What the serious looking security sticker on your passport means

It’s a common sight in many people’s passports, but that serious-looking sticker on one of the pages is actually a good thing.

The security sticker on the man’s passport. Picture: Reddit

A man was left baffled after spotting a sticker in his passport while he was passing through security.

After wondering if it meant he was in trouble, the man took to Reddit to ask what it was about – but thankfully it was a good thing to have, according to other travellers.

“Waiting at gate ready to board flight to LA when a random security guard stuck this in my passport. What is this and what’s it for?” he asked the Reddit forum.

His image showed a page of his passport with a sticker that read Security Do Not Remove, with the date of February 7, 2022.

Stream more than 20 global & local news sources with Flash, a dedicated news streaming service. New to Flash? Try 14 days free >

The security sticker on the man’s passport. Picture: Reddit

Many experts and airline staff answered him.

“I work for an airline and can confirm it’s to show you’ve answered the pre-travel security questions you would have been asked before checking in,” one wrote.

Pre-travel security questions can include where you are travelling to and why you are travelling.

Another person agreed, describing it as “standard procedure”.

"It means you’ve passed the initial security screening for entering US and you’ll be questioned as normal at LAX. I’ve flown into US twice in last four months and that’s standard procedure,” they wrote.

“It’s for security. Do not remove it,” a third said.

Passports are layered with security. Picture: iStock

Of course, it is OK to remove once through security and out of the airport.

There is also something you never want to see on your boarding pass while travelling – the code SSSS.

It stands for “secondary security screening selection” which means that the passenger has been selected for additional screening by security.

Anyone with this code is advised to turn up an extra half-hour early for the airport, because getting through security will take considerably longer than usual.

And if you see GTE on your boarding pass, it stands for “gate” and might mean you don’t have a seat on a plane.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and has been republished here with permission