What’s the difference between rite of passage and right of passage?

Odds are, you meant to use RITE of passage in regard to a ceremony – a RITual – marking an important stage in an individual’s life.

Right of passage refers to the right to travel into another country’s territorial waters. But how often have you meant to use it that way? Probably not often. So unless you’re talking about international navigation via the open seas or travel in some form, use RITE of passage.