Additional passports (accessible)

Question 1

About: Additional passports

Accepted Answer

This guidance tells His Majesty’s Passport Office staff how to process passport applications from customers in the UK or overseas who need additional (or second) passports because they:

need to get visas to travel on business
travel to incompatible countries (countries with political differences which may prevent travel between them two)
are frequent travellers

An additional passport holder is a customer who holds (or is applying to hold) more than one passport of the same type. It does not apply to customers who are eligible to hold single passports of 2 different types, such as:

passports in 2 different British nationalities
one diplomatic or official passport and one personal passport

Contacts

If you have any questions about the guidance and your line manager or senior caseworker cannot help you or you think that the guidance has factual errors then email Guidance and Quality, Operating Standards.

If you notice any formatting errors in this guidance (broken links, spelling mistakes and so on) or have any comments about the layout or navigability of the guidance then you can email Guidance and Quality, Operating Standards.

Publication

Below is information on when this version of the guidance was published:

version 21.0
published for Home Office staff on 29 August 2023

Changes from last version of this guidance

This guidance has been updated to tell examiners how to deal with applications for additional passports for HM government staff.

Question 2

What additional passports are

Accepted Answer

This section tells His Majesty’s Passport Office staff about additional (more than 1) passports.

HM Passport Office does not usually allow more than 1 passport per person but may issue additional passports to customers who:

have a genuine need for one and can provide evidence to show it
meet the criteria in this guidance

We must issue all additional passports in the same name and have the same observations as the original passport we issued unless:

the customer has a title or title observation, which must only be included in one of the passports
this guidance tells you otherwise, for example, when some dual nationals travel to incompatible countries

We commonly refer to additional passports as ‘second’ passports, but we may consider issuing the customer with more than 2 (on a case by case basis). If a customer asks for 3 or more valid passports and has a genuine need for them, a Higher Executive Officer (HEO) or someone senior must authorise it.

We must refuse an application for an additional passport, if:

we have concerns with a customer’s entitlement, nationality or identity
the customer cannot clearly prove they have a genuine need for one (in line with this guidance)

How customers can apply for an additional passport

Customers can apply for an additional passport by post, in person or online. The additional passport service is not widely promoted and there is no separate service type on the passport issuing system for processing these.

The customer should make their requirement clear when they make their application (for example, in person at a public counter or with a covering letter for online or paper applications). They must also provide documentation that they are a British national and proves their need for an additional passport, for example, by providing their British passport and a supporting letter from their employer to demonstrate their need for an additional passport.

Customers do not have the right to automatically renew their additional passport. When a customer applies to renew an additional passport, they must:

tell us why they need it
provide us with evidence to show they still need it

We will review applications for additional passports on a case by case basis, considering the customer’s need, the amount of validity they need on their additional passport and whether they would benefit from a 50 page frequent traveller passport instead.

When we will issue an additional passport

HM Passport Office only issue additional passports to customers who provide proof they are a British national in the form of their current British passport and are:

travelling to incompatible countries
business travellers and students (and those who accompany them) who travel frequently, in connection with their job or for study purposes
frequent travellers (or an overlap customer), who cross borders between countries on a daily basis (for work) these include:
- airline staff
- customers working in the haulage industry or food preparation, supply or distribution sector
United Kingdom (UK) government staff who need a passport to travel on business

If the customer is a frequent traveller (for example, airline staff), we can accept a colour photocopy of their passport in lieu of their original passport, if they can provide an explanation why they are unable to send us their original passport.

Question 3

Additional passports for travel to incompatible countries

Accepted Answer

This section tells His Majesty’s Passport Office staff when we will issue an additional passport for customers travelling to an incompatible country (a country that has political differences with a country the customer may have visited in the past) and provides a list of the countries that we know about.

The UK Government does not encourage customers concealing their travel history in multiple passports and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office website tells customers about country specific travel restrictions.

If a customer is travelling to a country that has political differences with another country, they may be refused entry if their passport shows evidence they:

travel to that country (for example, an immigration stamp or visa)
have dual citizenship of another incompatible country the customer needs to travel to (usually in the form of an observation)

If a stamp or visa from 1 country will prevent or cause travel problems in another country or area, we will consider issuing an additional passport or travel document, regardless of the reason for travel.

You must always check the customer’s circumstances and why they need an additional passport.

Proving travel to incompatible countries

To prove they are travelling to an incompatible country, customers must send us:

their current passport containing stamps or observations, to show they travel (or have a connection) to an incompatible country
evidence they intend to travel between incompatible countries (if they do not have a travel schedule, they may send us a signed letter from them, their employer or client, to explain why they need an additional passport)

We normally issue additional passports with full validity, but you may consider issuing a restricted validity passport in exceptional circumstances (for example, to allow for a one-off important visit). The FCDO may be able to issue an emergency travel document (ETD) to customers overseas in similar circumstances.

Links with Israel

Travel from Israel to some Arab or Muslim states, may cause a situation where the customer can be refused entry. These states include:

Iran
Iraq
Kuwait
Lebanon
Libya
Pakistan
Saudi Arabia
Sudan
Syria
Yemen

If a customer intends to travel to any of these countries, you must issue an additional passport to them, as long as their passports have an:

Israeli immigration stamp or visa
observation in their passport that refers to them being an Israeli dual national

If a customer is travelling from one of these states to Israel, you must not issue an additional passport.

Links with Saudi Arabia and Libya

If a customer is travelling to Saudi Arabia and their passport shows evidence they have travelled to Libya, you must issue an additional passport to them.

Links with Yemen and Pakistan

If a customer is travelling to Yemen and their passport shows evidence they have travelled to Pakistan, you must issue an additional passport to them.

Travel from Cuba to the USA through Mexico

If you know a customer with an additional passport is travelling from Cuba to the USA through Mexico, you must tell them to use the same passport to enter Cuba and Mexico, as:

the Mexican immigration authorities stamp the passport ‘Arrived from Cuba’
using only 1 passport means the other passport does not make reference to Cuba (as references to Cuba may cause the customer problems when arriving in the USA)

Travel to Serbia from the Kosovo border

You must issue an additional passport to a customer travelling between Kosovo and Serbia (as Serbian authorities have denied entry to foreign nationals who have Republic of Kosovo stamps in their passport).

If the customer needs advice about travel between Kosovo and Serbia, you must refer them to the:

Resident in Qatar

You must issue an additional passport to a customer who is resident in Qatar and can demonstrate they are working for a government body relating to:

Saudi Arabia
United Arab Emirates
Bahrain
Egypt

This is because some residents in Qatar have been denied entry at the borders of these countries due to an ongoing diplomatic dispute.

Observations showing dual citizenship

If a dual national has a foreign passport in another name, we must issue (or may have previously issued) their British passport with an observation to say:

‘The holder has a [name of country] passport, number [number] issued on [date] in the name of [name]. This passport is due to expire on [date]’

If a customer tells us the observation will cause them difficulty (for example, because they intend to travel to an incompatible country) we may consider issuing them with an additional passport. The additional passport will have limited validity to:

cover the period of intended travel (for example, 6 or 12 months)
meet the validity requirements of the country they are travelling to. To do this, you must check the entry requirement of the incompatible country on GOV.UK

When this happens, you must ask the customer to:

complete a new application using the first time passport service type
pay the correct fee for their application
send us written evidence of: * their travel to an incompatible country * the period of travel * the length of stay

When you get the application, you must:

Ask a Higher Executive Officer (HEO) to authorise it (before you issue the additional passport).
Change the passport’s expiry date on the application to show the new validity (you will need to process the application on AMS (Application Management System) to be able to do this).
Add the following observations to the passport:
- OBTO ‘THE HOLDER IS ALSO KNOWN AS [INSERT FREE TEXT UP TO 56 CHARACTERS]’ and change the free text field to show the customer’s other name
- OBTU ‘VALID FOR [INSERT FREE TEXT] MONTHS. NOT TO BE REPLACED WITHOUT REFERENCE TO HM PASSPORT OFFICE [INSERT FREE TEXT]
Add a case note to explain:
- the reason for the limited validity
- the length of the visit
- how much validity the customer needs in order to travel to the country
- all of the supporting documents and evidence you received
Scan all of the evidence and supporting documents you received on to the system (so you have a permanent record of them).
Add a passport note to all passport records for the customer (to link them together).
Make sure you do not electronically or physically cancel any passport the customer needs for future use.

You must not automatically renew the additional passport when it expires. If you get the additional passport, you must cancel it. If the customer has problems travelling after their additional passport expired, they must reapply for another one and send us the correct evidence (in line with this guidance).

Customers who have problems travelling to other countries

If a customer needs an additional passport because they are travelling to countries not listed in this guidance, you (the examiner) must check the country details with them.

If the customer insists they will be refused entry to a country not listed in this guidance, you must:

check with the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) for their latest travel advice
not issue the customer an additional passport while you check the latest travel advice

If the FCDO’s advice confirms the country is incompatible, you must issue the additional passport and tell the Guidance & Quality, Operating Standards, so they can update the guidance.

You must tell the customer to make sure they use their passports so the reference or connection to the incompatible country (shown by immigration stamps or visas) is only shown in 1 passport.

We normally issue additional passports with full validity, but you may consider issuing a Restricted Validity passport in exceptional circumstances, for example, to allow for a one-off important visit or where there is a limited time period that the additional passport is needed for (evidence of the need must be provided in both of these cases). The FCDO may be able to issue an emergency travel document (ETD) to customers overseas in similar circumstances.

Question 4

Additional passports: business travellers and study reasons

Accepted Answer

This section tells HM Passport Office staff what to consider when they deal with an application for an additional passport for a business traveller or for someone who frequently travels across borders to study.

HM Passport Office will issue an additional passport to frequent business travellers and students studying overseas who may need an additional passports so they can:

continue travelling for business purposes:
- and apply for a visa at the same time
- while they wait to get a new passport
travel to incompatible countries
continue their studies without disruption

We may also issue an additional passport to a frequent traveller’s partner and dependents or to a person accompanying a student (for example, a parent or carer) on their journey across a border.

You (the examiner) must:

consider these applications on a case by case basis, taking in to account the customer’s specific needs
ask your operational team leader (OTL) for advice (if you are unsure whether a business traveller’s partner or dependents or a person accompanying a student qualify for an additional passport)

If there are still doubts, you (the OTL) must contact your local Quality Examiner Support team (QuESt) for advice.

Who we may consider a traveller for study purposes

We are aware of situations where students (or the person accompanying them) have to frequently travel across international borders to study. We will consider an additional passport:

as their passports will fill with stamps quickly
so they can continue their studies without disruption
based on the evidence that shows why they need one

You may accept applications from students (or a person accompanying them):

travelling between Singapore and Malaysia to live and attend school or college
living in Brunei and attending a school in Borneo
attending the Raffles American school in Malaysia but travel to Singapore
from other countries and schools if their circumstances relating to frequent travel for study show this

Proof of frequent travel for business or study reasons

Alongside their British passport (or colour photocopy) the customer must send us proof they are a frequent traveller or need the passport for study purposes if they tell us they need an additional passport.

Proof of travel for study

If you decide the customer (or the person accompanying them) is a traveller for study and is eligible for an additional passport, they can apply for one without sending us their old passport.

Customers must send us confirmation from their head teacher or head of faculty confirming why they (or the person accompanying them) need to regularly travel across borders.

Proof of travel for business

Business customers must send us a letter confirming why they need an additional passport. The letter must be on company headed paper and be:

signed and dated within 6 months of the date the application was made
from:
- a senior person within their organisation
- the customer’s client
- the customer themselves

You must check the letter and the organisation supporting the application for an additional passport are genuine, by checking online to confirm they exist. For example, checking the official website to make sure the company logo and email domain names match the details on the letter. You must contact the organisation, client or customer and ask them for the covering letter and evidence, if any information is missing.

You must:

continue examining the application without contacting the company, if you complete online checks and are satisfied the:
- company exists and support the content of the letter
- letter is genuine
phone (or email) the organisation to confirm the contents of the letter, if you complete online checks and have doubts

If you contact an organisation and have fraud concerns, you must:

Refer the application to your local Counter Fraud team (CFT) explaining your concerns.
Follow their advice.

Question 5

Other frequent traveller exceptions (overlap customers)

Accepted Answer

This section tells His Majesty’s Passport Office staff when we will issue an additional passport to someone who is a frequent traveller who would not usually be eligible for one.

HM Passport Office is aware some customers have to regularly travel across international borders to work and so need to keep their current passport during the renewal process. For example, this could be because they travel as part of their job.

These customers are not normally eligible for an additional passport. However, we may exceptionally consider issuing a second passport to overlap with their current one, so they are not:

stranded in a foreign country
stopped from working because they are without a passport

Who we consider a frequent ‘overlap’ traveller

Frequent travellers are people who travel so often they are unable to send us their passport for renewal. We consider frequent travellers (overlap customers) to be:

airline crew
UK government staff who hold diplomatic or official status and their dependants who live overseas, renewing their standard passport (with or without a diplomatic or official observation)
working in the haulage industry (for example, lorry drivers)
working in the food preparation, supply or distribution sector whose jobs involve preparing, supplying or delivering food to supermarkets and shops

These customers will be eligible for an overlap passport if all the following 4 points apply:

they are unable to apply for Premium or Fast Track service in the UK
they are applying for a standard renewal and none of their personal details have changed
at least 1 of the following points applies:
- their current passport is due to expire in the next 9 months
- the visa pages in their current passport are full and they need their new passport to put new visas in
they confirm in writing why being without a passport would have a significant impact on their employment, for example, when they need to:
- travel across borders frequently to get to their place of work and their passport quickly fills with entry and exit stamps Page 16 of 26 Published for Home Office staff on 29 August 2023
- get visas or permits in their new passport to continue to travel and they need to travel while they renew their passport

We will also consider issuing an overlap passport if the customer has an exceptional compassionate reason why they need an additional passport.

You (the examiner) must ask Guidance & Quality, Operating Standards (using the Quality and Examination Support team referral route) to authorise the issue of an additional passport under an exceptional compassionate circumstance.

Proof of frequent travel for overlap customers

If you decide the customer is a frequent traveller and is eligible for an additional passport, they can apply for one without sending us their old passport. The customer must send us:

a colour copy of every page of their current valid British passport (for first time additional passport applications) or the additional passport they are applying to renew (renewal applications), including all of the visa pages
a letter dated within 6 months of the date of application, signed, on headed paper from their employer, prospective employer or client (if the customer is self-employed) that confirms:
- the employee’s job role
- an offer of employment has been made (of the customer is about to start work)
- the customer needs their passport for their job role for identity or travel reasons
- why they travel and how often
- why the customer cannot use the Fast Track or Premium service in the UK (if the customer lives in the UK)
- the employer’s email address and phone number
- confirmation the employer or client will return the passport to us within 3 months to be cancelled, if they have agreed to do this
a signed and dated letter from the customer that:
- explains why they need an additional passport (if the customer tells us they need an additional passport for an exceptional reason)
- includes confirmation that they will return the passport to us within 3 months to be cancelled

If the employer or client’s letter does not confirm they will return the passport to us within 3 months, the customer must provide us with a signed and recently dated letter to confirm they:

will send us the passport within 3 months, to be cancelled
understand the passport will be cancelled electronically if it is not returned within the 3 month period

You must remember that stamps in the customer’s passport will usually confirm their travel history but may not be there if they a new employee.

Proof of frequent travel for airline crew

HM Passport Office must accept electronic letters (email) from all airlines in support of additional passport applications.

Confirmation checks must be conducted on all airline letters regardless of whether they are electronic or not.

Proof of frequent travel for diplomatic or official staff and dependants

Customers who live overseas because they or their immediate family member work for the UK government in a diplomatic or official capacity may apply for an overlap passport if needed. These standard passports may or may not require a diplomatic or official observation.

These customers (and their dependants) must supply a letter from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office confirming their employment and the name of any dependants (who may be applying) if they need an overlap passport. You, the examiner, must check the letter is acceptable.

You must deal with the request for an overlap passport from these customers alongside guidance for Standard passport applications: diplomatic or official staff.

Dealing with applications from overlap customers

If the customer is entitled to hold an additional passport as an overlap customer, you must:

check the customer’s request for an additional passport is genuine
not cancel their current passport on the system when you issue their new one

If you are dealing with an application from an overlap customer on DAP, you must transfer the application to AMS. This is because current functionality means DAP will automatically cancel the customer’s old (other) passport when the application has been processed. We must not cancel the passport because the customer will still need to use this until they receive their new passport (so the application must be processed on AMS).

You, the AMS examiner, must then:

send the customer letter 178 to tell them to return their old passport as soon as they receive their new one, or within 3 months (unless they applied using a Local Service office)
email an electronic copy of the letter to the Customer Service Management team (CSMT) (as they will cancel the passport at the end of the 3 month period, if it has not been returned to us)

CSMT must cancel the customer’s passport (physically and on the system) when they receive it, or at the end of the 3 month period. Customer Service Liaison teams (CSLt) will cancel additional passports sent by overlap customers to Document Handling Units.

Overlap customers: applying through a Visa Application Centre.

If the customer is applying from an overseas country with a Local Service Visa Application Centre (VAC) and they need to keep their current passport, you must email the customer (copying in the VAC) to tell them to:

visit their local service (VAC) and hand over their old passport as soon as they receive their new passport, or within 3 months of getting it

The VAC will physically cancel the passport and forward it to CSMT. CSMT must cancel the passport on the system when they get it.

Question 6

Additional passports for His Majesty’s Government staff

Accepted Answer

This section tells His Majesty’s Passport Office staff what to consider when issuing additional passports to staff working for His Majesty’s Government.

His Majesty’s Government employees (and their dependents) who frequently travel overseas, may apply for an additional passport, using a letter from their manager or human resources team. It must be on government department headed paper.

You, the examiner, must deal with requests for additional standard passports using the guidance for business travellers.

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: additional passports

Staff in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) may apply for an additional passport (and sometimes more than 1 additional passport) if they frequently travel or because they travel to incompatible countries.

The FCDO authorising officer will confirm in writing if the customer needs an additional passport. They do not need to confirm which countries the customer will visit.

FCDO staff can submit a Portable Document Format (PDF) letter of authorisation instead of a traditional letter but it must include an electronic signature from their line manager or human resources team.

Diplomatic and Official service additional passports

You must be aware that we do not consider someone holding a Diplomatic or Official passport and a standard (or personal use) passport, as having an additional passport.

Diplomatic or Official service staff applying for an additional standard or Diplomatic passport must also provide authorisation to hold one from a senior member of the service.

If a staff member from a government department asks for 2 or more passports of any type (for example, 2 Diplomatic, Official or standard passports) they must have approval from their human resources department.

Ministry of Defence and His Majesty’s Armed Forces

Staff in the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and His Majesty’s Armed Forces may have an urgent need for an additional passport or may need to hold onto their existing passport while they apply to renew it.

A senior staff member (warrant officer or above) in the department must support the application for an additional passport and confirm in writing why the customer needs one.

Question 7

Examining applications for additional passports

Accepted Answer

This section tells His Majesty’s Passport office examiners how to examine an application for an additional passport.

When you, the examiner, check a customer’s application for an additional passport you must consider:

the service type used to process the application
if you can confirm the customer’s nationality and identity
if the customer is entitled to hold an additional passport
if they or their organisation used a frequent traveller exemption before and if have always returned their passport to us after receiving their new one, however:
if a customer did not return their old passport in the past, this does not automatically mean they cannot use overlap passport process
you must consider the passage of time and the customers reasons why they did not return their old passport

Additional passports: service types

Customers can apply for an additional passport by post, in person or online. The additional passport service is not widely promoted and there is no separate service type on the passport issuing system for processing these.

If a customer makes an application for an additional passport online, Digital Customer Services (DCS) will allocate a service type, based on the information the customer provides. This may be renewal, replacement or the first time service type.

DAP: service types for additional passports

You, the examiner, cannot change the service type if you are dealing with the application in Digital Application Processing (DAP). You must continue to deal with the application regardless of the service type shown, in line with the DAP service types guidance.

When the customer submits their application DAP will automatically complete checks against Main Index (MI). The tasks DAP generates will depend on the service type of the application, and whether the customer already holds more than 1 passport or is applying for their first additional passport if the service type is:

renewal, DAP may generate a multiple British passports task
replacement, DAP will generate a lost or stolen task, and your manual MI search will identify previous passports
first time application, DAP may generate an undeclared passport task

DAP may also create other tasks, which you must process following the relevant guidance.

AMS: service types for additional passports

If you are dealing with an application on the Application Management Service (AMS), the service type may have been automatically selected by DCS or the customer may have selected it on a paper application form.

On AMS, you must make sure the service type is:

renewal, if the customer is applying for their first additional passport or to renew an existing additional passport as there is no requirement for a referee
replacement, if the customer is applying to replace a lost or stolen additional passport, in line with the How to replace lost, stolen or recovered passports guidance

AMS will generate a multiple current passports warning as automatic checks against Main Index (MI) will show the customer already holds another passport.

Additional passports: checking the need

You must carefully consider the reason why the customer wants an additional passport and:

if it will meet their travel needs
the amount of validity they need on an additional passport
if they would benefit from the larger, 50 page frequent traveller passport instead

If you think a 50 page frequent traveller passport is more suitable, you must phone the customer to tell them. If the customer agrees that a frequent traveller passport is the better option, you must:

take the correct fee
change the application to show they want a 50 page frequent traveller passport
tell them they must send you their old passport so you can cancel it, before you can issue a 50 page frequent traveller passport

If the customer wants to continue with their application for an additional passport, you must deal with their application for it (as long as they are eligible for one), in line with this guidance.

You must add a case note to the application that shows all the action and decisions you made, including any decisions the customer made.

Checking the customer is entitled to an additional passport

The customer must send us proof they need an additional passport. In all cases, you must check the:

customer’s British passport and our MI records to confirm their:
- British nationality
- identity
- need for an additional passport (for example, proof of frequent travel)
customer’s evidence confirms their need for an additional passport
organisation (for example, school, airline, company) supporting the application is genuine.

You must check the letter and the organisation supporting the application for an additional passport are genuine, by checking online to confirm they exist. For example, checking the official website to make sure the company logo and email domain names match the details on the letter.

You must:

continue examining the application without contacting the company, if you complete online checks and are satisfied the:
- company exists and support the content of the letter
- letter is genuine
phone (or email) the organisation to confirm the contents of the letter, if you complete online checks and have doubts

If you contact an organisation and have fraud concerns, you must:

Refer the application to your local Counter Fraud team (CFT) explaining your concerns.
Follow their advice.

Additional passports: checking the customer’s passport

When the customer sends us proof they need an additional passport, they must also send us:

their current passport if they are applying for their first additional passport
a colour photocopy of their current passport if they need to hold onto it while their application is being processed
the passport they are renewing (if they already hold an additional passport) together with a colour photocopy of any other British passports they hold

We may accept a colour copy of the full current passport including all visa pages, if the customer explains in a letter why they cannot send us their passport. In this instance the customer must be a business traveller or student (including those who accompany them) who:

travels frequently and:
- the passport they are renewing holds visas or travel permits which they need for continued travel
- they currently hold one British passport which they need to keep with them during the application process (for example, as local laws mean they cannot be in a country undocumented)

If the customer is unable to provide a colour copy of their passport, in exceptional circumstances you (the examiner) can continue to deal with the application, when you have satisfactorily confirmed the customer’s identity, entitlement and nationality, using our own records.

You must ask the customer to send you their passport or a colour photocopy if you cannot confirm their details from Main Index.

Additional passports: confirming the customer’s identity

If a customer applies for an additional passport you must:

confirm their identity
compare the photo and personal details on their application, against our records using:
- Main Index (MI)
- the Generic Issuance Environment (GENIE) database (if you need to)
accept the application without a referee, if:
- you can confirm the customer’s identity from our passport records
- there are no fraud concerns
- there is no evidence the customer’s passport is damaged

If you can confirm the customer’s nationality and identity on the system, you must not invite them to attend an interview, unless they:

have lost their passport multiple times
are making a first-time passport application and applying for their first additional passport at the same time

When you have confirmed the customer’s identity and nationality from our records, you must check the proof they need an additional passport, is acceptable for our purposes.

Additional passports: checking the customer’s old passport

You may need to check the pages in the customer’s old (or current) passport, to confirm the customer meets our requirements for an additional passport, before you issue one.

Examiners working on:

AMS must do this manually
DAP must check the document handling process used for the customer’s passport and ask the:
- embedded civil servant (ECS) working in the Document Handling Unit (DHU) to review the old passport for you
- second-line Document Management Service (SLDMS) staff working in the Document Management Service (DMS) to review the old passport for you

If you decide the customer has not provided enough evidence, you must contact them and request this.

Additional passports: recording decisions

When you decide if the customer is entitled to an additional passport you must:

add a case note to the application to show the actions and decisions you made
make sure the customer’s evidence showing the need for an additional passport is scanned on to the system, as a permanent record (unless you are told not to)

Additional passports: cancelling the correct passport

When we renew an additional passport, we will physically and electronically cancel it (unless they are frequent ‘overlap’ travellers). As customers may be applying for their first additional passport you must always:

only cancel a passport that has been sent in for renewal or replacement
make sure you cancel the correct passport

Digital Application Processing (DAP): cancelling the passport

If you are dealing with an application on DAP, you must:

Open the customer’s application on DAP to the Application details tab.
Select Personal details, this will show you the customer’s details from their application and the details we hold for them on MI for the passport they have declared on the application.
Check the old passport details are for the passport that requires cancelling (and not the additional passport that must remain uncancelled).

If you are satisfied the old passport details are correct you may proceed. The system will automatically:

electronically cancel the passport on MI
tell the DHU or DMS to physically cancel the passport (before returning it to the customer)

Application Management System (AMS): cancelling the passport

To make sure you do not cancel the wrong passport, you must:

Open the customer’s application to the Photo and Signature tab.
Check only 1 passport number is recorded.
Remove the tick from the Cancel Passport box on the Previous Passport Details section, if the customer is not renewing this passport (and it must remain valid).
Save the record before you move to a new screen. If you do not save the change, AMS will cancel the customer’s other passport.

If the customer is renewing a previous additional passport, you must leave the tick in Cancel Passport box. The system will automatically cancel the passport on MI.
When the new additional passport has been issued, the system will automatically remove the tick from the Cancel Passport box and this option will be no longer available.

Additional passports: updating Main Index

If a customer holds 2 or more British passports (of any kind), you, the examiner working on AMS or DAP, must manually update MI records with a passport note on every valid passport record the customer has, including the new passport (unless you are told not to).

You must follow the Multiple British passports and nationality statuses guidance for how to do this. Check the passport note correctly shows on MI.

Customer is not entitled to an additional passport

If the customer is not entitled to hold an additional passport, you must:

Tell the customer:

they are not entitled to hold an additional passport
we will refuse (withdraw) the application
we will not refund the application fee

If they have previously held more than 1 passport:

physically and electronically (on MI) cancel the additional passport, (for example, if they have sent us an additional passport they have tried to renew)
add a passport note on MI to any other passports the customer holds to record your actions

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