The world’s rarest passports money can’t buy

While you probably own a passport, there’s a handful of travel documents from around the world that are deemed the rarest.

You probably already own a passport. Depending on the colour, issuing country and type, some might open more doors than others. Not all passports are equal.

You might already know that the Singaporean passport is a fairly desirable bit of paper.

Henley & Partners recently ranked the passport the most powerful in the world, giving the holder access to 192 countries visa-free, no questions asked.

As a country that offers a route to citizenship via investment – the Singaporean passport is worth a cool $2.7 million, to those with cash to splash.

Conversely, the Kiwi Book of travel was ranked the eighth most powerful, however for those wanting to “invest” in New Zealand citizenship you need to commit $10 million and three years to the country.

(Or 12 days, if your name is Peter Theil.)

Such is the bizarre world of passports for cash and investment nationalities.

However there are some fairly unusual passports that money can’t buy.

New Zealand issues Diplomatic Passports to civil servants, but they can't take them on holiday.

Diplomatic Passports

Some passports come with a job or title.

Diplomatic passports are a class of travel documents used by some countries to help their dignitaries and civil servants traverse the globe.

Used by ambassadors, they often come with certain benefits to help them travel such as exemptions to certain visa requirements or conditions of entry to a country.

For example UK diplomatic passport holders are admitted visa free and can remain longer than the 72-hour visa transit exemption.

Holders of the passports often benefit from ‘Diplomatic Immunity’. Some host countries will have a reciprocal arrangement that holders and their family will be exempt from some laws.

Canada issues diplomatic passports with a different colour to the standard blue book.

It’s another perk of the passport, though not strictly travel related, it is helpful parking tickets picked up on holiday.

Diplomatic passport holders are also exempt from most Covid travel restrictions, to help civil servants navigate the pandemic.

New Zealand issues Diplomatic Passports. Sadly you can’t just jet off on holiday with a diplomatic passport. Travellers must use their personal passport if their travel is not for official reasons.

Special Passports

The New Zealand also issues official passports in addition to diplomatic passports – although these are fairly similar to the ordinary black books in appearance.

Other countries are a little more creative with their ‘special’ travel documents.

Canada for example issues green Special Passports and bright red diplomatic passports.

This made it all the more obvious and embarrassing when, in 2017, it was revealed that too many had been issued. A hearing reported “cases of misuse” where retired diplomats had held on to their old passports, and the perks associated with it.

Of course not all passports are attached to a nationality.

Roughly half of the population of the Vatican City in Rome have Vatican Passports which are valid for travel. This includes the 110 Swiss Guards, stationed in the city state to protect the pope. Incidentally Pope Frances does not travel on a Vatican passport. Since assuming the Holy See in 2014, Frances (whose non papal name is Jorge Mario Begoglio) renewed his Argentine passport. This was reportedly in order to travel the world as an ordinary citizen, without ‘enjoying any privileges’ not granted to his fellow countrymen.

The Pope declined the option to get a Vatican Passport.

Some occupations have their own passport types.

In the UK official diplomatic couriers have QMS passports, standing for Queen’s Messenger Service.

As the title entails, the passports of these high-class couriers entitle the holder to cross borders in a timely fashion carrying classified diplomatic materials.

The royal mailmen aren’t the only ones with professional passports. Some international organisations have their own passes.

Laissez-Passer: UN officials are given special, sky blue travel documents.

As of 1946 the UN began issuing its own ‘laissez-passer’ travel documents – the sky blue and red books are granted to workers for the various arms of the United Nations, the International Labour Organisation and World Health Organisation.

Of course the ‘laissez-passer’ are more like an additional proof of identity and cannot be used for travel on its own. It should be carried with the holder’s original national passport.

Since 2010 Interpol issued workers nationality-free biometric passports. The cool, jet-black passports look like props from a Hollywood action film. The passports which are recognised by most countries where interpol operates are used to speed up entry process and allow holders to chase criminals across borders.

Interpol's international crime-fighting forces are issued with jet-black passports.

With only 995 staff in Lyon and Singapore, the Interpol passport opens doors but you won’t see very many of them.

Not everyone needs a passport to travel overseas.

Famously the Queen of England is exempt from carrying a passport. However, there are some other cases where the formality of a passport is not required.

Defence workers on active duty abroad are also allowed across borders on military transport without travel documents, such as the 55-member contingent of Singaporean DART (Disaster Assistance & Rescue Team) who came to Christchurch in the immediate aftermath of the 2011 earthquake.

This article originally appeared on the New Zealand Herald and has been republished with permission