The practical use of diplomatic passports has a long history that stretches far back into the past. The first such passports appeared in France in the 17th century. At that time, French monarchs—among them Louis XIV—introduced the practice of issuing special passports that granted the bearer the status of a representative of the state. These documents were intended to facilitate diplomatic activities and ensure the safety of envoys during their frequent, and often risky, journeys abroad. Over time, this practice spread to other European countries, and diplomatic passports became an important instrument in international relations.

The modern shape and form, as we know them today, developed in the 20th century, when international regulations became more precise—a process particularly advanced in the post war period through the work of the United Nations. The prestige and unique reputation of these documents from various historical periods present a strong appeal to collectors, who seek to gather, study, interpret, and compare them.

The Passport of a Renowned Serbian Diplomat – A Rarity Among Collectors

To discover what makes these documents so fascinating, we spoke with one of the world’s most prominent passport collectors, whose social media profiles are followed by thousands from all corners of the globe. Dr. Ross Nochimson, a physician from New Jersey, is the owner of the Vintage Passport Collector accounts on Instagram and YouTube, where he presents examples from his collection and promotes the study and appreciation of old travel documents.

In addition to revealing the secrets behind this unique passion, we asked him about the role of travel documents from the Kingdom of Serbia and the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in the broader world of collecting. His collection—one he has been passionately building for over three decades—includes documents from nearly one hundred countries and from various historical eras.

Among them are several old Serbian passports, including a true museum rarity: the passport of the renowned Serbian diplomat, envoy, writer, and key political figure of the early 20th century, Jovan M. Jovanović Pižon, issued during his diplomatic mission in London.

“Passports from the Kingdoms of Serbia, SHS, and Yugoslavia are quite similar to those of other European countries from the same period. In terms of quality, Serbian documents issued before 1919 were made from cheaper materials, with low-grade paper bearing watermarks and rivets made of ordinary steel, which tends to rust over time. Within my collection, I have several passports from members of the Serbian Army and diplomats issued before 1919. I also possess a diplomatic passport that once belonged to a journalist from that era. Particularly valuable are the passports issued to soldiers on the island of Corfu, which I consider some of the rarest and most significant documents in my entire collection,” Dr. Nochimson explains.

After the formation of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, travel documents began to be produced from higher-quality paper and cardboard, typically with red covers and in a format that reflected the increasing standardization of the 1930s. Diplomatic passports, as is still the case today, were designed differently.

“Diplomatic passports of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia featured a black cover enclosing a booklet with pages typically sized 9×11 cm, including an introductory page and sections for visas. The paper quality was not ideal, often resulting in small tears along the folds. Compared to those, travel documents from Poland and Finland of the same period were made with better paper, while French passports were considered to be of the finest craftsmanship. One of my favorite Yugoslav passports from the late 1920s and early 1930s belonged to actor Slavko Lajtner, of Jewish origin, who was killed in a concentration camp under the NDH regime during World War II. The photograph in his passport is extraordinary, and I am always moved whenever I look at it,” our interviewee says.

More about diplomatic passports—documents with a reputation for exclusivity, prestige, and even an aura of discretion and mystery—as well as topics from the worlds of diplomacy, culture, and Serbia’s rich historical heritage, can be found in Dipos magazine.