The first passport with a photograph was used in the mid-19th century when the expansion of railways across Europe led to a significant increase in train travel across the continent. During this time, it was impossible to imagine life without photography, as it had already become an inseparable part of life.
The lack of photographs in earlier passports led to confusion at border crossings, as the identities of countless travelers could not be clearly verified, causing significant chaos at border checkpoints. This prompted a growing need for passports with photographs.
Previously, passport checks without photographs had created such disorder at borders that it became increasingly difficult to manage the situation. As a result, countries like France, followed by Germany, Spain, and Italy, were forced to cancel their visa requirements, effectively abolishing passports without photographs.
In 1914, the passport system in Europe was nearly non-existent. It was during this time that World War I began, and it became difficult to identify the identities of people who were either injured or killed.
British included additional details about the passport holder’s facial features, such as nose shape, eyebrows, and eye color, alongside the photograph.
By the end of World War I, most European countries had adopted the passport system created by the British. These passports had more pages than previous versions, with additional sections. This form of passport has persisted into the modern day.
In 1917, the Bolsheviks abolished the passport system and created a new "workbook" document, which anyone over the age of 16 could obtain. The first page of these booklets featured the words: "He who does not work, does not eat."
The first Soviet passports included the surname, first name, patronymic, birth date, place of residence, profession, etc., on the first page. Photographs in Soviet passports were optional, and possessing a passport was not mandatory at the time.
The Soviet Union fully transitioned to a passport system in 1933, implementing a unified passport system across the country.
AzEns.az/ Jalya Orujeva