Most people in Britain these days have a passport, as package holidays have been common for nearly 3 decades. But why have a passport? So what happens when I hand my passport documents to foreign police, for example?
Your passport book chiefly places you as a certain citizen of a specific nation. This instantly tells local bureaus (wherever you are) of your rights in their nation. Your passport document is also the place to keep various visas and stamps which also tell local agencies as to how many weeks you’ve stayed in their country, and how long you’re allowed to reside for.
Many people mistake having a passport as being a resident of that nation. Not true. For instance, if you’re an Australian and have resided in Britain for the last 25 years, then go back to Australia using your Australian passport, you will almost certainly not have the same rights as a resident of Australia (e.g. claim particular benefits or get help with government grants). Residency and holding a passport for a particular country are not the same thing. It’s important to note this as dual passport holders are growing in numbers.
You should always keep your passport in a secure place, and also make a copy of your photo page and your stamped pages in case it gets lost. If your passport does go missing when in a foreign country, get in touch with your embassy who will be able to issue you an emergency passport. Your embassy has the power to give you a new passport if you lose your previous one.
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