Ventoran passport

Ventoran passports are issued to Ventoran nationals as identification documents to facilitate international travel. The may also be used as an official identification document and proof of Ventoran nationality. The Foreign Commission issues Ventoran passports.

History
The first formal travel documents issued by the Kingdom of Ventora, beginning in 1094, were Writs of Passage. They were issued to persons dispatched on official business by the monarch and were almost always titled nobles. Over time, persons commissioned by the monarch to some official office or duty began to commonly also receive a writ even if they did not need to travel abroad in the performance of their commissions. By the mid-16th century, nobles began buying writs for their own personal use.

Toward the end of the 17th century, diplomatic affairs gradually became more formalized. At the same time, Ventora's interests expanded beyond the usual western Abayadi Sea region. The decline of the Haksar tributary system resulted in growing trade and, consequently, diplomatic activities, to the east, including central and eastern Alutra. This resulted in the establishment of a permanent Foreign Commission in 1718. Ventora began issuing its first passport document, in place of the former Writ of Passage, the following year.

Consistent with the development of passports, the Ventoran travel document grew into a booklet size. Over time security features have been added to prevent tampering and counterfeiting. The current, first issued in 2012, includes many security features, including the encoded chip. The chip also facilitates entry and exit efficiencies by automating certain functions as well as making use of pre-entry registration schemes.

Types of passports

 * Ordinary Passport – issued for ordinary travel, such as holidays and business trips.
 * Diplomatic Passport – issued to accredited Ventoran diplomats, top ranking government officials, diplomatic couriers, and their immediate family.
 * Official Passport – issued to individuals representing the Ventoran government on official business, including ruling of the duchies of Ventora who are also constitutionally fellows of the Grand Council of the Realm, the country's upper house of.

Format
Ventoran passport booklets have a maroon and bear golden imprints Reino y Comunidad de Ventora (lit. Kingdom and Commonwealth of Ventora), the greater coat of arms of Ventora, the word Pasaporte (passport), and the biometric passport symbol  on the front. Front covers of Diplomatic and Official passports specify Diplomático or Oficial, respectively. The booklets hold 32 pages, inclusive of the covers, and measure 125 x 90 mm.

Passports issued since 2012 are s and contain a (RFID) chip in the front cover. The chip is a near-field communications (NFC) chip that can only be read when the passport cover is open. There are over 20 other advanced security features in the passport booklet, including a security band embedded within the paper pulp, sewing threads and watermarks with a red fluorescence under ultraviolet light, latent images, optically-variable ink, and laser perforations.

The design of Ventoran passports generally complies with specifications in the travel document protocols established by the World Forum Tourism and Travel Organization.

Identification page
A protective plastic sheet covers the identification page. All data on the identification page, including the holder's picture, is. Data includes:
 * Photo of passport holder (digital)
 * Type (P)
 * Country code (VEN)
 * Passport number
 * Surnames (includes father's surname and mother's maiden name)
 * Given names
 * Nationality
 * Observations (typically an officially recognized honorific or noble rank; often military or diplomatic rank in official or diplomatic passports)
 * Date of birth
 * Personal identification number (Número de Servicios Universales, NSU)
 * Sex
 * Place of birth
 * Date of issue
 * Date of expiration
 * Two-dimensional which stores all data on the identification page, including the digital photo
 * Hologram picture in the center-right and national symbols scattered throughout the biographic page.

Passport message
Many passports include a message from the issuing authority requesting other officials to accord the bearer free passage, treatment in accordance with international norms, and to provide any necessary and appropriate assistance and protection in consonance with international law. The message in Ventoran passports states:

in :
 * La Comisión de Extranjero del Reino y la Mancomunidad de Ventora solicita a todas las autoridades competentes que permitan al titular de este pasaporte, un nacional de Ventora, el libre tránsito sin demora ni impedimento y, en caso de necesidad, que le brinden toda la ayuda y protección legal.

in Interspeech:
 * The Foreign Commission of the Kingdom and Commonwealth of Ventora hereby requests all competent authorities to permit the holder of this passport, a Ventoran national, free transit without delay or hindrance and in case of need to give him all lawful aid and protection.

Applying for a passport
Only persons with Ventoran nationality may apply for a Ventoran passport. The process is comparatively simple, even for first time applicants and may be largely completed online via Sinapse. At birth, all nationals receive a Universal Services Number (: Número de Servicios Universales, NSU). Using this number for the passport application verifies nationality so there is no need to submit other documents such as a birth certificate. Applicants must provide a current (within six months) digital photograph. Anyone with a vehicle, vessel, or aircraft operator license or who has completed national service already has their fingerprints on file. If fingerprints are not already on file, the applicant must visit a People's Services Agency service center or Transport Licensure Service location to provide digital fingerprints. Payment of the applicable cost-recovery fee must be made at the time of application.

Visa requirements
As of late 2022, Ventorans had visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to nine countries. The Foreign Commission encourages checking with authorities for countries Ventorans wish to visit before travel in order to verify current requirements since this is always the traveler's responsibility.

Consular assistance
All Ventorans may request from any Ventoran  while traveling on a Ventoran passport in a foreign country. Ventorans with s may use any passport to which they are entitled for travel abroad. As a Ventoran citizen, they may request Ventoran consular assistance regardless of the passport used for travel. However, if the travel was not on a Ventoran passport, the foreign country may be less receptive to Ventoran efforts at assistance.

Travel advisories
Ventora only rarely prohibits travel by its citizens. However, the Foreign Commission occasionally provides travel advisories in an effort to inform Ventoran passport holders of countries or regions where travel may have higher risks or dangers.

The following countries have active travel advisories as of March, 2022:
 * – travel is discouraged due to the on-going civil war. Note: the Ventoran embassy in Aliqah is closed; there are no consular services available in the country.
 * – travel is cautioned due to the current political situation in the country.
 * – travel is cautioned due to somewhat strained relations between Lathadu and Ventora
 * – travel is discouraged due to the civil war and general lawlessness in the country. Note: the Ventoran embassy in Ukuta is closed; there are no consular services available in the country.