# Do heads of state need passports to travel? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 10, 2001, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-heads-of-state-need-passports-to-travel/68323 "2001-06-10T17:49:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2001, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-heads-of-state-need-passports-to-travel/68323/1 "2001-06-10T17:49:50Z")
When the US President or the Queen of England travels abroad, do they need to carry a passport and get it stamped? (And if the Queen has one, does it say she’s a subject of herself? 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2001, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-heads-of-state-need-passports-to-travel/68323/2 "2001-06-10T17:51:15Z")
oops, sorry, meant to post this in GQ! ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2001, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-heads-of-state-need-passports-to-travel/68323/3 "2001-06-10T17:57:09Z")
Queen of England? Ain’t no such thing. ER II’s the Queen of the United Kingdoms of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Just a minor, but important, point. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2001, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-heads-of-state-need-passports-to-travel/68323/4 "2001-06-10T17:58:26Z")
Please delete the “s” after “Kingdom” above, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2001, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-heads-of-state-need-passports-to-travel/68323/5 "2001-06-10T18:20:40Z")
[Moderator Hat ON] Moving to General Questions. [Moderator Hat OFF] ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2001, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-heads-of-state-need-passports-to-travel/68323/6 "2001-06-10T21:18:29Z")
Think this helps: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=63097](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=63097) ---
**Author:** ![brachyrhynchos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brachyrhynchos/32/376_2.png) [@brachyrhynchos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brachyrhynchos)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2001, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-heads-of-state-need-passports-to-travel/68323/7 "2001-06-10T21:45:36Z")
Since it appears they don’t need a physical passport, it’s a good thing we have a [Visa Waiver Program](http://travel.state.gov/vwp.html). Otherwise, we’d probably have to stamp their hands. Okay, I’ll be getting back into my handbasket now. ---
**Author:** ![APB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e8cbc/32.png) [@APB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/APB)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2001, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-heads-of-state-need-passports-to-travel/68323/8 "2001-06-11T09:06:24Z")
To answer the specific question about Queen Elizabeth II, she doesn’t have a passport but does require special permission from Parliament before travelling abroad. Her speech at the State Opening of Parliament each year usually includes a paragraph outlining her planned foreign visits so that both Houses can be deemed to have approved them when they vote to accept the speech. Other members of the Royal Family do need them. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2001, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-heads-of-state-need-passports-to-travel/68323/9 "2001-06-11T12:59:56Z")
Although HM may not have a passport, I believe that she only travels to one of her overseas realms (Canada, New Zealand, etc.) by invitation of the government of that country. ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2001, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-heads-of-state-need-passports-to-travel/68323/10 "2001-06-11T16:19:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by brachyrhynchos \* > **Otherwise, we’d probably have to stamp their hands.** I can see it now - a musclebound, 6’ bouncer at the arrival gate. “Lemme see your ID. Welcome to the United States, Your Majesty. Two-drink minimum, coat check’s to the left, and one admission only. No ins and outs.” _stamp_ ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2001, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-heads-of-state-need-passports-to-travel/68323/11 "2001-06-11T21:23:40Z")
🙂 Thanks for your help, everyone! ---
**Author:** ![jdl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@jdl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jdl)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2001, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-heads-of-state-need-passports-to-travel/68323/12 "2001-06-12T15:30:45Z")
According to this article at Slate, the Prez and the Queen both have passports, although their aides get the paperwork done for them in advance. [http://slate.msn.com/code/explainer/explainer.asp?Show=6/11/2001&idMessage=7828](http://slate.msn.com/code/explainer/explainer.asp?Show=6/11/2001&idMessage=7828) When George W. Bush leaves tonight for his European trip, will he have to take a passport with him just like every other American who goes abroad? Yes, he needs a passport, but no, it’s not like everyone else’s. The president of the United States, his immediate family, certain top officials, and diplomatic personnel are issued diplomatic passports, which have a black cover and for which the bearer doesn’t have to pay a passport fee. When the president travels, a team of people, usually from the State Department, coordinate the paperwork of the trip and hold onto the president’s passport. After the president emerges from Air Force One, waves to the crowd, and gets in his limo, he doesn’t then stand in line at customs. The State Department employees take his passport, and those of the others in his entourage, through the host country’s customs procedures. The United States issues three types of passports. There are currently about 44 million holders of the familiar, blue tourist passport (a few thousand people have green passports issued during the bicentennial of the Constitution). About 400,000 have a maroon-covered “official” passport. These are issued to people not in the diplomatic corps who are going abroad in the service of the U.S. government–a large percentage of holders of official passports are active-duty military and their families. About 80,000 Americans have diplomatic passports. One perk of the presidency is that even when you’re out of office, you get to keep your diplomatic passport. That means Bush, who had one once before, when he was the son of the president, will never have to be without one. Bonus Explainer: Yes, the pope and Queen Elizabeth have their own passports. Explainer thanks Christopher Lamora of the State Department; Julia Payne, spokeswoman for former President Bill Clinton; and reader Rebekah Woodworth for suggesting the question. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2001, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-heads-of-state-need-passports-to-travel/68323/13 "2001-06-14T14:19:34Z")
On the official Royal website, [http://www.royal.gov.uk](http://www.royal.gov.uk) , they say the Queen does not have a passport since evry British passport is issued in the name of Her Majesty. Every other member of the Royal Family does have one.