Have you heard of a second passport? My guess is: probably not. Many travelers haven’t ever thought of needing a second passport. Unfortunately, sometimes people only find out that they need one when it is already too late.
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Second passports are needed for many frequent travelers because of political sensitivity, multiple destination trips or because of the time it may take to obtain the proper travel visas. So what is a second passport and do you need one for your next trip?
© Ken Mayer
Second passports are issued by the government and are only good for two years. You can request extensions, but these are only given at the discretion of the government agency that is reviewing your application and based on the actual need.
These specialty passports are normally issued for frequent travelers or for travelers who may end up with security and safety issues based on places they have traveled in the past or are visiting on their next trip. The security issues are usually a result of political issues between two countries and can have an impact on the safety of the traveler.
The people who most commonly need second passports include students studying abroad, backpackers in South America, Asia or other regions with lengthy visa processing times and business travelers who are making multiple stops.
In order to obtain a second passport, you have to submit your original passport which means you have to plan for it in advance.
Who Might Need a Second Passport?
Students and Business Travelers
Students or business travelers who are studying and traveling abroad in countries that require a student or business visa and are also planning a vacation may need a second passport because of the processing time to get their visas.
Because the student or business traveler will need their passport while on vacation, and also have to send a passport to an embassy to get their visa, they would not be able to do both at the same time. Because of this, the US government may issue that traveler a second passport so that they can make both of their trips.
Backpackers and Multi-destination Travelers
Many times when traveling, backpackers decide to visit multiple countries. Many South American countries require tourist visas that have long processing times. Because of the time frame needed to obtain your visa, the only way to be able to get your travel documents on time and without your visas expiring is by having two passports. In this case the government may issue you a second passport so that you can apply for the required visas and make your trip.
Political and Security Reasons
Certain countries have political reasons for not wanting to approve a visa. If they look at your passport and notice that you have a visa from a country where there is tension, they may decline your visa and consequently your trip.
Other times when they look at your passport and see that you are traveling from or to a politically sensitive country, it could create a security issue for you. To help keep Americans safe and to help you get the required visas, the government will normally issue a second passport.
Second passports are becoming more of a necessity with international travel and political uprisings on the increase. Luckily the government has created a way for travelers to not only be able to make their trip, but also have extra security measures in place by providing you with separate passports so that you don’t raise political tensions while traveling.
If you are planning to backpack through areas that require visas or are visiting countries in the Middle East, you may want to check and see if you need a second passport.