What type of passport is indicated by a black cover?

A black cover on a passport typically indicates a diplomatic passport. Diplomatic passports are issued to individuals representing their government in an official capacity, such as ambassadors and consuls. The distinctive color and design serve to signify the special status and privileges that come with diplomatic missions, including immunity from certain legal liabilities in the host country.

Regular passports, used by ordinary citizens for travel, usually have different colors, often blue or burgundy, depending on the country. Official or military passports may also feature variations in color, such as dark blue or green, but they do not carry the same significance as diplomatic passports. Temporary passports, which are often issued to travelers who have lost their regular passport while abroad, typically have a distinct visual appearance, also differentiating them from the permanent ones. For this reason, the black-covered passport is specifically representative of those in diplomatic roles.