A powerful Facebook post by ByeBye Fatman, a British man living in Zambia and married to a national from there, has reignited debate about what he describes as a “global double standard” in the way travellers are treated depending on their passport and the colour of their skin.

Writing from the perspective of a mixed-race family that frequently moves between Africa and the West, his reflection has resonated widely among Africans in the diaspora.

In his post, he argues that passport privilege remains one of the most glaring inequalities in modern travel. According to him, Western travellers—particularly white Europeans and North Americans—often pass through African borders with ease, receiving warm smiles, visa-on-arrival approvals and a general sense of welcome. He notes that even when questioned, the tone is typically polite and respectful.

However, the same cannot be said for Africans attempting to enter Europe or North America. He describes a layered system of barriers that begin long before a traveller reaches the airport: visa interviews, intrusive financial checks, endless documentation, high rejection rates and repeated reminders that Africans must “prove they are worthy” before gaining entry.

At airports, he says the contrast becomes even sharper. Africans are more likely to be singled out for additional questioning, extra screening, and suspicion-led bag checks. Meanwhile, Westerners—particularly white travellers—often move through immigration quickly, sometimes with nothing more than a polite greeting and a stamp.

Using examples from his own household, ByeBye Fatman highlights the racial disparity even more clearly. He notes that his Zambian wife experiences far more intense scrutiny in European airports than he does, despite having the same legitimate travel intentions. Their mixed-race children, he says, are often waved through, yet he can still sense the difference in tone when officers address their family.

He describes this as micro-racism—small, repeated indignities that wear down dignity over time. Beyond airports, he also points to macro racism—the structural barriers Africans confront in the West, from housing and employment to policing and immigration systems. Many Africans in the diaspora, he notes, navigate these challenges daily.

In striking contrast, experiences reverse when the family arrives in Africa. According to him, hospitality is immediate and unconditional. His wife is welcomed with joy, his children are embraced instantly, and even he benefits from a cultural warmth extended to visitors regardless of nationality. The irony, he argues, is painful: millions of Africans who offer warmth to Westerners would be treated very differently if they travelled in the opposite direction.

Crucially, he emphasises that his post is not anti-West nor an attempt to glorify Africa. Instead, he calls for honest discussion about the double standards that shape global mobility. His argument is that Africans deserve the same dignity, fairness and presumption of innocence that Westerners take for granted abroad.

He concludes by urging both the West and the international community to confront these disparities rather than hide behind politeness, systems or silence. “Silence protects the comfortable,” he writes, insisting that only by naming these inequalities can meaningful change begin.

His post, now circulating widely online, has sparked ongoing conversations among migrants, mixed families, African diasporans and global mobility advocates, many of whom say they have lived through similar experiences.

Attribution

This article is curated from a Facebook post by ByeBye Fatman, a Briton from Hereford currently living in Zambia, originally shared with the caption #PassportPrivilege #MixedRaceFamily #AntiRacism #GlobalInequality.