Guidance

Basic passport checks

To be used when checking passports for identification.

• From: HM Passport Office
• Published: 9 February 2011
• Last updated: 1 December 2025 — See all updates

Applies to England and Wales

Documents

Basic passport checks (accessible)

HTML

Basic passport checks

PDF, 5.13 MB, 26 pages

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Details

This document is to be used when checking passports for identification.

It covers the important information of what to expect, plus additional notes for the 1988, 1998, 2006, 2010, 2015, 2020 and 2025 versions of the UK passport.

Published 9 February 2011

Last updated 1 December 2025 + show all updates

1. 1 December 2025

   Updated guidance to include the new series D passport design introduced in 2025.

2. 19 May 2022

   Accessible HTML version added.

3. 22 February 2020

   Updated to remove references to DX.

4. 18 September 2018

   Updated to reflect extended validity

5. 9 December 2015

   Updated guidance

6. 9 February 2011

   First published.