity Card) can serve as a travel document
Travel document
A travel document is an identity document issued by a government or international treaty organization to facilitate the movement of individuals or small groups of persons across international boundaries...
within the countries of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein
The Principality of Liechtenstein is a doubly landlocked alpine country in Central Europe, bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and by Austria to the east. Its area is just over , and it has an estimated population of 35,000. Its capital is Vaduz. The biggest town is Schaan...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, Macedonia and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
Electronic passport
As of August 28, 2006 the Portuguese government began issuing electronic passports which in addition to containing enhanced security features also contain a contact-less microchip. The microchip includes all the biographic information printed in the passport as well as a digital version of the photograph suitable for use in digital facial recognition. While fingerprint information is obtained when applying for the passport, it is not included in the passport itself. European Union member states will be required to include fingerprint information in their passports by February 28, 2008.The PEP meets ICAO standards for electronic passports, and contains the biometric passport
Biometric passport
A biometric passport, also known as an e-passport or ePassport, is a combined paper and electronic passport that contains biometric information that can be used to authenticate the identity of travelers...
symbol (a small eye-like image.) The PEP meets all the requirements for the United States Visa Waiver Program
Visa Waiver Program
The Visa Waiver Program is a program of the United States Government which allows citizens of specific countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for up to 90 days without having to obtain a visa. The program applies to the 50 U.S. states as well as the U.S...
. The passport is valid for 5 years, and can not be renewed (when it expires a new application needs to be made.) Passports issued before the PEP are still valid as long as they have not passed their dates of expiry.
Appearance
The new electronic passport was designed by Henrique Cayatte. Its final form incorporated a set of thematic elements related to the Portuguese poets, Luís Vaz de Camões and Fernando PessoaFernando Pessoa
Fernando Pessoa, born Fernando António Nogueira de Seabra Pessoa , was a Portuguese poet, writer, literary critic and translator described as one of the most significant literary figures of the 20th century and one of the greatest poets in the Portuguese language.-Early years in Durban:On 13 July...
, in both its technical and aesthetic elements. Images were provided by the Portuguese painter Júlio Pomar
Júlio Pomar
Julio Pomar, GOL, GCM is a Portuguese painter. He studied painting in both Lisbon and Porto Academy of Fine Arts, in this last he one he joined the group of other fellow artists called Independents....
.
Cover
The regular passport is a deep red color with golden print, and is written only in Portuguese. Following European Union Standards the passport bears the title União Europeia above the country name and the title of Passaporte. The passport contains images of the Portuguese Coat-of-arms and the circle of twelve golden stars from the flag of the EU.Security features on the cover include: invisible ink printing which is visible under an ultraviolet light.
Biographic information page
The biographic information is the first page at the front of the passport. It includes the following information:Visa Pages
The passport has 32 pages (excluding the biographic information page), however only 28 are suitable for visasVisa (document)
A visa is a document showing that a person is authorized to enter the territory for which it was issued, subject to permission of an immigration official at the time of actual entry. The authorization may be a document, but more commonly it is a stamp endorsed in the applicant's passport...
(the other 4 pages include the translation of the fields in the biographic page into each of the official languages of the EU)
Security features on the visa pages include: security paper with watermark (the Portuguese Coat of Arms), passport number is perforated into the bottom of all pages.
Languages
Following European Union passport standards, the passport contains all official languages of the EU. The cover is only printed in Portuguese (translations are inside the first page.) The fields on the biographic page are printed in Portuguese, EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
(in that order), with translations in the last three pages of the passport.
Application
All citizens of Portugal are entitled to a Portuguese passport. In Portugal, applications for a Portuguese passport need to be made in person in any of the Civil Government locations (one existing in every Portuguese district) or in a Loja do Cidadão (in the Azores, RIAC - Rede Integrada de Apoio ao Cidadão) (English: Ciitizen's Assistance Centers.) Overseas applications need to be made in person at a consular authority (i.e. embassy, consulate-general, or consulate).In order to apply for a passport, an individual needs to provide proof of citizenship (if over 10 years of age with a valid bilhete de identidade, if under 10 years of age with a current birth certificate). Consular authorities may require other pieces of identification (i.e. expired passports) as required by local law. Currently no photograph is required, as a digital photograph is taken at the time of the application.
See also
- Portuguese nationality lawPortuguese nationality lawPortuguese nationality law is the legal set of rules that regulate access to Portuguese citizenship, which is acquired mainly through descent from a Portuguese parent, naturalisation in Portugal or marriage to a Portuguese citizen....
- Visa requirements for Portuguese citizensVisa requirements for Portuguese citizensPortuguese passport holders enjoy visa free access or visa-on-arrival to 181 countries and territories.-Africa:-Americas:-Asia:-Europe:-Oceania:-References:...
- Bilhete de IdentidadeBilhete de IdentidadeBilhete de Identidade , officially the Bilhete de Identidade de Cidadão Nacional , commonly abbreviated as BI, is the national identity card of Portugal...
- Passports of the European Union
External links
- Images of a well-travelled 1982 Portuguese passport from www.passportland.com