INTRODUCTION

Visa vignette endorsed for Turkey, Romania (similar to a generic Schengen visa format, as Romania as of 2008 was not part of Schengen Area) and Slovenia (generic Schengen visa format).

Two punch holes each on front and back covers.

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA (FRY)

The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbian: Савезна Република Југославија / Savezna Republika Jugoslavija) short-named as FRY was a federal state constructed by the republics of Serbia and Montenegro from the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY), created after the other four republics broke state from Yugoslavia amid rising ethnic attacks, war and tension. The state were exist from 1992 to 2003, when it was reconstituted as a State Union of Serbia and Montenegro which itself existed for another three years later, when a referendum for independence in Montenegro resulted in the majority of Montenegrins supporting separation from the Union. This resulted in both Montenegro and Serbia becoming different countries.

The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia passport (known colloquially as the blue passport ) was a public travel document issued to citizens of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and then the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro for their stay abroad and return to the country. After the breakup of the common state, the form continued to be used by Serbian nationals (no later than December 31, 2011 ) and Montenegro (until 2008 ).
On 14 March 2002, officials from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia: the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Montenegro, in the presence of the High Representative of the European Union signed an agreement to rearrange relations between Serbia and Montenegro, which stipulates that the FRY in the future bears the name of Serbia and Montenegro.

On 4 February 2003, they formed the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro (Serbian: Државна Заједница Србија и Црна Гора / Državna Zajednica Srbija i Crna Gora), based on the equality of the two member states, ie. State of Serbia and of Montenegro, this resulted the name Yugoslavia ceased to exist.

BLUE PASSPORT

The passport of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (known colloquially as a blue passport) was a public travel document issued for the citizens of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and later the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro.

Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, passports were issued in order with the "Law on Travel Documents of Yugoslav Nationals" which came into force on 26 July 1996, although the country came into existence in 1992 as sanctions were lifted and after the country received international recognition. It was permitted for usage by the citizens of Serbia until 31 December 2011 and Montenegro until 2008. Previous passport issued by the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia remained in use until the end of 2001.

The issuance of "blue passports" began in 1996 because the FRY lifted sanctions and after the country received international recognition. The former, the SFRY passport , remained in official use until the end of 2001.

The passport did not follow certain recommended standards of ICAO. It did not contain machine-readable zone and lack several levels of protection. Text was printed in three languages: Serbian (Cyrillic), English and French.

Upon changed of state's name, passports issued from 2003 to 2006 however has not changed the name on the cover and kept the Yugoslav code and remained the only valid travel document.  Passports with the new name were not issued due to the expected breakup of the union, which eventually happened in 2006.

In June 2006, State Union of Serbia and Montenegro ceased to exist. However, the two new countries have decided to continue using the FRY passport until they are prepared to issue new national passports. On 7 July 2008, Serbia began issuing new biometric passports, however a valid and unexpired old pattern Blue Passport remained in use. For practical reasons, the validity of the Blue Passports was permitted to be extended until they finally ceased to exist on 31 December 2011.

Following Montenegro's independence, citizens of Montenegro used the same travel document as Serbia until 2008, the only difference being in issuing authority, in this case the Ministry of Interior of Montenegro (Montenegrin: Ministarstvo Unutrašnjih Poslova Crne Gore).

In December 2009, the European Union lifted visa requirements for Serbian citizens to travel up to 90 days within 6 months in the Schengen Area, but only applies only to new passport holders and are not residing in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija. Holders of the Blue Passports were still subject to visa requirements.

The FRY citizens have been confined to very a strict visa in most countries of the world, up to 2002 with the blue passport was permitted to travel visa-free of up to 90 days in only 25 countries.

In June 2006, the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro ceased to exist. However, both emerging countries have decided to continue using the FRY passports until new national passports are prepared. Issuance of the new passport of Montenegro started in 2008. The old form for Montenegrin citizens ceased to be valid. In the same year, the issuance of a new biometric passport for Serbia began, but the old form remained in use for persons whose passport had not expired. In December 2009, the European Union abolished visas for Serbian citizens for up to 90 days tourist stay within 6 months in the Schengen countries, but it was specified that the so-called "White Schengen" refers only to holders of a new passport (whose residence is not in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija). For practical reasons, the validity of the "blue passports" has been extended twice more for one year, until they finally expire on 31 December 2011.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTIONS

The passports are navy blue and have two inscriptions in golden printing Савезна Република Југославија (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) at the top and the word passport printed in three languages: Serbian (ПАСОШ in Cyrillic script), English and French at the bottom divided by the coat of arms in the middle.

Personal data on page 1 was entered in Serbian (Latin script).

VALIDITY
 
NOTES
 
Loosely translated,