I found this Mike:

Ancient Times: There are references to travel documents in ancient civilizations. For example, the Hebrew Bible mentions a document given to Nehemiah by the Persian king Artaxerxes in the 5th century BCE to facilitate his travel.

Medieval Period: In medieval Europe, various forms of travel documents were issued by local authorities to allow travel between different regions.

16th Century: The term "passport" began to be used in England, referring to documents issued by the King to permit travel through a port.

19th Century: The concept of passports started to resemble modern forms, especially with the rise of the nation-state and more structured international travel.

Early 20th Century: The League of Nations (precursor to the United Nations) held a conference in 1920, which led to the standardization of passport formats and regulations. This marked the beginning of the modern era of passports with internationally recognized standards.