Skip to content

United Nations Passport - Valid ID?

Question: 
We have some customers that present us what is called the United Nations passport as form of identification. On their applications they state their nationality. For a while, we have considered that ID as valid, but now we are having second thoughts. Would you accept that form of ID? I understand it is not issued by the government, but it has a picture, signature and expiration date and is accepted for crossing borders.
Answer: 

Answer by Hussam Al-Abed:There have long been alternative travel documents which people have exploited when they have not wished to use a genuine passport using their true identity and nationality. There are other documents in circulation purporting to be valid for international travel, but which are issued outsidethe accepted rules and procedures of international practice. Two of the main categories for this type of documents are:

  1. Fantasy Passports - These are documents with no authority and which are not officially recognized. They can occur in various forms and may have the physicalappearance of a passport. They are not an acceptable statement of either nationality or identity.

  2. Camouflage Passports - These are unofficial travel documents in the name of non-existent countries which are offered for sale by commercial organizations. The most recent examples to be issued are of countries which are no longer known by theiroriginal name, for example:
    • Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
    • Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)
    • British Honduras (Belize)
    • British Guiana (Guyana)

A person may buy a complete kit which can include birth certificate, drivinglicense etc.

Answer: 

Answer by Kathleen Blanchard:You should review information put forth by the UN.

First published on BankersOnline.com 1/18/10

First published on 01/18/2010

Filed under: 
Filed under compliance as: 

Search Topics