# el presidente

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-presidente/49903>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 13, 2001, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-presidente/49903 "2001-01-13T21:29:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![charlie82](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d26b3c/32.png) [@charlie82](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/charlie82)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2001, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-presidente/49903/1 "2001-01-13T21:29:46Z")

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Does the president need a passport?

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**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2001, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-presidente/49903/2 "2001-01-13T21:34:06Z")

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Do you mean do Clinton or Bush have one or do they need one when they visit a foreign country?

I imagine that each man has one, but a head of state doesn’t have to show one. I’m pretty sure that would violate diplomatic protocol. Normally a head of state is greeted by a head of state or some other suitable representative when s/he vistits a country. There’s no customs or immigration official checking the President’s papers.