Passport Type P Meaning & USA Passport Cover Colors Explained
Ever wondered what Passport Type P means when filling out DS-160 visa forms or international flight check-ins? Here is everything you need to know about passport type codes, red, blue, black & green passport cover meanings, and passport ID page requirements.
What is Passport Type P?
Passport Type P stands for Personal or Regular Passport. It is the standardized code designated by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO Document 9303) for standard tourist passports issued to individual citizens.
When you inspect the main photo biodata page (the passport id page) of a United States or international passport, the letter P is printed in the top-left field labeled Type / Type. It is also the first character encoded in the Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) optical scanning strip at the bottom of the page.
Passport Codes & Types Comparison
| Code | Type Name | Holder / Purpose | US Cover Color |
|---|---|---|---|
| P | Personal / Regular | Standard citizens for international travel & tourism | Dark Blue |
| O | Official | US government officials & military personnel traveling on duty | Maroon / Red |
| D | Diplomatic | Diplomats, high-ranking government officials & ambassadors | Black |
| S / Travel Doc | Service / Travel Document | Non-citizen permanent residents (Re-entry permits) | Dark Green |
US Passport Cover Colors Explained
Blue Passport Cover
Issued to standard US citizens for leisure, business, or educational travel. It represents the standard Type P passport carried by over 160 million Americans.
Red / Maroon Passport Cover
Issued to US government employees, military members, or contractors traveling overseas to perform official government duties.
Black Passport Cover
Issued to accredited US diplomats, foreign service officers, and high-level executive branch dignitaries representing the President overseas.
Dark Green Passport Cover
Issued as refugee travel documents or re-entry permits to lawful permanent residents (green card holders) who cannot obtain a passport from their native country.
Passport Book vs Passport Card
What does a passport card look like compared to a passport book? While both serve as official government proof of US citizenship:
- US Passport Book: A 26-page or 52-page booklet containing visa stamps, ICAO MRZ chip, and Type P classification for global air, sea, and land travel.
- US Passport Card: A wallet-sized credit-card format ID card valid exclusively for land border crossings and sea ports of entry entering the US from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean.
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Photo Rules for Type P Passport Applications
Whether applying for a first-time Type P passport or renewing an existing passport book, your submitted photo must adhere strictly to biometric specifications:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Passport Type P mean on a US passport?
On a US passport data page, "Type P" stands for "Personal" (or Passport). It indicates a standard regular tourist passport issued to citizens for international travel, as opposed to official (Type O) or diplomatic (Type D) passports.
What are the different passport cover colors in the US?
The United States issues four primary passport cover colors: Dark Blue (standard tourist passport for citizens), Black (Diplomatic passport), Maroon/Red (Official government passport for official state business), and Dark Green (Travel Document / Re-entry permit for non-citizen permanent residents).
What is the difference between a passport book and a passport card?
A US passport book is an internationally recognized travel booklet valid for air, sea, and land travel worldwide. A US passport card is a wallet-sized ID card valid only for land and sea entry to the United States from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean.
Where is Passport Type P listed on the passport ID page?
On the ICAO-compliant Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) and biodata page of a US passport, the letter "P" appears in the top-left corner under "Type / Type" and as the first character of the code line at the bottom (e.g., P<USASPECIMEN<<...).