Passport

Before passports: How travelers crossed borders

The passport was not the beginning of travel documentation, but the result of centuries of attempts to control movement, identity and access across borders.

Before passports became standard, travellers relied on permits, letters and personal recognition to cross borders.
Germany granted citizenship to 6,756 Israelis in 2025, making its embassy in Israel the country's largest passport office outside Europe.PremiumPremium

'Insurance certificate for escape': Israelis reclaim German citizenship in record numbers

A Romanian passport; Illustrative.

Ex-IDF soldier convicted for using foreign passport to enter Iraq, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia

An illustration picture shows Israeli passports in Jerusalem, on January 18, 2023.

Israel's passport climbs to record high in Henley Passport Index despite conflicts


US to allow citizens abroad to travel on expired passports

The expired passport rule will only apply to people traveling to the US from abroad, and can only be used once.

US passport, illustrative

Israelis abroad angered by new 'forced' passports for their children

Many Israelis have been waiting for a year or longer due to the pandemic to visit family in Israel, and were hoping to bring their children this summer.

Air travelers walk, after further cases of coronavirus were confirmed in New York, in Terminal 1 at JFK International Airport in New York

Coronavirus: Green pass extended through 2021, no need for third shot beforehand

Green passports in Israel are granted to all those who are fully vaccinated or recovered from the virus.

A woman shows her green passport at the Khan theater in Jerusalem on February 23, 2021.

US Embassy in Israel has 15,000 passport backlog due to COVID rules

Even in a normal year, the embassy in Israel is one of the busiest places in the world for US passports and reports of birth. Then, the coronavirus pandemic came along.

US Embassy Jerusalem

Israel should give east Jerusalem Palestinians Israeli passports - opinion

Why can’t the 350,000 Palestinians of east Jerusalem hold both an Israeli and a Palestinian passport?

Israeli passport [Illustrative]

Nearly 5,000 Hong Kong citizens sign up for new UK visa - The Times

London made changes to its visa rules to give millions of Hong Kong residents a chance to settle in Britain after China imposed a new security law.

Leaving Hong Kong: A family makes a wrenching decision

UK opens special visa route for Hong Kong residents to become citizens

Britain and China have been arguing for months about what London and Washington say is an attempt to silence dissent in Hong Kong after pro-democracy protests in 2019 and 2020.

Leaving Hong Kong: A family makes a wrenching decision

UK offers Hong Kong residents a route to citizenship, angering China

"Britain is trying to turn large numbers of Hong Kong people into second-class British citizens. This has completely changed the original nature of BNO," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said.

China flag

Ash announces ‘green passport’ for those who had coronavirus

Commissioner says virus to be around at least another year, will not hesitate to lock down as needed.

Prof. Nachman Ash delivers his first formal address as coronavirus commissioner on November 26, 2020.

Which Jerusalemite was first to put 'Israel' as birthplace on passport?

Ari and Naomi Zivotofksy asked for a passport that recorded their son's birthplace as Israel 18 years ago, but the US government would only say he was born in Jerusalem.

Menachem Zivotofsky with US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, October 30, 2020