Papers, Please is a game that revolves around the exciting process of document approval or rejection at an immigration office.

In real-life scenarios, travelers present their passport and visa details at the airport, and only after approval are they permitted to board their flight. If their documents are not in order, they must return home despite having paid for the visa. In Papers, Please, individuals approach the immigration checkpoint, where you play as the immigration officer. Your task is straightforward: identify robbers, criminals, and smugglers, check if they have any pending court cases, or if they are restricted from entering the country due to a court order. Travelers provide their passport and visa, and you must decide whether to stamp it with 'accepted' or 'rejected' and return it to them. Throughout this process, additional documents may be presented, which you must review to make an informed decision on granting entry or not.

Some individuals may repeatedly attempt to pass through immigration, requiring vigilance in reviewing their visa. If they persist, you are tasked with reporting them to airport security. This game is essentially a documentation simulator, allowing players to experience the role of a diligent immigration officer. Set in the fictional country of Arstotzka, you manage the immigration desk at its airport.

Having recently emerged from a six-year war, Arstotzka is now focused on permitting people to travel from their nation. Your duty involves identifying potential criminals or war criminals attempting to leave, confiscating their passports, and handing them over to Arstotzka's police. You play a crucial role in determining who can return home or who should be detained by Arstotzkan airport police and immigration officers.