The Canadian passport is a travel document used by citizens of Canada. Issued by Passport Canada, an independent organization reporting to Citizenship and Immigration Canada, it allows its holders to enter and exit Canada as well as travel to other countries subject to visa requirements.[1] Canadian citizens wishing to obtain a passport do so by applying to Passport Canada.[2]Origins of the PassportOne of the first mentions of a form of paper used to cross a country's borders is found in the Hebrew Bible. Nehemiah asks King Artaxerxes I of Persia if he can receive letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and Asaph to ensure his safe passage to Judah.[3] King Artaxerxes reigned from 465 to 425 BCE, which then dates the first passport from this period.[4] The next, more official version of the passport is the paiza popularized by the Mongols (1206–1370), which was a metal plate worn by the Mongol administration to show its position and for regulation and communication throughout the Mongol Empire .[5] King Henry V, who ruled Britain from 1413 to 1422, then introduced the next form of passport, perhaps more similar to what we think of as a passport today, in 1414.[6 ][7] King Henry V granted papers guaranteeing “safe conduct” to anyone of his choice, although English subjects had to pay for them.[8] From then on, passports began to become popular. Origins of the British passport After the introduction of the British passport during the reign of Henry V in the form of "safe conduct",[9] British passports were then issued by the Privy Council and signed by the monarch until 1794 , date on which the Secretary of State assumes responsibility.[10] Before the First World War, no one was required to...... middle of paper... written on the chip.[40] Additionally, as pictured, the signature and all personal information displayed in the passport are embedded into the page, preventing tampering. A second photo of the passport holder, done in grayscale, is shown on the page opposite the main photo.[41]Special inks and lamination make forgery even more difficult while still ensuring the authenticity of the Canadian passport. For example, depending on the angle the passport is tilted, the ink changes color and holographic images are stamped onto the personal information.[42]Additional features include the ability to see the letters "CAN" when the pages are held up to the light, as well as a machine-readable area at the bottom of the main page. Information displayed in the machine-readable area repeats the passport holder's personal information..[43]