Passports and other official government-issued identity documents are an interesting topic to divulge into. A must-have document in this interconnected world where travelling is part of our modern integrated world with even stricter policing at the frontier or to drive around in a personal vehicle. Opening a bank account is no less bureaucratic which requires a person to establish his identity with some reputable and valid documents.

Sovereign has its own authority to issue different type of identity documents ranging from identity cards, driving licenses or birth certificates under its jurisdiction, therefore documents can vary from one country to another. Going to a foreign country, visas and resident cards are issued to regulate those of non-citizen.

These documents are the product of both politics and technology. First as a plea to protect and respect its bearer, later as mechanisms of security, and then tokens in global integration. It is part of symbols of nationhood: flags, stamps, banknotes & passports.

Travelling is essentially a part of human necessities and with transportations, connections and entertainment, crossing the border is just part of the fun. For those with family residing in a different part of the world, travelling is the only way for physical connection. With cheap fares, tourism is no longer for a reserved few.

Collecting passport and identity documents is grouped under ephemera: collecting paper and manuscript. Some are probably interested in specific countries or regions, a period of issue, immigration stamps or multiple types of visas or perhaps philatelic revenue stamps. Whatever the reason is, each document is unique depending on the issuing country, issued visas and frontier seals; making collecting these documents a journey to fulfil each piece's unique historic, pageantry and aesthetic value.
Malaysia   ✇    Federation of Malaya (1957 - 1963) Post Independence   ✇    Japanese Occupation of Malaya (1942 - 1945)   ✇    Federation of Malaya (1948 - 1957) British Protected   ✇    Straits Settlements   ✇    State of Singapore (1959 - 1963) Full Internal Self-Government   ✇    Crown Colony of Singapore (1946 - 1955)   ✇    Unfederated Malay States   ✇    State of Singapore (1955 - 1959) Partial Internal Self-Government   ✇    Federated Malay States

United Kingdom   ✇    United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland   ✇    United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland   ✇    British India   ✇    Bailiwick of Guernsey   ✇    British Dependent Territory of Hong Kong

Hungary   ✇    Hong Kong Special Administrative Region   ✇    State of Israel   ✇    The Republic of the Union of Myanmar (Burma)   ✇    Republic of France   ✇    Thailand   ✇    Spain   ✇    Republic of China   ✇    British Mandate Palestine   ✇    Union of Soviet Socialist Republics   ✇    Republic of Serbia   ✇    New Zealand   ✇    Egypt   ✇    Philippines   ✇    Bulgaria   ✇    Republic of Ireland   ✇    Kazakhstan   ✇    Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia   ✇    Greece   ✇    Republic of Turkey   ✇    Pakistan   ✇    Portugal   ✇    Federal Republic of Yugoslavia   ✇    Republic of Macedonia   ✇    Kingdom of Spain   ✇    Sweden   ✇    Finland   ✇    Italy   ✇    Malta   ✇    Republic of Croatia   ✇    Russian Federation   ✇    Saudi Arabia   ✇    Kosovo   ✇    Republic of Singapore   ✇    Netherlands   ✇    Estonia   ✇    Republic of Peru   ✇    France   ✇    Lithuania   ✇    Poland   ✇    Kingdom of Belgium   ✇    Republic of Slovenia   ✇    Republic of Yugoslavia   ✇    United States of America   ✇    Slovenia   ✇    Palestinian Authority   ✇    Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus   ✇    Republic of Cuba   ✇    Montenegro   ✇    Republic of Moldova