Changes to passport Applications

November 2005

I have had this information from the Chief Executive of UK Passport Agency:

Over the next twelve months, the UK Passport Service will be introducing a number of new initiatives which they say will bring major improvements to the way we authenticate the identity of passport applicants and combat passport fraud. They estimate that at least 12,000 fradulant applicationsa ar received each year, many from first time applicants, and this is growing rapidly.

To counter the rising threat of passport fraud and forgery we are also introducing enhanced background checks of applicants using private and public sector data alongside interviews for first time adult (over-16) applicants.

These interviews for ALL first time adult passport applicants are due to start in October 2006. They will take place in new offices spread throughout the UK and will last approximately 15-20 minutes. The outome will be to determine that the person applying for the passport is the person who made the application and is designed to counter the particular fraud of stolen or substituted identity.

The new measures will increase the time it takes to process a passport application by at least a week. When this comes into being and the Passport Service is working through the details at the moment, they are recommending that first time applicants should allow 6 weeks for the process to be completed.

If you have any comment on this as one of my constituents, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me.