Do You Know? Only 3 People in the World Can Travel Without a Passport
While international travel generally necessitates having a passport that is valid, many countries have an additional requirement of a visa.
Nevertheless, there are three royal persons who allegedly have a special exemption when it comes to this issue; these are King Charles III of the United Kingdom, Emperor Naruhito, and Empress Masako of Japan.
This special right they possess is associated with their special position both politically and constitutionally. As far as the British royal person is concerned, his exemption is proven by the Royal Family’s official site.
King Charles III doesn’t have a passport while traveling abroad. This is confirmed by the British Royal Family on its official site.
The rationale behind this privilege is directly connected to the process of obtaining British passports.
A British passport is an official document with an application issued in the name of the monarch, requesting foreign powers to permit the holder of the passport to enter their country, assist and protect them when needed.
As the passport is issued in the name of the monarch, the current King has no need for a passport himself.
This is the case for the current monarch, and not for the whole Royal Family. Thus, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and other members of the royal family do need passports to travel abroad.
The same was true for Queen Elizabeth II during her lifetime, and King Charles III inherited this privilege upon becoming monarch in September 2022.
Emperor Naruhito is the second individual usually mentioned in passport-free international travel reports.
The reason is that he holds an exclusively symbolic position, which is determined by the nature of the Japanese Constitution. According to Article 1, the Emperor is the symbol of the State and the unity of the people, while his position rests on the will of the people who exercise sovereignty.
The travel arrangements for Japan report that it would be improper to issue an ordinary passport to the Emperor because of the constitutional status of the latter. In case of an official visit to a foreign country, this task is fulfilled by the government.
In contrast to the British system, the Japanese system is related to the constitutional position of the Emperor and not to the issuance of passports in his name.
Empress Masako is the third person who is always mentioned in connection with passport-less traveling. She was made Empress in May 2019 with the coronation of the new Emperor Naruhito.
Masako used to work in the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and also studied at Harvard University and the University of Oxford. As an Empress, she performs her official duties that include traveling abroad along with the Emperor.
It should be noted that all published sources say that the special passport provision covers both the Emperor and his wife. The rest of the Japanese Imperial family do have passports.
It should be said that there is a difference between the described Japanese exception and the British exception for the monarch.
| Feature | King Charles III | Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako |
| Country | United Kingdom | Japan |
| Constitutional setting | Constitutional monarchy | Constitutional monarchy |
| Basis of reported exemption | Passport issued in the monarch’s name | Special status of the imperial couple |
| How official visits are arranged | Government and diplomatic coordination | Government and diplomatic coordination |
| Do other family members receive the same exemption? | No | Not according to published reports |
No. Passportlessness and visalessness are two completely separate concepts.
While the passport is both a travel document and an identity document, the visa is a permission issued by some countries depending on the visitor and purpose of travel. The absence of a passport does not automatically mean that no restrictions apply at all to the person concerned.
For kings and presidents, overseas travel is generally organized via diplomatic relations. The conditions of admission still matter.
Sir Patrick Stewart, who was a highly accomplished British actor who is perhaps most famous…
The Chevalier de l’Ordre national de la Légion d’honneur (Knight of the National Order of…
Vijay Sankar, Chairman of the Sanmar Group, has been elected by the Federation of Indian…
The Hampi complex is one of the most significant archaeological and cultural heritages in India,…
The state animals of India have been chosen to highlight the wildlife diversity in India,…
Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian pilot, has been awarded the First Class Order of Zayed…