My Passport Is Proof Of The Privileges I’ll Never Have

Every time one of my American friends sees my Nepali passport, they are fascinated by the number of visas I have in it. They say, “Your passport looks so fun and colorful.”

The truth is that every visa on my passport is hours of paperwork filled with anxiety and anticipation that includes how much money I have in my bank account, proof of college or work, medical records, and letters of invitation.

Those who are privileged enough to be born in a country that can choose to fly to any country they want whenever they want will not understand that there is no such thing as spontaneous travel for someone like me. I can’t just buy a one-way ticket anywhere; I also need to show proof of a return ticket so I don’t overstay my visa. If I do, there is a chance of deportation or a permanent ban from the country.

I can’t ‘eat, pray, love’ because I have a mid-life crisis or need an escape.

Before I traveled internationally on my own, I thought everyone had to go through the same process. I thought it was something everyone had to do, so I didn’t mind the extra work.

One of my first experiences feeling like a third-class citizen was when I traveled to Italy from Ireland with a bunch of my American classmates. They all went through immigration by showing their…