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Mehran Karimi Nasseri

Mehran Karimi Nasseri (1945–12 November 2022) was an Iranian refugee known for living in the departure lounge of Terminal 1 at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport for about 18 years.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 27, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Mehran Karimi Nasseri (1945–12 November 2022) was an Iranian refugee known for living in the departure lounge of Terminal 1 at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport for about 18 years. He was also known as Sir, Alfred Mehran, and his life reportedly inspired the 2004 film The Terminal.

Early life

Available sources identify Nasseri as Iranian and give his birth year as 1945, though some sources disagree on the exact birthplace and broader details of his early life.

Life at Charles de Gaulle Airport

Nasseri lived in the airport’s Terminal 1 for many years after becoming stranded in transit. Reports describe his situation as a prolonged immigration and documentation dispute.

Later years and death

He was eventually allowed to live in France, but later returned to the airport. BBC reported that he died there of natural causes in 2022.

Cultural influence

Nasseri’s case became internationally famous and is widely described as an inspiration for the 2004 film The Terminal, as well as other dramatized works.

Key facts

  • Nasseri was an Iranian refugee whose long stay at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport made him widely known.
  • He lived in the airport’s Terminal 1 departure lounge from 26 August 1988 until July 2006.
  • His case was linked to diplomatic and immigration limbo after he lost access to his travel documents.
  • His story is widely reported as having inspired the film The Terminal.
  • He died at Charles de Gaulle Airport in November 2022.
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Canadian context

Canadian readers may know Nasseri through international coverage of refugee status, airport detention, and the film The Terminal, which made his story widely recognizable in Canada as well.

Frequently asked questions

Who was Mehran Karimi Nasseri?
He was an Iranian refugee best known for living for many years at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.
Why was he famous?
He became famous because he lived in an airport terminal for about 18 years after becoming trapped in immigration and documentation problems.
How long did he live at the airport?
Reports commonly state that he lived there from 1988 until 2006, or about 18 years.
Was he the inspiration for The Terminal?
Sources commonly report that his life inspired the 2004 film The Terminal, though some accounts describe this as “supposedly” inspired.
When did he die?
He died on 12 November 2022 at Charles de Gaulle Airport.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehran_Karimi_Nasseri
    Supports: Birth year, alias Sir, Alfred Mehran, and long-term residence at Charles de Gaulle Airport.
  2. BBC News — https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63612017
    Supports: Death in 2022, 18-year stay at the airport, and link to The Terminal.
  3. BBC World Service — https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct3c2h
    Supports: 18 years living in Charles de Gaulle Airport due to diplomatic limbo.
  4. The Indian Express — https://www.indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-global/meet-mehran-karimi-nasseri-the-iranian-refugee-who-supposedly-inspired-steven-spielbergs-the-terminal/
    Supports: Summary of his story and the reported inspiration for The Terminal.
  5. Chambers Student — https://www.chambersstudent.co.uk/where-to-start/commercial-awareness-info/the-memo/the-memo-mehran-karimi-nasseri-refugee-status-and-the-legal-aspects-of-citizenship
    Supports: Background on refugee status and legal/documentation issues.