In the Book
In the Movie
Mendez loads a Canadian diplomatic pouch with disguises and other material he needs that will be sent along with the six Canadian passports and 12 American passports. The pouch is too small for all of his material that he wants, so some is left behind. An additional six Canadian passports were sent earlier. One set of passports has forged entry/exit visas, the others are blank. Driver's licenses, credit cards and business cards and air tickets are also included.
Mendez meets with Ken Taylor. He gives Mendez Canadian passports. They have no visa stamps, so Mendez will have to ink them in.
The forged visas in the Canadian passports had the wrong date formats. Mendez uses the blank passports to ink in proper stamps.
Mendez inks in visa stamps, but not because of errors in the originals.
John and Zena Sheardown were sent back to Canada prior to the Americans leaving in preparation for shut down of the Canadian Embassy in Tehran.
The Sheardowns are not in the film.
Mendez and his team got a final authorization from President Carter while in Bonn Germany.
Ken Taylor tells Mendez to burn the Canadian passports as the mission was canceled and just not to show up in the morning of the planned departure.
Mendez talks to the Americans and they discuss if they should leave as American teachers or Canadian film crew. They decide that a they can pass better as a film crew. Joseph Stafford does not want to leave while other Americans are being held hostage.
Taylor tells Mendez that he has orders to close the Embassy, so they have to leave soon. The Americans are very afraid of escaping via the airport and do not trust Mendez. Mendez gives them their cover identities and tells them to memorize and embellish them.