Originally Posted by
jkhuggins
Assuming that the TDC recognizes the "official passport" as a genuine document. As I'm sure you're aware, there are far fewer official passports than regular passports, making it slightly more likely that the TDC won't be familiar with it and will question its authenticity.
So, I could see a scenario in which an official passport earns you less respect rather than more respect ...
My confrontation with two ID screeners over the validity of my brown passport happened at one of the busiest airports on this planet in a metropolitan area with tons of federal employees working in numerous departments and agencies, many of whom do foreign official travel. There are only three colors of U.S. passports: black, brown, and blue. (OK, there might be some of the old green ones which are still valid.). We're not talking 50 diferent DLS -- we're talking 3 nationwide documents where the major difference is the color of the cover.
Slightly OT: The major benefit to an official passport is that you and the country you're visiting don't have to worry about work permits. You may still need an entry visa, but, they know you're not going to take a job from one of their citizens.