Passport Information: Complete Guide to Names, Types & Validity

Passport information is easier to understand when you know what each field means. Last reviewed: 8 November 2026. A passport is an official travel and identity document issued by an authorised government body. Its personal-details page normally displays the holder’s name, photograph, date of birth, document number, issue date and expiry date. The exact layout and some fields can differ, but the main terms are widely used in international travel.

This beginner-friendly passport information guide explains first name, middle name and last name; where those names appear; common passport types; validity and expiry; passport numbers; the machine-readable zone (MRZ); and biometric or electronic passports. For related travel preparation, read our airport baggage rules guide, web check-in guide and PNR status guide. It is general educational information, not an application or renewal guide. Always follow the instructions printed on your own document and those provided by its issuing authority.

Passport Information at a Glance: Key Fields Explained

Passport field or feature	What it generally means
Given name	The personal name or names used to identify the holder.
Middle name	An additional given name, where the holder has one.
Surname / family name	The family name, where that naming structure is used.
Passport number	The document’s unique identifying number.
Date of issue	The date the passport was issued.
Date of expiry	The final date printed as the document’s validity end date.
MRZ	The machine-readable lines used by travel-document readers.
Biometric chip	An embedded electronic chip that securely stores identity data.

What Is a First Name on a Passport?

A first name is commonly the personal name given to an individual and is often called a given name. It helps distinguish one person from another. For example, in the fictional full name “Alex Morgan Taylor”, Alex may be the first or given name.

However, naming traditions are not identical everywhere. Some people have one given name, some have several, and some naming systems do not use a separate first name in the way English-language forms describe it. A passport follows the name recorded by the issuing authority, so do not assume that the first word printed is always the first name.

What Is a Middle Name, and Where Does It Appear?

A middle name is an additional given name that appears between a person’s first or primary given name and their family name in some naming systems. In “Alex Jordan Taylor”, Jordan is the middle name.

On many passport layouts, the first and middle names are grouped under a field labelled Given Name(s). This means the middle name may not have a separate box or heading. It may simply appear after the first given name in the same field.

• First name: Alex
• Middle name: Jordan
• Last name: Taylor
• Given Name(s) field: Alex Jordan
• Surname field: Taylor

This is an illustrative example only. The printed order and field labels can vary. If a passport has no middle name, that does not automatically mean information is missing; the document should reflect the holder’s recorded legal name.

What Is a Last Name or Surname on a Passport?

A last name is commonly called a surname or family name. In many naming systems it is shared by members of a family and is written after the given name in everyday use. In the example “Alex Jordan Taylor”, Taylor is the surname.

Some passports display the surname in a separate field, while others may use different field labels or name ordering. A person may also have a single legal name, multiple family names, a hyphenated surname or a name structure that does not fit the first-middle-last pattern. Never add, remove or rearrange a name based only on an assumed format. The issuing authority’s record and the passport’s printed information are the reference points.

Where Are the Name Fields Located?

The main identity page is usually called the biographical data page or personal-details page. It contains the holder’s photograph and key identity information. Look for labels such as “Surname”, “Given Names”, “Name” or similar wording. The exact placement depends on the passport design.

Near the bottom of many machine-readable passports are two or three lines of letters, numbers and angle-bracket symbols. This is the Machine Readable Zone (MRZ). It repeats selected information in a standard format so compatible scanners can read it.

In the common ICAO machine-readable passport format, the name area in the MRZ places the primary identifier before the given names, with two less-than symbols separating the two parts. A single less-than symbol can act as a separator or filler between name components. The MRZ may therefore look different from the name as it appears in ordinary reading order on the page.

How Many Types of Passports Are There?

There is no single worldwide list that every issuing authority uses. Passport categories, names, colours and eligibility rules differ. The following are common broad descriptions used in passport systems:

1. Ordinary or Regular Passport

An ordinary passport is the standard travel document generally issued to members of the public for personal travel, such as holidays, family visits, study-related journeys or business trips. It is the type most travellers are likely to encounter.

2. Diplomatic Passport

A diplomatic passport is generally issued to eligible people travelling in an official diplomatic capacity. It is connected to a person’s authorised role or assignment and is not simply an upgraded passport for frequent travellers.

3. Official or Service Passport

An official or service passport is generally intended for eligible personnel undertaking authorised government or public-service travel. The exact category name and who qualifies depend on the issuing authority.

4. Emergency or Temporary Passport

An emergency or temporary travel document may be issued in limited circumstances, for example when a regular passport is unavailable and urgent travel needs to be considered. It can have restricted validity, destinations or use. Its acceptance must be checked before travel.

5. Passport Booklet, Passport Card and Electronic Passport

These terms describe formats or technology rather than a universal set of legal passport classes. A passport booklet is the familiar booklet used for international travel. A passport card is a wallet-sized document available in some systems and may have limited travel uses. An electronic passport, often called an ePassport, is a passport booklet containing a contactless electronic chip. Availability and permitted uses vary.

Do not assume that every traveller can choose among all these types. The issuing authority determines which documents it issues and the eligibility conditions for each one.

Passport Information: What Does Passport Validity Mean?

Passport validity is the period during which a passport is considered valid according to the dates and conditions set by its issuing authority. The issue date shows when the document was issued; the expiry date shows the end of its printed validity.

There is no single validity period that applies to every passport worldwide. Validity can depend on the document category, the holder’s age, the issuing authority and the circumstances of issue. Some passports are issued for several years, while temporary or emergency documents may be valid for a much shorter period.

Also remember that a passport being unexpired does not automatically mean it meets every destination’s entry conditions. Some journeys require a minimum amount of validity to remain beyond the travel dates. Check the current entry and transit requirements for the specific itinerary before booking non-refundable travel.

What Are the Passport Issue Date and Expiry Date?

• Date of issue: the date the passport was formally issued.
• Date of expiry: the date printed as the end of the passport’s validity.
• Validity period: the time between the issue date and expiry date, subject to the document’s terms.

When entering passport details into a booking or check-in form, read the dates carefully and follow the date format requested by the form. A day-month reversal can cause a mismatch. Do not estimate an expiry date from memory; read it directly from the document.

What Is a Passport Number?

A passport number is a unique identifier assigned to a travel document. It is printed on the personal-details page and is also represented in the machine-readable zone. Its length, character pattern and position can differ between document designs and issuing authorities.

Airline reservations, travel-document checks and official services may ask for this number. Enter it exactly as printed, paying attention to letters that may look similar to numbers. A passport number is sensitive personal information: avoid posting a full passport photograph or number publicly, and share it only through trusted channels when genuinely required.

What Is a Biometric Passport or ePassport?

A biometric or electronic passport (ePassport) is a passport that contains a contactless electronic chip. The chip stores identity information and a digital facial image, and may support additional biometric data according to the document specifications. The chip is designed to help authorised systems verify the document and its data.

An ePassport still has a printed identity page. The chip supplements the physical document; it does not mean the passport is only a digital file on a phone. ICAO uses the term electronic Machine Readable Travel Document (eMRTD) for a machine-readable travel document with an embedded contactless integrated circuit that follows its technical specifications.

What Is the Machine Readable Zone (MRZ)?

The MRZ is the set of standardised lines printed in a designated area of a passport’s identity page. It contains selected document and holder information in a format that compatible readers can process. It commonly includes the document code, issuing-state code, document number, name, nationality, date of birth, sex marker, expiry date and check digits, depending on the document format.

The MRZ is not a separate passport number or a barcode. It is a machine-readable representation of information on the document. Avoid writing over it, covering it with labels or damaging the printed lines.

Passport Information: Common Details Travellers Should Check

• Make sure the printed name matches the travel booking and the identity information you are expected to use.
• Check the date of birth and other personal details for typing or printing errors.
• Confirm that the passport number has been entered correctly when required.
• Check the expiry date well before departure and review destination-specific validity requirements.
• Look for torn pages, water damage, detached covers or damage to the identity page.
• Keep the passport secure and store a separate copy of its details in a protected location.
• Do not share an unredacted passport image on social media or with unknown websites.

Frequently Asked Questions About Passport Information

1. Is a middle name always printed separately?

No. A middle name is often included in the “Given Name(s)” field rather than printed in a separate middle-name box. Layouts and naming conventions vary.

2. Is the surname the same as the last name?

In many naming systems, yes. Surname and family name are common terms for the family name. However, not every person’s legal name follows a first-middle-last structure.

3. What if a person has only one name?

Single-name holders should follow the name format recorded by the issuing authority. Do not invent a surname or insert placeholder text without official instructions.

4. Do all passports have the same validity?

No. Validity depends on the document type, holder and issuing authority. Read the expiry date printed on the passport and check travel requirements for the planned journey.

5. Is an ePassport the same as a digital passport?

No. An ePassport is a physical passport booklet with an embedded electronic chip. A digital travel credential is a different concept and follows separate technical arrangements.

6. Can the name order in the MRZ look different from the main page?

Yes. The MRZ follows a standardised machine-readable format, so the family name and given names may appear in a different order from the visual presentation on the identity page.

Official International Reference and Further Reading

Passport layouts and technical features are based on standards and specifications used by travel-document issuing authorities. For a deeper technical explanation of machine-readable passports, name fields, MRZ formatting and electronic travel documents, continue reading the International Civil Aviation Organization’s official reference:

• Continue Reading: ICAO Doc 9303 – Machine Readable Travel Documents
• Continue Reading: ICAO Guidance on Digital Travel Credentials and ePassports

This article is general educational information. Passport formats, names, categories, validity and acceptance conditions can vary. The issuing authority’s official instructions always take precedence.