Passport Colours Explained: What They Say About Borders and Privilege

Passports may seem like simple travel documents, but they are symbols of power and privilege. They influence how easily someone can cross borders, reflecting global inequality. And beyond function, their colours and designs tell a deeper story – shaped by political alliances, history and national identity.

As a maximalist, I’ve always been curious about many little things – why things look the way they do, the hidden meanings behind everyday objects, and the small details that shape the world. And passports? They are one of those little things with a big story behind them. If you hold a passport – especially one from a country with strong global mobility – you carry a privilege that millions of people in the world do not have. So, why do passports mostly come in just four colours? And what do these colours say about history, politics and identity? Let’s explore.

Why do passports come in only four colours?

Did you know that every country can choose its passport colour? Yet, despite this freedom, passports come in only four main colours:

• Blue – The most common, used by 84 countries.
• Red – Second most popular, used by 68 countries.
• Green – Chosen by 40 countries.
• Black – The rarest, used by only 7 countries.

But here’s where it gets more interesting: some countries issue passports in multiple colours.

Take the US as an example. While most Americans carry blue passports, some government employees have black, maroon or grey ones. But why, if there are only four main colours? The answer is function, not national identity. Each colour represents a different type of passport:

• Blue – Standard passport for US citizens.
• Black – For diplomats and high-ranking officials.
• Maroon – For non-diplomatic government employees travelling for work.
• Grey – For contractors and special personnel working abroad.

So even within a single country, passports can come in different colours for different roles.

The Passport Index is a tool that ranks the world’s passports based on their global mobility – essentially, how many countries you can visit visa-free, with visa on arrival, or with a required visa. It’s a simple but powerful way to see how much privilege is attached to a passport, depending on where you were born.

For example, when looking at the Finland passport dashboard, it’s clear that Finnish passport holders enjoy a lot of travel freedom. Finland consistently ranks among the most powerful passports in the world, allowing entry to nearly 200 destinations without a visa or with a simple visa-on-arrival process. This means minimal restrictions, fewer bureaucratic hurdles, and the ability to move across borders with ease.

History written in passports

Passport colours are not just about function – they tell the story of history, politics and change. Many countries have switched passport colours over time to reflect independence, alliances or identity shifts.

A strong passport isn’t just about vacations – it affects education, job opportunities, and even personal safety.

• The British legacy & blue passports – Many former British colonies, like India and Australia, still carry blue passports, a reminder of shared history. Others, like South Africa, switched to green to mark their own identity.
• Post-colonial identity shifts – Several African and Caribbean nations changed passport colours to move away from their colonial past.
• The Soviet Union & red passports – During the Soviet era, red passports were the standard. After the USSR collapsed, many newly independent countries abandoned red in favour of blue or green, symbolising a break from Soviet influence.

Another curiosity: there are 199 different passports, but only 195 recognised countries. How does that work?

The answer lies in territories, special administrative regions, and unique political situations that allow certain places to issue their own passports, even though they aren’t fully independent nations.

A few examples

• Hong Kong & Macau – Part of China, but both issue their own passports.
• British Overseas Territories – Places like Bermuda and Gibraltar issue their own versions of the British passport.
• Greenland & the Faroe Islands – Technically part of the Kingdom of Denmark, but they issue their own versions of the Danish passport.

Owning a passport is something many take for granted, but not everyone can get one. Some people are stateless, meaning they don’t belong to any country. Some countries make passports too expensive for the average citizen. Others refuse to issue them for political reasons. A strong passport isn’t just about vacations – it affects education, job opportunities, and even personal safety.

Final Thoughts

The passport you hold determines your level of freedom in the world.

Passports may seem like just another travel necessity, but they carry more than stamps. They hold stories of power, privilege, and the way nations position themselves in the world. Whether your passport is blue, red, green or black, it determines more than just where you can go – it reflects history, alliances and global mobility. And that’s something worth thinking about the next time you flip through its pages at an airport.

For those of us lucky enough to hold a strong passport, travel feels like a choice, a luxury, even an escape. But for millions, crossing a border is a battle, sometimes even impossible. A passport isn’t just a document – it’s a gateway or a locked door.

As I sat on that flight to Split a few years back, sipping sparkling wine, I felt at peace – grateful for being able to explore the world. But not everyone gets that freedom, and not all passports open the same doors. The colour of your passport may seem like a small detail, but in reality, it can shape your entire world. And that, to me, is worth writing about.