Why Do Passports Only Come In Four Colours?
Thursday, October 17, 2019 IST
There are many variations in the shades of blue, black, green and red used for passports
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Passports around the world are only made in four colours: black, blue, red and green. Surprisingly enough, there are no official rules or regulations governing what colours passports can be. Countries are free to choose whichever colour they want, and there are many variations in the shades of blue, black, green and red used for passports. So why is it that passports only come in shades of these four colours? A video by News 24 explores.
According to them, the four colours that passports are manufactured in look the most official. The dark colours also hide signs of dirt and wear and tear. Countries choose them because blue, green, red and black look more official than, say, neon pink.
A country's choice of colour can also be determined by culture as well as historical significance. The colour green, for example, has a religious significance for Islamic countries. Burgundy - a shade of red - is the preferred hue for countries in the European Union, while India has a blue passport.
There are, however, certain rules that all countries must follow - passports should be made of a material that can bend, doesn't crease and can resist chemicals, extreme temperatures, humidity and light. According to Mental Floss, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) makes recommendations about typeface, type size, and font.
"Nothing stipulates the cover color," confirmed Anthony Philbin, ICAO's chief communications officer, to Tavel + Leisure.
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