[PASSED] Standardized Passport Arrangements

The World Assembly (WA),

Noting the WA’s dedication to ease travel between WA states;

Believing that travel is easier if passports from different WA states can be authenticated to easily identify individuals, and that easy identification provides benefits to national security;

The WA hereby enacts as follows:

Definitions and declarations.

    "PASA" means the Passports, Nationality and Refugees Administration (PASA), which is hereby established as a committee of the WA.

    "Passport" means a travel document (in physical or electronic form) issued by a WA state (or by PASA, pursuant to the provisions below) to an individual for the purpose of identifying that individual for travel purposes.

Passport templates.

    PASA is to create standardized templates for passports. All passports issued by a WA state or by PASA must follow the said templates.

    PASA is responsible for translating all templates into the languages of the WA state (or its sub-national divisions, where appropriate).

    PASA templates shall be updated from time to time to use the latest privacy, security and authentication technologies.

    PASA may tailor templates for WA states that prefer to use inferior technologies, if requested by the said state.

    PASA may also tailor templates for different sapient species, if requested by a WA state.

    PASA templates may be provided to non-WA states, subject to bilateral agreements on protecting privacy, security, and technology.

Features of passports.

    Each passport validly issued to an individual shall contain pertinent information on that individual as deemed necessary by PASA.

    Each passport can include additional information that the said WA state deems necessary.

Entitlement to a passport.

    Each individual is entitled to their own separate passport, regardless of whether they are minors or are legally competent.

    Each WA state is responsible for issuing passports to individuals entitled thereof.

    No WA state may deny the right to be issued a passport to any of their individual citizens, nationals, or subjects, unless that individual is prohibited from exiting that state due to the laws of that state or extant WA resolutions.

    Each WA state must recognize a passport from another WA state as legally valid, provided that it can verify the authenticity of that passport, either with the issuing WA state or with PASA.

    Each WA state can charge a fee for issuing passports (or replacements) to any individual, with the fee not exceeding a full recovery of costs incurred for issuing that passport. 

Emergency passports. PASA is authorised, at its discretion, to issue passports to individuals that are verifiably in dire circumstances, such as anyone:

    fleeing an active war, whether declared or otherwise;

    travelling as refugees or seeking asylum;

    rendered stateless by the collapse of a WA state; or

    rendered stateless as a result of an action by a state, regardless of whether that state is a WA state.

Powers of PASA.

    PASA shall have the right and the ability to authenticate passports with, for and on behalf of all WA states.

    PASA may also authenticate passports from non-WA states, subject to bilateral agreements.

Delegation.

    A WA state may request PASA to issue all of that state's passports on its behalf.

    PASA will only accept such a request if it determines that a WA state (i) lacks a functioning government or (ii) lacks the resources necessary to maintain such infrastructure. 

Finances.

    PASA is to be paid for by the General Fund.

    All services from PASA are to be provided free-of-charge to end-users.

Jurisdiction.

    If anyone fails to obtain a passport from PASA pursuant to clause 5 for any reason, they may appeal to the Independent Adjudicative Office.

    Passports issued by PASA do not imply conferring citizenship, nationality or subject from any entity on any individual.

    This resolution does not interfere with a WA state's powers, subject to extant WA resolutions, regarding border controls, or to grant or remove citizenship and/or nationality from any individual.

    PASA is responsible for the interpretation of this resolution.

More info here: NationStates • View topic - [AT VOTE] - Standardized Passports Arrangements

This resolution is now up for vote.

Bai Lung will vote AGAINST.

Standardized Passport Arrangements was passed 10,907 votes to 3,098.