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Guidance

British national (overseas) passport processing: caseworker guidance

Tells HM Passport Office staff how to process passport applications for customers who hold British national (overseas) citizenship.

Updates to this page

From:
HM Passport Office
Published:
1 November 2021
Last updated:
28 September 2026
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  1. This guidance has been updated to change terminology from X-drive to index card archives, and add a new section to tell examiners what to do when the nationality status on the customer’s passport is incorrect.

  2. Updated the British national (overseas) passport processing: caseworker guidance. A full list of changes can be found in the guide.

  3. Guidance updated - a full list of changes is in the 'changes from last version of this guidance' section.

  4. Guidance has been updated to clarify customers born on and after 1 July 1997 cannot register as a British national (overseas) citizen.

  5. The HMPO guidance has been updated.

  6. Accessible version added.

  7. First published.

Documents

British national (overseas) passport processing

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Details

This guidance tells HM Passport Office staff how to deal with applications from customers who were British dependent territories citizens connected to Hong Kong who became British nationals (overseas) or stateless on 1 July 1997.

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