Have you ever noticed, in the airport queue, that not all passports are the same? Although it may seem a purely aesthetic choice, the colour of your travel document hides political, geographical and economic reasons.
At Valua Travel, where we manage thousands of journeys every year, we explain what lies behind the four dominant colours in the world:
🔴 Red: Union and History
It is the most common colour and the one you probably carry in your suitcase if you travel from Europe.
Who uses it? Mainly the countries of the European Union (except Croatia). Also countries of the Andean Community such as Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.
The curiosity: Turkey changed the colour of its passport to burgundy to reinforce its wish to join the EU. Other countries, such as Switzerland, use a brighter red, faithful to their flag.
🔵 Blue: The “New World”
In many cases, this colour symbolises belonging to the “New World” or to customs unions in the Americas.
Who uses it? The United States (which adopted it in 1976), Canada, Australia and the Mercosur countries (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay).
Key fact: The United Kingdom, after Brexit, reinstated its historic blue passport to mark its distance from the European Union and recover its previous identity.
🟢 Green: Identity and Religion
The colour green has a very close link with culture and religion in several regions of the world.
Islam: Many majority-Muslim countries (Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Morocco) use it, as it is considered the favourite colour of the Prophet Muhammad and a symbol of nature and life.
West Africa: The members of ECOWAS (such as Nigeria or Senegal) also use it to identify their regional unity.
⚫ Black: Exclusivity and Geography
It is the least common colour and tends to have a very practical or identity-related character.
Functionality: Some African countries such as Zambia or Angola choose it for a practical reason: wear and dirt are much less noticeable.
National identity: The most famous case is that of New Zealand, which uses it because it is its national colour, the same one worn by its famous All Blacks.
💡 A tip from Valua Travel
Whatever the colour of your passport, remember that the most important thing is not the cover, but its validity.
Our Operations department always recommends checking that your passport has at least 6 months’ validity remaining after the day of your return. Many countries refuse entry if the expiry date is too close!
Want to know whether you need a visa for your next destination?
For more details on entry requirements depending on the colour and country of origin, you can consult the official source:
👉 Official MAE page – Recommendations and visas
Bon voyage! ✈️