These days, reaching for your passport at border control feels like second nature. But have you ever paused to wonder when, where and why these little booklets first came into existence?

Spoiler alert, it wasn’t always so official. In fact, the history of the passport is a tale of emperors, assassins, and international drama worthy of a Netflix series.

Long before biometric chips and stern-faced passport officers, travel documents were more like polite letters.

In the Roman Empire, anyone venturing beyond the safety of home, say traders or diplomats, would carry a letter of permission, stating their purpose and who sent them. It was less about identity and more about "don’t hurt this guy-he’s with us."

Fast forward to medieval Europe, and rulers took the idea up a notch. King Henry V of England personally issued safe conduct passes, at a cost. Over time, these powers were delegated to ministers, and the system became more widespread.

France and Sweden had similar arrangements, with France coining the term passport, possibly from passer par les ports, meaning to pass through city gates or ports.

For centuries, passports weren’t for the masses. They were reserved for nobles, merchants, and those on state business. They didn’t prove your identity or nationality, they simply said someone important vouched for you.

That all changed in 1858, thanks to a botched assassination attempt.

Enter Felice Orsini, an Italian revolutionary who used a British passport, gifted by a friend, to enter France and try to kill Emperor Napoleon III.

The French were understandably furious, and Britain, in damage-control mode, revamped its passport system to include proper identification, not just permission to travel.

But the real turning point came after the First World War. With empires collapsing and borders redrawn, Europe saw an explosion of displaced people.

In 1921, international powers created the modern passport, complete with a photo, nationality, and standardised design to restore order and regulate movement.

So next time you flip through the pages of your navy blue UK passport, remember: it’s not just a travel document, it’s the product of centuries of history, diplomacy, and the occasional anarchist plot.