Only 3 People In The World Can Travel Without A Passport And They Are Not Presidents. Forget Presidents and Prime Ministers. The World's Most Powerful Travel Privilege Belongs to Royalty.
According to international diplomatic protocol, the exclusive list includes:
1. King Charles III - United Kingdom
2. Emperor Naruhito - Japan
3. Empress Masako - Japan
Why Don't They Need Passports?
King Charles III: All British passports are issued under the authority of the Crown. The inside cover reads: _"His Britannic Majesty's Secretary of State... requires... to allow the bearer to pass freely."_ Since the King _is_ His Majesty, he does not need to issue one to himself. The privilege applied only to the reigning monarch - Queen Elizabeth II held it for 70 years before him. Even Queen Camilla and Prince William must carry diplomatic passports.
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako: A Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs document from May 10, 1971, states that it is "highly inappropriate" to issue a passport to the symbolic heads of the Japanese nation or subject them to standard immigration checks. By tradition and law, they travel without one. The exemption does not extend to other members of the Imperial Family - even the Crown Prince must carry a diplomatic passport.
So how do they cross borders? Instead of a passport, their governments send an official diplomatic letter in advance to the destination country, requesting free passage and protection. That letter, backed by bilateral agreements, grants them entry to over 190 countries.
This is not a vacation privilege. These three royals only travel for official state visits, ceremonies, and diplomatic duties. Their travel is coordinated entirely through diplomatic channels, not airport check-in counters," the report notes.
Even the most powerful elected leaders in the world - including the US President, India's Prime Minister, and the Pope - must travel with a diplomatic passport.