For traveling outside the Austrian monarchy, one needed a valid passport. An applicant for a passport had to have a clean legal record, not have any military obligations, and be free of debt. Local and military authorities had to sign papers attesting that these requirements had been met by the applicant. The request for the passport was then sent to the district office to which the applicant's village of residence belonged. From 1918, a declaration from the tax office confirming that the applicant had fulfilled all liabilities was also required. From the district office the request was forwarded to the higher authority: goverment (Místodržitelství) or later to the police directorate, where the request was either approved or rejected.