How Colonialism Shaped Modern Visa Systems

The Roots of Border Control

The modern visa system, with its intricate web of restrictions and classifications, did not emerge in a vacuum. Its foundations can be traced back to the colonial era, when European powers sought to regulate the movement of people across their expanding empires. Colonial administrations developed early forms of travel documents to distinguish between “desirable” and “undesirable” migrants—often reinforcing racial and economic hierarchies. The British Empire’s use of passports to control Indian labor migration and the French laissez-passer system in Africa exemplify how border controls were initially tools of imperial management rather than universal sovereignty.

Racial Hierarchies and Mobility

Colonialism entrenched a global hierarchy of mobility, where subjects from colonized nations faced far greater restrictions than citizens of colonial powers. The “white dominions” of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, for instance, implemented explicitly discriminatory policies like the White Australia Policy (1901), which severely limited non-European immigration. These policies were later formalized into visa requirements, creating a legacy where passport strength still correlates with former colonial power dynamics. Today, the stark contrast in visa-free access between former colonial powers and their former colonies underscores this enduring imbalance.

Postcolonial Continuities

After decolonization, newly independent states often inherited and adapted colonial-era border controls, sometimes using them to assert national sovereignty. However, Western nations retained visa policies that treated postcolonial migrants as potential threats rather than equals. The Schengen visa system, for example, imposes stringent requirements on travelers from Africa and the Middle East—regions once under European domination. Meanwhile, former colonial powers enjoy visa-free access to most of the world, a privilege rooted in historical power structures rather than contemporary necessity.

Visa Systems as Neo-Colonial Filters

In many ways, modern visa regimes perpetuate colonial logics by regulating who can move freely and who remains constrained. Wealthy nations maintain selective visa-waiver programs that favor other wealthy (and often historically dominant) states, while poorer countries—many of them former colonies—must navigate burdensome application processes. The result is a system where global mobility is still largely determined by a nation’s historical position in the colonial order.

Conclusion: Rethinking Borders

Recognizing the colonial origins of visa systems is crucial for reimagining more equitable mobility policies. If borders were once tools of empire, they must now be reevaluated in light of justice and reciprocity. A fairer global visa regime would acknowledge historical injustices and work toward dismantling the structural barriers that still divide the world along colonial lines. Until then, the shadow of colonialism will continue to shape who is allowed to cross borders—and who is not.