# passport

/ˈpæsˌpɔɹt/ (US) · /pˈɑːspɔːt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/passport
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. travel document

noun · CEFR A1

an official book from your government that proves who you are so you can travel to other countries.

For teachers: an official government document certifying the holder's identity and citizenship, entitling them to travel under its protection to and from foreign countries.

- Don't forget to pack your passport before we head to the airport.
- The customs officer carefully examined the biometric data on the passport before granting the traveller entry into the country.

### 2. a way to achieve something

noun · CEFR B2

something that makes it possible for you to get or do something good.

For teachers: a figurative means of gaining entry to a desired state, place, or achievement.

- For many young people, a good education is a passport to a better job.
- The internship at the prestigious law firm proved to be her passport to a successful career in international arbitration.

### 3. to link benefits

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical · British English

to make someone eligible for one benefit because they already receive another one.

For teachers: to grant eligibility for a secondary benefit or service automatically based on the recipient's qualification for a primary one.

- Receiving this grant will passport you to free healthcare services.
- Under the current system, families who qualify for income support are automatically passported to receive free school meals for their children.

Usage: often used in the context of social security or welfare systems

### 4. to allow cross-border trade

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical · Formal

to give a company the legal right to do business in another country without needing extra licenses.

For teachers: to enable a firm registered in one jurisdiction to provide services across others within a trade bloc without further authorisation.

- The bank used its rights to passport its services across the entire region.
- Following the regulatory changes, many financial institutions lost their ability to passport services from the capital into the single market.

Usage: frequently used in European financial regulation contexts

## Examples

- Don't forget to pack your passport before we leave for the airport.
- The border official checked my passport and stamped it before letting me enter the country.
- Modern security features in a passport include biometric data and holographic images to prevent forgery and ensure the integrity of international borders.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.