What If You Have a Passport but Never Travel Abroad?
Understanding the Purpose of a Passport
A passport is an identification document and a travel document. For Indian passport holders, it is the only document that confirms your citizenship while you are abroad. Holding a passport and not using it for travel is similar to not voting with your voter ID card, not attending a soccer match after buying a ticket, or never smoking after purchasing a pack of cigarettes. No one really cares if you travel or not!
Rules for Indian Passport Holders
For more detailed rules on what to do and what not to do regarding passports, you should check out the official guidelines for Indian passport holders. This information can be found at the provided link.
Real-Life Insights on Non-Traveler Passports
Nothing bad happens if you hold a passport but never use it for travel. My observations from frequent travel within the US suggest that using a passport can eliminate the pause faced when returning from a country where the TSA officer is unfamiliar with the card. Instead of a driver's license, which can take a bit longer to verify, a passport is a well-known and faster identifier.
What Happens if You Never Travel?
If you never travel, your passport will simply remain unused. You can keep it as an identity document that confirms your citizenship without any impact on other aspects of your life. Remember, you have already paid for the services associated with your passport, and it won't affect anything even if you don't use it until its expiration date.
No Negative Consequences
Neither the places abroad nor the passport office would get angry. It is perfectly normal to have a passport and never use it for travel. A passport is an identity confirming your connection to a country or its citizenship, but it doesn't serve any other purpose if you choose not to travel.
So, embrace the freedom of knowing you have an identity document available for future travel or any other purpose you might need it for. Have fun and enjoy the flexibility that a passport provides!