| Interpol passport | |
The front cover of a contemporary Interpol biometric passport
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| Date first issued | September 2009 (current version) |
| Issued by | Interpol |
| Type of document | Passport |
| Purpose | Identification |
Interpol passports are travel documents issued by the international policing organization Interpol. The intention is that Interpol member states will waive visa requirements for Interpol staff, investigators and law enforcement personnel travelling on official business, thereby improving response times.
The Interpol passport was approved at the Interpol general assembly in Doha, Qatar on 8 November 2010.[1] The first Interpol passport was issued to Interpol president Khoo Boon Hui when it was unveiled at the 2009 general assembly in Singapore.[2]
Contents |
The Interpol passport has a black cover, with the word "INTERPOL" in both Latin script and Arabic (الإنتربول) at the top, with the Interpol logo below. The words for passport appear in English (PASSPORT), French (PASSEPORT), Spanish (PASAPORTE) and Arabic (جواز السفر). The international symbol for biometric passports appears at the bottom of the cover.
The Interpol passport was developed by the EDAPS consortium, a Ukrainian system integration group consisting of around 20 technology suppliers from twelve countries. The passport contains numerous security features including laser engraving, an electronic RFID chip, as well as holographic, micrographic and optical security elements.[3]
Since the launch of the initiative, a growing number of territories have waived visa requirements for officers travelling on Interpol passports or have provided visa documentation at no additional cost. Interpol Secretary General Ronald Noble indicated that the organization was confident that the rest of the 188 Interpol member states would approve the new passports soon.[2] As of November 2011, 31 countries recognize the document.[4]