He couldn’t enter or leave France, so he lived at the airport for 18 years

31 Mar 2026 · 1 min

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The video narrates the true story of Mehran Karimi Nasseri, a refugee who arrived at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in 1988 without proper documentation. Because he lacked papers, he was unable to enter France or leave the airport, forcing him to remain inside Terminal 1 for nearly two decades. Over 18 years he established a daily routine—sleeping on benches, reading newspapers, writing journals—and became a familiar figure to airport staff and travelers, who sometimes offered food or conversation. His extraordinary circumstance attracted public attention and later inspired books and a Hollywood film. The narration reflects on how an ordinary place can become the setting for an almost fictional tale of statelessness and prolonged liminality.

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Mehran Karimi Nasseri lived inside an airport terminal for nearly 2 decades. In 1988, Nasseri arrived at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. He was traveling as a refugee, but somewhere along the journey, his documents were lost. Without proper papers, he couldn't enter France, but he also couldn't leave. So he stayed inside the airport. Days turned into weeks, weeks into years. Nasseri built a routine. He slept on benches, read newspapers, wrote in journals. Airport staff and travelers began to recognize him. Some brought food, others stopped to talk. He became part of the environment, a man living in transit without ever arriving. For 18 years, Terminal 1 became his home. His story later inspired books and even a Hollywood movie. Mehran Nasseri didn't plan this life. Sometimes reality creates stories so unusual they feel almost fictional, but they happen in the most ordinary places.