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Guidance

Observations in passports: caseworker guidance

Tells HM Passport Office staff how to add observations to passports.

Updates to this page

From:
HM Passport Office
Published:
7 February 2012
Last updated:
1 July 2026
Show all updates

  1. This guidance has been updated in the section Identity observations, to tell examiners what to do when they need to add an observation referencing a disputed territory.

  2. Updated the observations in passports caseworker guidance. A full list of changes can be found in the guide.

  3. Updates detailed in 'changes from last version of this guidance'.

  4. Guidance updated to remove the instruction to add the APC (Application Processing Centre) office in the restricted validity observation (OBTU).

  5. This version of the guidance has been updated to reflect the change in our sovereign from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to His Majesty King Charles III. Also the observations needed for standard passports issued to diplomatic staff and their families have changed and Kings Messenger service passports have changed and a new one has been added.

  6. Accessible version added.

  7. Guidance updated with formatting changes throughout.

  8. First published.

Documents

Observations in passports (accessible)

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Details

This guidance tells HM Passport Office staff about passport observations, including:

  • what they are
  • when they are used
  • how to add them to a passport

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