Interpol passport
Encyclopedia
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. The first Interpol passport was issued to Interpol president Khoo Boon Hui
when it was unveiled at the 2009 general assembly in Singapore
.
(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 passport
s 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.
indicated that the organization was confident that the rest of the 188 Interpol member states would approve the new passports soon. As of November 2011, 31 countries recognize the document.
Interpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
. 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
Doha
Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
, Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
on 8 November 2010. The first Interpol passport was issued to Interpol president Khoo Boon Hui
Khoo Boon Hui
Tan Sri Khoo Boon Hui , born in 1954 in Singapore, is the Senior Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the current president of INTERPOL...
when it was unveiled at the 2009 general assembly in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
Description and features
The Interpol passport has a black cover, with the word "INTERPOL" in both Latin script and ArabicArabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
(الإنتربول) at the top, with the Interpol logo below. The words for passport appear in English (PASSPORT), French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
(PASSEPORT), Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
(PASAPORTE) and Arabic (جواز السفر). The international symbol for biometric passport
Biometric passport
A biometric passport, also known as an e-passport or ePassport, is a combined paper and electronic passport that contains biometric information that can be used to authenticate the identity of travelers...
s appears at the bottom of the cover.
The Interpol passport was developed by the EDAPS
EDAPS
The EDAPS Consortium produces ID documents and information systems.sources EDAPS is a founder of the printing industry in Ukraine. EDAPS consists of 9 leading Ukrainian enterprises9 leading Ukrainian enterprises in the printing industry and information technology...
consortium, a Ukrainian system integration group consisting of around 20 technology suppliers from twelve countries. The passport contains numerous security features including laser engraving
Laser engraving
Laser engraving, or laser marking, is the practice of using lasers to engrave or mark an object. The technique does not involve the use of inks, nor does it involve tool bits which contact the engraving surface and wear out...
, an electronic RFID chip, as well as holographic, micrographic and optical security elements.
Acceptance of the travel document and visa-free entry
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 NobleRonald Noble
Ronald Kenneth Noble is an American law enforcement officer, and the current Secretary General of INTERPOL.-Biography:...
indicated that the organization was confident that the rest of the 188 Interpol member states would approve the new passports soon. As of November 2011, 31 countries recognize the document.