# When did we start using passports?

- Institution: TED
- Department: TED-Ed
- Speaker: Kristin Surak
- Year: 2026
- Level: For everyone
- Language: English
- Subjects: Society and politics, History, Teaching and learning
- Source: [TED](https://www.ted.com/talks/kristin_surak_when_did_we_start_using_passports)
- Licence: [CC BY-NC-ND 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) (Non-commercial use only, and no changed versions.)
- Who can watch: Teens profiles and older (sources give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the source's own words)

Passports are not the first form of travel documents: in Ancient Egypt, travelers carried “letters of safe conduct” issued by rulers; in Han China and Tudor England, foreigners were issued travel passes. However, for much of human history, borders have been relatively fluid, and travel lacked bureaucratic requirements. So, what changed? Kristin Surak details the history of the passport system. \[Directed by Tomás Pichardo-Espaillat, narrated by Addison Anderson, music by Cem Misirlioglu, WORKPLAYWORK\].

## Lectures

1. [When did we start using passports?](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/ted/kristin_surak_when_did_we_start_using_passports/e28a38634eb5), 6 min (TED's player)