Passport is a credential that a country´s governing organs issue to their
citizens for going abroad or residing abroad, which can testify their nationalities
and their identification. Passport is usually subcategorized as the diplomatic passport,
the service passport and the ordinary passport. Some countries grant the personnel
going abroad in groups with group passport, such as traveling group, sports team
and literary group. And China issues a kind of traveling passport valid only once
to its citizen who leave China for traveling.
A. The diplomatic passport is issued to the advances officials, the congressmen,
the diplomatic and consular officials, the personnel who has special diplomatic
mission, the government delegates etc. Diplomatic passport holders enjoy diplomatic
treatment in foreign countries (like immunity).
B. The service passport is issued to the ordinary government officials, the staff
of the embassy resided abroad and of the staff of the consulate and other people
who are sent abroad to implement the cultural and economical mission.
C. The ordinary passport is issued to the ordinary people going abroad and the emigrants
of foreign countries.
In China, the diplomatic passport and the service passport are issued by the Department
of Foreign Affairs and the ordinary passport is in the charge of Public Security
Bureau.
The passports of PRC are generally valid for 5 years and can be deferred twice with
each time of deferment not more than 5 years. Overseas Chinese can put forward deferring
application to the Chinese embassy and consulate resided abroad or the foreign organs
that are authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.