The Council of Europe laissez-passer was introduced in 2016 to replace the so-called "blue passport" issued since the 1950s to certain categories of persons.

It is intended for the following categories of persons on a "need-to-have" basis:
  • Permanent Representatives (Ambassadors to the Organisation);
  • Secretary General, Deputy Secretary General, Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE);
  • members of the PACE;
  • members of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities;
  • judges at the European Court of Human Rights;
  • members of the following monitoring committees:
    • Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (ACFC)
    • Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (COMEX)
    • European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT)
    • European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR)
    • Group of States against Corruption (GRECO)
    • Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA)
    • Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO)
  • staff members of the Organisation.
The Council of Europe laissez-passer is issued for official purposes only, to facilitate the carrying out of official missions. It states the official status and functions of the bearer and the privileges and immunities granted to the bearer under the General Agreement on Privileges and Immunities and its Protocols or the relevant conventions, where applicable.

The laissez-passer must be used in conjunction with a national passport.

Laissez-passer verification tool

Please enter the laissez-passer number and press Submit