The Nansen passport is an international document that certifies identity, first issued by the League of Nations for stateless refugees from the former Russian Empire. It was developed in 1922 by Norwegian Fridtjof Nansen, who served as the League of Nations' High Commissioner for Refugees. Initially, the passport was issued to Russians, but later it was also granted to other refugees who were unable to obtain a regular passport. The decision to introduce this document was made at a conference in Geneva. Holders of the Nansen passport could travel freely among the countries participating in the conference, and they were not subject to the restrictions imposed on stateless individuals.