Sahrawi passport | |
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![]() The front cover of a contemporary Sahrawi passport | |
Type | Passport |
Issued by | ![]() |
First issued | 2012 (biometric passport booklet) |
Purpose | Identification |
Eligibility | Sahrawi citizenship |
Sahrawi passports are passports issued to citizens of the Sahrawi Republic. They are issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Interior, and launched by National Centre of Documents Production. [1]
Sahrawi passport booklets are valid for travel by Sahrawi citizens to the countries that recognized the Sahrawi Republic, although travel to certain countries and/or for certain purposes may require a visa. They conform with recommended standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). There are more types of passport booklets; as well, SADR issued biometric passports as standard since September 2012. [1]
Sahrawi passports are plain and diplomatic. They have red, blue and green cover. [1]
Plans had been adopted to prepare and issue the new Sahrawi passport before December 2011. [2] Production of the first Saharawi biometric passport was launched 8 September 2012 under Presidential Decree 11/2012. The new biometric passport contains an electronic chip with information about the holder, including a digitized photograph, fingerprints and signature. The Minister of Interior Mr. Hamada Salma said that new passport with the high digital technology "has two security codes; one contains information of the passport’s holder, whereas the second is a two-dimensional system. In addition to other security measures can only be read by ultraviolet." President of the SADR Mohamed Abdelaziz was granted the first Saharawi diplomatic passport. [1]