Guidance

How to deal with customers of different ages: caseworker guidance

Updated 23 July 2025

Version 12.0

Guidance for His Majesty’s Passport Office staff explaining how guidance changes for customers when they move across an age boundary while we are processing their application (for example, turn 12 or 16)

About: How to deal with customers of different ages

This guidance tells His Majesty’s Passport Office staff how guidance changes for customers when they move across an age boundary while we are processing their application (for example, turn 12 or 16).

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 the Guidance teamOperationalGuidanceQueries@hmpo.gov.uk

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 the Guidance teamOperationalGuidanceQueries@hmpo.gov.uk

Publication

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

• version 12.0

• published or Home Office staff on 24 June 2025

Changes from last version of this guidance

This guidance has been updated to:

• tell examiners the process they must follow if a child turns 12 during the application process

• tell examiners they must phone the customer to see if a child who turns 12 can sign their passport

• show that if the customer crosses an age threshold (child – adult) the application now remains in DAP (Digital Application Processing)

• confirm when an examiner must request a new referee if the customer turns 16

• remove references to Application Management System (AMS)

Customer turns 12 during the examination process

This section tells HM Passport Office staff how to deal with applications when the customer turns 12 when the application is being examined (for example we are awaiting documents).

If a customer turns 12 while the application is being examined, you, the examiner must:

• continue to follow the referee guidance which tells you when you must examine the referee (the child turning 12 does not change when this must happen, though it may change whether a referee has been provided)

• not ask for a new paper form if the child’s signature is missing (see Signatures for 12 to 15 year olds)

• perform different actions depending on the system

DAP: customer turns 12

You, the DAP (Digital Application Processing) examiner, do not need to check if the child is turning 12.

DAP will create the task Applicant age changed from under 12 to 12 to 15 if the customer turns 12 during the examination process.

You must:

1. Phone the customer to see if the child can sign their passport. If they cannot, see unable to sign guidance.

2. Check the New passport details – Able to sign option is correct and shows:

• No if they are under 12, or unable to sign

• Yes if they are over 12 and can sign the passport

Customer turns 16 during the examination process

This section tells HM Passport Office staff how to deal with applications when the customer is due to turn, or turns, 16 when the application is being examined (for example we are awaiting documents).

If a customer turns 16 while the application is being examined, you, the examiner, must treat the application as an adult application.

You must check we have consent from the correct person (for example, the intended passport holder) when dealing with the application.

When we receive a passport application for a child (aged 0 to 15 years old) our systems will automatically issue a passport valid for 5 years. We must issue adult customers with a passport valid for 10 years.

You do not need to check the passport validity on DAP.

If a customer applies online using Digital Customer Services (DCS) and they will turn 16 within 3 weeks DCS will allocate an adult service type. The customer will be asked to complete the declaration as an adult and pay the adult fee.

Customer turns 16: is a new referee required

If a customer turns 16 while the application is being examined and the referee provided when the application was submitted was acceptable, then you must continue to accept the original referee as they have confirmed the photo and personal details of the intended passport holder.

If you have any concerns with the application, you must request a new referee.

DAP: customer turning 16 in 3 weeks

DAP (Digital Application Processing) will treat the application as an adult application. For example, it will not create a parental responsibility task if the customer has completed the declaration.

You, the DAP examiner, do not need to check if the customer is 15 or 16. You must complete the tasks presented to you, as if the customer was 16. For example, you must follow the Authorisation and consent guidance as if the customer was 16. This is because:

• the customer has applied as an adult

• their passport will not be issued and printed until they are 16

If the customer turns 16 and the application is still being processed, you will not need to ask for additional fees or information, just because they are now an adult application.

DAP will automatically create the Interview task once the customer is 16 (even if you complete all other tasks). If all other tasks are completed, DAP will automatically hold the application until the customer turns 16 before:

• creating the Interview task, if the customer is applying from the UK for their first passport (because we cannot conduct an interview unless the customer is 16 or over)

• sending the passport to print (because we are issuing a 10 year passport, and we must not do this until the customer is 16)

DAP: customer turns 16

You, the DAP (Digital Application Processing) examiner, do not need to check if the customer is turning 16.

If the customer applies within 3 weeks of turning 16, DAP will treat the application as an adult application.

If the customer applied more than 3 weeks before turning 16, the application will be received by DAP as a child application. DAP will automatically create an Applicant age moved to 16/17 task if the customer turns 16 during the examination process. Because DAP completes automatic checks at different points in an application’s progress, the task may not appear until you complete other tasks and select submit.

DAP: customer needs their passport before they turn 16

If the customer urgently needs a passport before they turn 16 (but the applicant type is adult), you must select I cannot do this application and Cannot change adult to child.