The Reason Why Passports Only Come in Four Boring Colors

Have you ever noticed people holding different colored passports at the airport? I always try to sneak a peek to see where different travelers are from, but sometimes it’s hard to tell because they all kind of look the same. Well, did you know that passports only come in four colors?

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And did you know that there are no official rules about how passports look, only suggestions? The International Civil Aviation Organization recommends certain details about passports – such as typeface, size, and fonts – but there are only a couple hard and fast rules that dictate how a passport must be made. They have to be constructed of bendable material and be machine-readable between temperatures of 14 degrees and 122 degrees Fahrenheit.

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Though there is no strict system of country categorization, passports only come in shades of blue, red, green, and black. The reason countries choose to use only these four colors? Because they look more official, and darker colors show less wear and tear over time. A bright orange or pink passport probably wouldn’t look very official and might even be gawked at on the international stage.

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There is some meaning behind what colors different countries use for their passports. Many Islamic countries use green because that color is significant in their religion.