History of Passport in Timeline
A passport is an official document issued by a government, verifying identity and nationality for international travel. It grants the bearer entry, temporary residence, aid, protection, and consular assistance in foreign countries. Beyond travel, passports are vital for border security, migration control, and can serve as domestic identification.
1914: British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act
In 1914, the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act was passed, defining citizenship and establishing the booklet form of the passport.
1920: Passport language recommendations
In 1920, a League of Nations conference recommended passports be issued in French, the language of diplomacy, and one other language.
1920: League of Nations passport conference
In 1920, the League of Nations held a conference on passports, the Paris Conference on Passports & Customs Formalities and Through Tickets, resulting in passport guidelines and a general booklet design.
1920: Modern passport standardization
In 1920, the modern passport was universally adopted and standardized, evolving into a booklet containing the holder's biographical information and government endorsement for international travel.
1922: Nansen passports issued
From 1922 to 1938, the League of Nations issued Nansen passports to stateless refugees.
1926: Passport conference follow up
In 1926, there was a follow up conference on passports after the Paris Conference on Passports & Customs Formalities and Through Tickets
1927: Passport conference follow up
In 1927, there was a follow up conference on passports after the Paris Conference on Passports & Customs Formalities and Through Tickets
1938: Nansen passports discontinued
From 1922 to 1938, the League of Nations issued Nansen passports to stateless refugees.
1963: United Nations travel conference
In 1963, the United Nations held a travel conference, but it did not result in passport guidelines.
1980: Passport standardization under ICAO
In 1980, passport standardization occurred under the auspices of the ICAO, including standards for machine-readable passports.
1997: Reference to nationality
Reference to nationality in 1997 regarding travel for permanent residents.
1998: Transition to biometric passports
Since 1998, many countries have begun to transition to biometric passports containing microchips to enhance authentication and prevent counterfeiting.
2006: Serbian passport improvement
Since 2006, the Serbian passport is one of the 5 passports with the most improved rating globally, in terms of the number of countries that its holders may visit without a visa.
July 2011: China's trial issuance of e-passports
On 1 July 2011, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China launched a trial issuance of e-passports for individuals conducting public affairs work overseas on behalf of the Chinese government.
May 2012: Introduction of ordinary biometric passports in China
On 15 May 2012, ordinary biometric passports were introduced by the Ministry of Public Security in China.
2012: Chinese citizens holding passports
In 2012, over 38 million Chinese citizens held ordinary passports, comprising only 2.86 percent of the total population at the time.
2014: China issued most passports
In 2014, China issued 16 million passports, ranking first in the world, surpassing the United States (14 million) and India (10 million).
January 2015: China's exclusive issuance of biometric e-passports
As of January 2015, all new passports issued by China are biometric e-passports, and non-biometric passports are no longer issued.
November 2015: New Zealand passport validity
After 30 November 2015, New Zealand passports for adults are valid for ten years.
October 2016: Passports in circulation rose
By October 2016, the number of ordinary passports in circulation in China rose to 120 million, which was approximately 8.7 percent of the population.
2016: Danish passport travel freedom
According to the World Tourism Organization 2016 report, the Danish passport is first in the world in terms of travel freedom, with the mobility index of 160.
April 2017: Biometric passports issued
As of April 2017, China had issued over 100 million biometric ordinary passports.
September 2017: US visa restrictions under Trump administration
From September 2017, the United States did not issue new visas to nationals of certain countries under the Trump administration.
January 2021: Repeal of US visa restrictions
In January 2021, the Biden administration repealed the visa restrictions imposed by the Trump administration.
January 2021: Restrictions on British National (Overseas) passports
Since January 2021, the Chinese and Hong Kong governments have prohibited the use of British National (Overseas) passports as travel documents or proof of identity.
September 2022: Danish passport ranking
As of September 2022, the Danish passport ranked fifth in the world according to the Henley Passport Index, with visa-free or visa on arrival access to 188 countries and territories.
August 2023: Serbian passport ranking
As of August 2023, the Serbian passport ranked 38th overall in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index, with visa-free or visa on arrival access to 138 countries and territories.
2023: Singaporean passport
As of 2023, the strongest passport in the world is the Singaporean passport.
July 2024: E-passport adoption
As of July 2024, over 150 jurisdictions issue e-passports, with previously issued non-biometric passports remaining valid until expiration.
