When did we start using passports?

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Kristin Surak |

TED-Ed

• July 2026

Passports are not the first form of travel documents: in Ancient Egypt, travelers carried “letters of safe conduct” issued by rulers; in Han China and Tudor England, foreigners were issued travel passes. However, for much of human history, borders have been relatively fluid, and travel lacked bureaucratic requirements. So, what changed? Kristin Surak details the history of the passport system. [Directed by Tomás Pichardo-Espaillat, narrated by Addison Anderson, music by Cem Misirlioglu, WORKPLAYWORK].