# Passports in Europe

Passports in Europe are issued by each state individually, e.g. the Netherlands or United Kingdom. In general, passports issued in Europe either grant the holder the right of freedom of movement within the European Economic Area (EU and EFTA passports), to those that don't (EU candidate countries and other non-EU European states). The majority of European states are members of the European Union, and therefore issue EU passports.
All passports issued in Europe are B7 size and (ISO/IEC 7810 ID-3, 88 mm × 125 mm). The overwhelming majority of European passports are biometric. These include all EU, EFTA, British, and EU candidate passports.
There are also several passports issued by partially-recognised and disputed states, such as Northern Cyprus and Kosovo.

## Passports of the European Union

The EU itself does not issue ordinary passports, but ordinary passports issued by the 27 member states follow a common format. This includes a burgundy cover (not compulsory: Croatia is the only exception) emblazoned with the title "European Union", followed by the member state's name in their official language(s) (occasionally translation into English and French), their coat of arms, the word "PASSPORT", together with the biometric passport symbol. Holders of EU passports are citizens of the European Union and entitled to exercise the rights of that citizenship, e.g. freedom of movement.
Some EU member states also issue non-EU passports to certain people who have a nationality which is not supplemented by European Union citizenship (e.g., Danish nationals residing in the Faroe Islands).
In addition, the European Commission issues European Union Laissez-Passers to the members and certain civil servants of its institutions.
| Member state | Passport cover | Biodata page | Validity | Issuing authority | Latest version |
| Austria | | Link to image | 10 years (aged 12 or over) 5 years (aged 2–11) 2 years (aged 0–2) | Municipal registration offices If abroad, Austrian embassies and consulates | 1 December 2023 |
| Belgium | | Link to image | 7 years (majors aged 18 or over) 5 years (minors aged under 18) | Communes (in Belgium) Belgian embassies and consulates (abroad) | 1 May 2014 |
| Bulgaria | | Link to image | 5 years | Ministry of Interior Affairs | 29 March 2010 |
| Croatia | | Link to image | 10 years (adults aged 21 or over) 5 years (adults aged under 21) | Ministry of the Interior Affairs of the Republic of Croatia | 3 August 2015 |
| Cyprus | | Link to image | 10 years (adults) 5 years (minors) | Civil Registry and Migration Department, Ministry of the Interior; Embassies and High Commissions of the Republic of Cyprus | 13 December 2010 |
| Czech Republic | | Link to image | 10 years (adults aged 15 or over) 5 years (children under 15) | any of the 205 town halls with augmented authority abroad: consulates of the Czech Republic (except honorary consulates) | 1 September 2006 |
| Denmark | | Link to image | 10 years (adults) 5 years (children under 18) | Kommune (Municipality) | 1 January 2012 |
| Estonia | | Link to image | 10 years (ages 15 and up) 5 years (children under 15) | Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) | 1 January 2021 |
| Finland | | Link to image | 5 years | Police of Finland | 1 January 2017 |
| Finland Åland Islands | | Link to image | 5 years | Police of Åland | 1 January 2017 |
| France | | Link to image | 10 years (adults) 5 years (children under 18) | Préfecture offices (but forms can be addressed to any city hall) French consulates (abroad) | 12 April 2006 |
| Germany | | Link to image | 10 years (aged 24 or over) 6 years (applicants under 24 or second passport) | Municipal registration offices If abroad, German embassies and consulates, including some honorary consulates | 1 March 2017 |
| Greece | | Link to image | 5 years (applicants aged 15 or over) 2 years (children under 15) | National Passport Centre ("Διεύθυνση Διαβατηρίων/Αρχηγείο Ελληνικής Αστυνομίας") | 28 August 2006 |
| Hungary | | Link to image | 5 years 10 years | Registration Office (Nyilvántartó Hivatal) | 1 March 2012 |
| Ireland | | Link to image | 10 years (adults) 5 years (children) | Consular and Passport Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs | 3 October 2013 |
| Italy | | Link to image | 10 years (adults) 5 years (minors aged 3–18) 3 years (children aged 0–3) | Minister of Foreign Affairs through Local quaestor of the state police (in Italy) Consulates and embassies (abroad) | 20 May 2010 |
| Latvia | | Link to image | 10 years (adults aged 20 or over) 5 years (applicants aged 5–19) 2 years (children under 5) | Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP) | 29 January 2015 |
| Lithuania | | Link to image | 10 years (adults aged 16 or over) 5 years (children aged 5–15) 2 years (children under 5) | | 27 January 2011 |
| Luxembourg | | Link to image | 5 years (applicants aged 4 or over) 2 years (applicants under 4) | Bureau des passeports | 16 February 2015 |
| Malta | Link to image | Link to image | 10 years (applicants aged 16 and over) 5 years (applicants aged 10 to 15) 2 years (applicants under 4) | Passport & Civil Registration Directorate | 29 September 2008 |
| Netherlands | | Link to image | 10 years (applicants aged 18 and over) 5 years (applicants aged under 18) | Gemeente (Municipality) Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Abroad) | 23 December 2017 |
| Poland | | Link to image | 10 years (applicants aged 13 and over) 5 years (applicants aged under 13) 1 year (temporary passport) | Governor of a province (voivodeship) Consul | 5 November 2018 |
| Portugal | | Link to image | 5 years (applicants aged 5 or over) 2 years (children under 5) | | 10 July 2017 |
| Romania | | | 10 years (applicants aged 18 or over) 5 years (applicants aged 12–18) 3 years (applicants under 12) 1-year (temporary passport) | Ministry of Internal Affairs (General Directorate for Passports) | 4 September 2024 |
| Slovakia | | Link to image | 10 years (adults aged 16 or over) 5 years (children aged 5–15) 2 years (children under 5) | Ministry of Interior | 26 November 2014 |
| Slovenia | | Link to image | | Ministry of the Interior | 12 December 2016 |
| Spain | | Link to image | 10 years (applicants over 30) 5 years (applicants between 5 and 30) 2 years (applicants under 5) | National Police Corps of Spain | 2 January 2015 |
| Sweden | | Link to image | 5 years | Swedish Police Authority (in Sweden) Swedish embassies and consulates (abroad) | 1 January 2022 |

## Passports of European Union candidate countries

Since the establishment of the European Economic Community, previous enlargements have seen the founding Inner Six states of 1958 grow to the EU's current 27 member-states. Currently, there are nine recognised candidates for future membership of the EU: Turkey (applied in 1987), North Macedonia (applied in 2004), Montenegro (applied in 2008), Albania (applied in 2009), Serbia (applied in 2009), Bosnia and Herzegovina (applied in 2016), Ukraine (applied in 2022), Moldova (applied in 2022) and Georgia (applied in 2022). All except Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Georgia have started accession negotiations.
Unlike EU and EFTA passports, nationals carrying passports of EU candidate countries do not have free movement rights and are required to possess appropriate visas.
| Candidate state | Biodata page | Validity | Issuing authority | Latest version |
| Albania | Link to image | 5 or 10 years | Ministry of the Interior | 2015 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Link to image | | | 1 October 2014 |
| Georgia | Link to image | | | 17 August 2016 |
| Moldova | Link to image | 10 years (aged 16 or older) 7 years (aged at least 7 and under 16) 4 years (under the age of 7 years) | Agency of public services or Moldovan foreign representations abroad | 5 April 2023 |
| Montenegro | Link to image | 10 years | Ministry of the Interior | 26 February 2021 |
| North Macedonia | Link to image | 5 or 10 years (aged 27 and older) | Ministry of the Interior | 2019 |
| Serbia | Link to image | 10 years(adults) 5 years(minors) | Ministry of the Interior | 7 July 2008 |
| Turkey | Link to image | 6 months 1–10 years | Ministry of the Interior | 25 August 2022 |
| Ukraine | Link to image | 10 years: adults 4 years: children | State Migration Service (part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs) | 1 January 2015 |

## Passports of EFTA member-states

Like the EU, EFTA itself does not issue ordinary passports. It also does not issue any guidelines for a common passport design and format. The EFTA member states participate in the European Single Market and are part of the Schengen Area. EFTA member-states include Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.
In accordance with the EFTA convention, nationals of EFTA member-states enjoy freedom of movement in each other's territory. EFTA nationals also enjoy freedom of movement with the EU. EFTA nationals and EU citizens and are not only visa-exempt but are legally entitled to enter and reside in each other's countries. The right of freedom of movement is defined by the Citizens’ Rights Directive, which defines the right of free movement for citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA), which includes the three EFTA members Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein and EU member-states. Switzerland, which is a member of EFTA but not of the EEA, is not bound by the Directive but rather has a separate bilateral agreement on free movement with the EU.
| Member state | Biodata page | Validity | Issuing authority | Latest version |
| Iceland | Link to image | 10 years (adults) | Registers Iceland (Þjóðskrá Íslands) | 23 May 2006(biometric) June 2013(current version) |
| Liechtenstein | Link to image | 10 years adults and children over 12 5 years minors under 12 | Ausländer- und Passamt | 26 October 2006 |
| Norway | Link to image | 2 years (aged 0–4) 3 years (aged 5–9) 5 years (aged 10–15) 10 years (aged 16 and older) | Norwegian Police Service | 19 October 2020 |
| Switzerland | Link to image | 10 years (aged 18 or over) 5 years (aged 0–17) | Canton passport office (Federal Office of Police) | 31 October 2022 |

## British passports

Following the end of the UK's EU withdrawal transition period on 31 December 2020, British passports no longer grant holders the right to free movement within the EEA. British passports are issued to all types of British nationals. These include British Nationals (Overseas), British Overseas Territories Citizens (BOTCs), and British citizens resident in the Crown Dependencies.
The UK also participates in the Five Nations Passport Group, along with Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the US.
In Europe, British passports are issued to British citizens, BOTCs in Gibraltar, and British citizens resident in the Crown Dependencies (Jersey, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man).
| Country | Biodata page | Validity | Issuing authority | Latest version |
| United Kingdom | Link to image | 10 years (aged 16 or over) 5 years (under 16) | HM Passport Office | March 2020 |
| Isle of Man | | 10 years (aged 16 or over) 5 years (under 16) | HM Passport Office | March 2020 |
| Jersey | | 10 years (aged 16 or over) 5 years (under 16) | HM Passport Office | June 2020 |
| Guernsey | | 10 years (aged 16 or over) 5 years (under 16) | HM Passport Office | June 2020 |
| Gibraltar | | 10 years (aged 16 or over) 5 years (under 16) | Gibraltar Civil Status and Registration Office | October 2015 |

## Other European passports

| Member state | Passport cover | Biodata page | Validity | Latest version |
| Armenia | | Link to image | 10 years (adults) | 16 July 2012 |
| Azerbaijan | | Link to image | 1 year: children under age of 1 3 years: children under age of 3 5 years: children under age of 18 10 years: Adults | 1 September 2013 |
| Belarus | | Link to image | 10 years | 15 May 2006 |
| Faroe Islands | | Link to image | 10 years: adults 5 years: children | 1 January 2012 |
| Kazakhstan | | Link to image | 10 years | 1 January 2009 |
| Kosovo | | Link to image | 10 years: Adult 5 years: Child | 1 January 2013 |
| Sovereign Military Order of Malta | Link to image | Link to image | | |
| Monaco | | Link to image | 5 years | 26 October 200 |
| Northern Cyprus | | | 5 years | |
| Russia | | Link to image | 10 years | 1 March 2010 |
| San Marino | | Link to image | 10 years: over 14 5 years: aged 3–14 3 years: under 3 | 12 October 2006 |