Guidance

How to correct errors on passports (accessible)

Updated 24 July 2025

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-resolving-errors-on-passports/how-to-correct-errors-on-passports-accessible

Version 28.0

This guidance tells His Majesty’s Passport Office what to do if we issue a passport with an error

About: How to correct errors on passports

This guidance tells His Majesty’s Passport Office operational staff what to do if we issue a passport with an error. You must use this guidance if the error in a passport relates to:

  • a customer’s title of nobility
  • a customer’s name
  • a customer’s place of birth
  • a customer’s date of birth
  • a customer’s gender
  • a customer’s nationality status
  • a customer’s photo
  • an observation
  • the validity of the passport
  • the wrong type of passport (for example, a standard passport instead of a Diplomatic or Official passport)
  • HM Passport Office issuing the passport in error, before all checks were complete

Refer to:

  • withdrawing passport applications and passport facilities guidance, if we have issued the customer a passport in error, because:
    • we are not satisfied with their identity
    • they do not have a nationality claim
    • they are not entitled to hold one
  • damaged passport guidance, for dealing with damaged passports
  • faulty passports guidance, for dealing with faulty passports
  • address guidance for dealing with address errors
  • connected applications if there is a connected application with an error

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 team.

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 team.

Publication

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

  • version 28.0
  • published for Home Office staff on 8 July 2025

Changes from last version of this guidance

This guidance has been updated to:

  • remove references to DMS (Document Management Service)
  • remove references to transferring applications to AMS (Application Management System)
  • tell HM Passport staff when a referee is required on an application to correct an error on a passport
  • tell examiners working on DAP (Digital Application Processing) how to correct an error on a passport and deal with the application free of charge on DAP
  • tell examiners what they must do if there is an error on a connected application
  • tell HM Passport Office staff a customer must send a paper application form, photos and relevant documents to the Document Handling Unit (DHU) if an error is found on a passport
  • tell HM Passport Office staff we have removed any guidance telling staff to re-open applications to reissue a passport, as we are unable to on DAP
  • tell HM Passport Office staff how to deal with passport errors when the customer has urgent travel booked
  • remove references to Application Management System (AMS)
  • change terminology from ‘overseas’ to ‘international’ when referring to customers
  • tell staff what to do if a passport containing errors is sent to an Application Processing Centre (APC)
  • change the name of observation OBTZ to OBTP
  • tell Customer Service Management team (CSMT) staff they must record any errors onto the Quality tool
  • tell examiners how to correct an error on a passport and deal with the application free of charge on Digital Application Processing (DAP)

Passports with errors

This section tells HM Passport Office staff how we make sure a customer’s details are correct on a passport, what happens if we issue a passport with an error, the types of errors we must fix in a passport, what to consider if the error relates to a wrong photo or nationality status and how we handle errors in passports.

Before we issue a passport to a customer, we must use current guidance to make sure we:

  • use the correct:
    • title of nobility (if they have one)
    • name
    • date of birth
    • place of birth
    • gender
    • photo
    • nationality status
    • observations (if they need them)
  • use the correct product (for example, a frequent traveller passport, variant passport or Diplomatic or Official passport)

What happens if we issue a passport with an error

If HM Passport Office issues a customer’s passport with an error:

  • they may not be able to use it to:
    • travel
    • confirm their identity
  • it may affect their:
    • residency or immigration status
    • employment
    • entitlement to public services (for example, health or social care)

It may also affect HM Passport Office’s reputation (if the customer contacts the media or makes a complaint) as well as financially, through:

  • extra costs to fix the error
  • compensation claims

We do not charge any fees when we make an error in a passport (see Passport fees).

The customer must return the passport with the error to us, so we can fix the error and deal with their replacement passport in line with guidance. You must not issue the replacement passport, until the customer has returned the passport with the error (unless the customer needs to keep their passport until their new passport is issued).

Types of errors we must fix on a passport

We must fix errors on passports, for example, if they have the wrong:

  • title of nobility
  • name (including the spelling or order)
  • date of birth
  • place of birth (including the spelling)
  • gender
  • nationality status for a:
    • British citizen
    • British overseas citizen
    • British overseas territories citizen
    • British protected person
    • British national (overseas)
    • British subject
  • observation (including missing or extra observations)
  • photo
  • validity, for example, when we issue a:
    • restricted validity passport instead of a full validity passport
    • full validity passport instead of a restricted validity passport
    • Diplomatic or Official passport with the wrong validity
    • 10 year passport to a child (under 16)
  • examination decision, for example when we issue a customer’s passport:
    • before we have completed all our checks
    • instead of sending them for an interview

If an error relates to a photo

If there is an error because we used the wrong photo on a passport, you, the examiner, must consider if you have identity concerns, for example:

  • did we use the wrong photo or did the customer provide us with the wrong one
  • how long did the customer have their passport before they told us about the wrong photo
  • is there evidence the passport was used for travel (for example, exit and entry stamps) before the customer told us the photo was wrong
  • does the person on the correct photo look like the person on the wrong photo (for example, similar age or appearance)

If you have identity concerns, you must refer the application to the Counter Fraud Team (CFT) for investigation.

If an error relates to a nationality status

An error on a passport may be because we issued a passport with the wrong nationality status (for example, British citizen instead of British national (overseas)). Before you fix the error, you must:

  • check if there is a connected application
  • consider the effect on the customer, for example:
    • does the wrong status give the customer more rights (for example, if we incorrectly used the British citizen status instead of the British national (overseas) status
    • could it affect their residency, visas, employment or access to health or social care
  • discuss the case with your operational team leader or Quality and Examination Support team (QuESt), if you have doubts about how the wrong status may affect the customer

When you consider the effect, you must also consider when we made the error, as:

  • it will not have an effect, if we made the error when we passed the application for issue and noticed it straightaway
  • it is less likely to have an effect if the customer only had the passport for a short period of time (for example, if they tell us about the error in 28 days of when we issued the passport)
  • it is more likely to have an effect if the customer had the passport for a long period of time (for example, we only find out about the error when the customer applies to renew their passport)

Before you correct the nationality status

Before you correct the nationality status, you must:

  • tell the customer:
    • their passport has the wrong nationality status
    • what the correct nationality status is
    • apologise for the error
  • ask the customer how it may affect them if we correct the nationality status

If the customer confirms correcting the status will not affect them, you must:

  1. Add a case note to explain:
    • you contacted them to ask how correcting their status will affect them
    • the customer confirmed correcting their status would not affect them
  2. Fix the error (in line with this guidance).

If the customer confirms correcting the status will affect them, you must:

  1. Ask the customer how it will affect them.
  2. Add a case note to explain:
    • you asked the customer how correcting their status will affect them
    • the customer confirmed correcting their status will affect them (include how)
  3. Refer the application to QuESt and include:
    • the wrong status
    • what the correct status is
    • how long the customer had the passport with the wrong status
    • how the customer said it would affect them if we correct the status

QuESt will work with the Passport Policy team to agree what to do.

How we will fix a passport with an error

If the customer’s passport has an error, we will:

  • apologise for the error
  • ask them to return it (if they have not already done it)
  • prioritise the issue of the replacement passport

If a customer does not return their passport, we will still cancel it but only, if:

  • we sent them letters to explain we issued it in error, telling them if they do not return the passport:
    • we will cancel it
    • it will no longer be valid for identity or travel
  • we gave them time to return it but they failed to
  • they are not using it for travel

In most cases, we need the passport with the error back before we issue a replacement, especially if it is a customer’s first passport, as we have a one passport per person policy.

In certain cases, we may allow a customer to keep their passport until they get their replacement but only if a higher executive officer agrees. For example, when a customer, needs:

  • a replacement for urgent government business or compassionate reasons
  • to keep their passport on them for identity or security reasons (for example, because of the law in the country they live in)

What evidence we need to fix an error

We will ask the customer for evidence to fix an error on a passport, unless we:

  • can clearly see the error on the passport system, and evidence needed to correct the error is still available because the previous passport was issued within the last 28 days (for example, on a scanned document, found by searching Application Receive Domain (ARD))
  • already have the evidence (for example, if a customer sent it with their application)

The evidence we ask for depends on the error. We must use current guidance to check what evidence we need, including:

  • Titles guidance (for titles of nobility)
  • Names: the names we use in passports guidance
  • Date of birth guidance
  • Place and country of birth guidance
  • Gender recognition guidance
  • British Nationality Act 1981 (for British citizen nationality status)
  • British Overseas Citizens guidance
  • British Overseas Territory Citizens guidance
  • British Protected Persons guidance
  • British Nationals (Overseas) guidance, for:
    • British (overseas) nationality status
  • British Subjects guidance
  • Observations in passports guidance
  • Restricted (non-standard) validity passports guidance
  • Diplomatic and Official Service passports and observations guidance
  • Confirming ID: referees
  • Confirming identity checks
  • Interviews: United Kingdom applications
  • Photo standards guidance

Case notes and passport notes for passports that have errors

We cannot reopen an application after a passport is issued. To correct an error we need a new application. On the new application, we must add a:

  • passport note to the record of the passport with the error, to explain:
    • the passport had an error
    • the type of error
    • we issued a new passport (to fix the error)
    • the application number of the new passport
  • watchlist entry, if the information we put in a passport note is relevant to how we deal with the customer’s next application
  • case note to the new application, to explain:
    • the previous passport had an error, including the old passport number
    • the type of error
    • we issued a new passport to fix the error

How to deal with complaints when a passport has an error

We must:

  • deal with complaints, in line with the complaints procedure guidance
  • consider requests for reasonable out of pocket expenses (in line with compensation guidance)

When a passport has an error

This section tells HM Passport Office operational staff what to do if a customer’s passport has an error.

How we deal with an error, depends on how (and when) we find out about it. For example, if:

  • we find out about it when we pass an application for issue and:
    • the customer’s details are incorrect
    • have not asked for the correct evidence
    • the customer did not attend an interview but should have
    • there is a connected application
  • a customer tells us about it:
    • after we have issued their passport
    • when they make an application to renew their passport

If a customer returns a passport with an error

Customers may tell us their passport has an error by returning it (with or without an application form) to:

  • the Customer Services Management team (CSMT)
  • an application processing centre (APC) (the post room may receive the passport or the examiner who issued it may receive it directly)
  • the Document Handling Unit (DHU), see Passport has error: customer sends passport to a DHU

If the customer sends it to the CSMT, they must check if the customer has contacted HM Passport Office to tell us about the error and follow Passport has error: customer contacts us.

If you, the post room officer, receive a passport that has an error, you must send it to the Customer Service Liaison team (CSLT) in your APC.

You, the Customer Service Liaison team (CSLT) member, must refer to:

If a customer renews or replaces a passport with an error

You, the examiner, may find a customer’s previous passport has an error when they send an application to:

  • renew it (if it is due to expire)
  • replace it (if it is lost, stolen or damaged)
  • change the details on it (for example, name or gender)
  • correct the error on it

You must refer to How an examiner deals with a passport in error.

If a customer tells Local Services about an error

When we send an international customer’s passport to Local Services for collection, they will ask the customer to check the details on their passport. If it has an error, Local Services, will:

  • not:
    • give the customer their new passport
    • cancel the customer’s old passport
  • tell the customer they will return the passport with the error to HM Passport Office
  • contact us, to tell us about the error
  • return the passport to us, with an error return form
  • note the error on the HM Passport Office Daily Reconciliation Log

You, the examiner correcting the error, must refer to Digital Application Processing passport has an error.

Customer visits counter with a passport that has an error

Some customers may visit the counter to tell us their passport has an error.

You, the counter examiner, must check if the customer needs their passport urgently (for example, they are due to travel in the next 2 weeks). If the customer needs their passport in the next 2 weeks, you must refer to passport error: if a customer needs a replacement urgently.

If the customer does not need their passport in the next 2 weeks, you must check:

  • what the error is
  • if we need evidence to correct the error and if the customer has it with them

If there is an error on the passport caused by HM Passport Office, you must:

  1. Follow Gratis passport applications: how to apply for and deal with them guidance.
  2. Tell the customer you:
    • apologise for the error and will arrange for a replacement passport, free of charge
    • will send them a link to complete a new application online

If the error on the passport is not because of a HM Passport Office error, you must tell the customer they will need to apply and pay for a new application again.

Passport has error: customer contacts us

This section tells HM Passport Office operational staff what to do if a customer tells us their passport has an error and we issued their passport on DAP (Digital Application Processing).

You must follow the Gratis passport applications guidance, to issue the customer with a digital application link to submit a new application.

A customer may tell us their passport has an error, by:

  • phone, email, letter telling us they see an error in their passport; or,

  • sending the passport on its own to an Application Processing Centre (APC), Customer Service Management Team (CSMT) or the Document Handling Unit (DHU)

If a customer tells us there is an error on their passport and we issued it on DAP (Digital Application Processing), we cannot fix it by reopening the application.

If the customer:

Customer tells us about an error: passport not needed urgently

If a customer tells us their passport has an error, you, Customer Service Management team (CSMT) or Customer Service Liaison team (CSLT) staff member, must:

  1. Check if you need any evidence to fix the error.

  2. Phone the customer, and tell them:
    • we apologise for the error
    • you can issue them a free replacement passport up to the same expiry date as the one with the error (unless it was the expiry date that was wrong)
    • to send the evidence needed to fix the error and the passport with the error (if we do not already have it) in the next 28 days to the Document Handling Unit (DHU)
    • we will issue a refund for any postage or photo costs incurred due to the error
    • if they do not, you will cancel their passport and it will no longer be valid

  3. Send the customer a digital application link to apply online for free (see Gratis passport applications: how to apply for and deal with them)

  4. Add a passport note to the record of the passport with the error, to explain:
    • the passport has an error (include the type of error)
    • you sent the customer a new application form and asked them to complete it within 3 months of the date on the letter
  5. Add the error to the Quality tool, making sure the form is fully completed.

Decision making when a passport has an error

You, the Document Intervention team (DIT) or Customer Service Liaison team (CSLT) member, must ask the Quality and Examination Support team (QuESt) for support when dealing with a passport containing an error and it is unclear how the error has happened.

QuESt will support you with making the decision and put the document intervention task on hold.

Passport has error: customer sends passport to a DHU

This section tells HM Passport Office staff what to do if a customer tells us their passport has an error and has sent the passport to a Document Handling Unit (DHU).

Where a customer has identified an error with their passport, they may send the passport and a letter to a Document Handling Unit (DHU), without contacting us by phone to tell us about the error.

Where a passport arrives in the DHU and it is not associated with a live application, the passport with the error will create an orphan document task and be sent to the Document Intervention Task (DIT) team (in CSMT (Customer Service Management team)) in line with current guidance for handling orphan documents.

When you, the DIT team, review the orphan task, you must:

  1. Check the reason for the error and establish if it is a:
    • customer error
    • HM Passport Office error

  2. Contact the customer by phone or email to advise the passport has been received.

  3. Add the error to the Quality tool, making sure the form is fully completed.

If the passport has a customer error, you must send the customer an email telling them how to reapply (by either completing a paper form or an application online). As the error is a customer error, they must pay the required fee.

If the passport has a HM Passport Office error, you must follow the Gratis passport applications: how to apply for and deal with them guidance.

The DHU will then process the gratis application on DAP and a Digital Application Processing (DAP) examiner will deal with the application.

Where the customer reapplies online, the customer must contact the Passport Adviceline who will transfer the information to the DIT team and provide their new application reference number.

The DIT team will then:

  1. Refund the original application and add it to the refund log (if applicable).

  2. Associate the passport to the new online application.

  3. Add a case note to the new application, including the:

    • previous application reference
    • book error details
    • details of the refund

If the customer has an urgent date of travel, you must refer the customer to the Urgent and Compassionate team in the Customer Service Management team (CSMT) to be processed as urgent priority.

Customer does not give us passport, application or evidence

This section tells HM Passport Office staff what to do when a customer’s passport has an error and we have asked them to return it, complete a new application or give us evidence so we can fix the error, but they do not.

To fix the error on a passport and issue a replacement, the customer must send us:

  • the passport with the error (if we do not already have it)

  • evidence to fix the error (if we need it)

  • a new renewal application

DAP application where a customer does not give us passport, application, or evidence

If a customer does not send the passport with an error, the Digital Application Processing (DAP) system will create an old passport not received task. You must request the passport from the customer using this task.

If the customer does not send us what we have asked for (an application, evidence or a passport), DAP will withdraw the application and any documents received will be retained in the DHU (Document Handling Unit).

We have the passport or customer is not using it for travel

If the customer tells you they are not using the passport for travel or we already have it, you must:

  1. Tell the customer you have cancelled their passport and it is no longer valid.

  2. Follow How to manually cancel a passport in passport records to cancel the passport with the error.

  3. Send the passport to confidential waste (if we have the passport).

  4. Add a case note to the application if there is a live one (for example, if you reopened the application) to explain you:
    • cancelled the customer’s passport [number] and the reason
    • withdrew the application

  5. Add a passport note to the application of the passport with the error (unless you reopened the application) to explain you cancelled passport [number] and the reason. Include in the passport note if the customer still has the passport.

  6. Arrange to add the customer’s details to the watchlist so we can correctly deal with their next application. Include in the entry if the customer still has the passport.

  7. Withdraw the application if you have a live one (for example, if you reopened it). If you reopened the application you will need to select ‘do not reissue.’

If the customer is using the passport for travel

If the customer tells you they are using the passport for travel, you must:

  1. Ask the customer when they will be back in their country of residence.

  2. Tell the customer you will cancel their passport on the day after they have returned to their country of residence.

  3. Cancel the passport on the day after the customer returned to their country of residence.

  4. Add a case note to the application, if there is a live one (for example, if you reopened the application) to explain you:
    • cancelled the customer’s passport [number] and the reason
    • withdrew the application

  5. Add a passport note to the application of the passport with the error (unless you reopened the application) to explain you cancelled passport [number] and the reason. Include in the passport note if the customer still has the passport.

  6. Arrange to add the customer’s details to the watchlist so we can correctly deal with their next application. Include in the entry if the customer still has the passport.

  7. Withdraw the application, if you have a live one (for example, if you reopened it). If you reopened the application you will need to select the ‘do not reissue.’

Customer has the passport and does not respond after 14 days

If the customer does not respond after 14 days and they still have the passport, you must use the DHL system to check if DHL delivered the letters we sent them.

If DHL delivered the letters to the customer’s address, you must:

  1. Cancel the passport on the system.

  2. Add a case note (or passport note if the application is not live) to explain:
    • the customer has not returned the passport with the error
    • you cancelled the passport

  3. Arrange to add the customer’s details to the watchlist so we can correctly deal with their next application.

  4. Withdraw the application if it is live (for example, if you reopened it to correct the error). If you reopened the application, you will need to select the ‘do not reissue.’

If DHL did not deliver the letters to the customer’s address, you must raise a guidance query. The Quality and Examination Support team will work with the Passport Policy team to decide what to do.

How an examiner deals with a passport error

This section tells HM Passport Office staff working on DAP (Digital Application Processing) what to do when a customer sends us a new passport application and their old passport has an error.

We may find a customer’s passport has an error when they send us a passport application:

  • as the passport is due for renewal or is lost or stolen

  • as their personal details have changed (for example, name or gender)

  • specifically to correct an error and not because it is due for renewal, lost or stolen

  • there is a case note, and the fees and payments tab shows the application must be dealt with gratis (free of charge)

Passport error: customer sends in gratis application

If HM Passport Office have contacted the customer to confirm we will replace their passport for free (gratis), we will send the customer a digital application link to apply online for free. See: Gratis passport applications: how to apply for and deal with them.

Passport error: customer has paid for their application

You, the examiner, may notice the old passport has an error (or the customer may tell you about it) when you get an application, to:

  • renew it (as it is due to expire)
  • replace it (as it is lost, stolen or damaged)
  • change the details (for example, when a customer changes their name or gender)

You must:

  1. Process the application in line with current guidance.

  2. Check the passport notes, to see if we were previously made aware of the error (for example, if the notes show we tried to contact the customer to fix the error, but they did not respond).

  3. Send an email to the Customer Service Management team to ask for the error to be added to the Quality tool.

If we were previously aware of the error, you must:

  1. Tell the customer, you:
    • found an error on their old passport (unless they told you about it)
    • will not be able to return the old passport as the error on it means it was in the wrong identity
    • apologise for the error
  2. Check if the error relates to a wrong:

  3. Ask for the evidence you need to fix the error (in line with current guidance).

  4. Complete additional checks, if you are processing on DAP (Digital Application Processing) if you have concerns about the customer’s identity.

  5. Cancel the old British passport and make sure it is destroyed by updating the document handling instructions on the Application Receive Domain (ARD) to tell the DHU (Document Handling Unit) to destroy the passport.

  6. Add a case note to explain the actions and decisions you made.

  7. Make sure you issue the passport using the correct details.

Passport error: customer submits an application to fix it

Some customers may submit an application to fix an error on their passport and not because:

  • we asked them to

  • the passport is about to expire

  • the passport is lost or stolen

  • they have changed their details (for example, name or gender)

When you get the application, you must check the passport notes, to see if we were previously aware of the error (for example, do the notes show we tried contact the customer to fix the error but they did not respond).

If we were not previously aware of the error

If we were not previously aware of the error, you must apologise to the customer for the error and tell them we will issue a passport in the correct details. The customer can choose to have a passport with:

  • full validity, (they must pay the correct fee); or,

  • the same expiry date shown on the passport with the error, (they do not need to pay for it and we will refund the fee if they have already paid) You must:

  1. Deal with the application (in line with current guidance).

  2. Check if the error relates to an incorrect:

  3. Ask for the evidence you need to fix the error (in line with current guidance).

  4. Complete additional checks if you are processing on DAP, if you have concerns about the customer’s identity.

  5. Reimburse any out of pocket expenses (for example, if the customer had to pay for new photos).

  6. Issue the passport with the correct:
    • details
    • validity
    • observation code if the customer has asked for the same expiry date as the passport issued with the error

  7. Refund the application fee if the customer has asked for the same expiry date as the passport issued with the error.

  8. Cancel the old British passport and make sure it is destroyed by updating the document handling instructions on ARD to tell the DHU to destroy the passport, if you are working on a DAP application.

  9. Add a case note to explain the actions and decisions you made.

  10. Make sure you correct the error, before you issue the new passport.

When a DAP issued passport has an error

This section tells HM Passport Office operational staff what to do when a customer tells us their passport has an error and we issued it using the Digital Application Processing system.

If the customer has sent a passport containing an error to an Application Processing Centre (APC), you, the Customer Service Liaison team (CSLT) member, must:

  1. Complete a Document transfer to the Document Handling Unit (DHU) form.

  2. Send the customer’s documents and the completed form to the post room with an instruction to send these to the DHU.

    The post room will transfer the documents to DHU by an internal transfer.

    If we have issued a passport on the Digital Application Processing (DAP) system with an error before the customer has contacted us, we cannot reopen the application to reissue it using DAP. We must arrange for a new application and photos to be submitted by the customer.

    If the error is due to us not completing all our checks before authorising the passport, follow Passport errors: passport issued before checks complete before asking for a new form.

    You, the HM Passport Office staff member, must refer the customer’s details to the Customer Services Liaison team (CSLT) explaining what the error is.

    The CSLT must add the error to the Quality tool, making sure the form is fully completed and will send the customer a digital application link to apply online free of charge. See Gratis passport applications: how to apply for and deal with them.

    When you, the examiner dealing with the application, get the customer’s new application and passport with the error, you must:

  3. Deal with the application (in line with current guidance).

  4. Refer to:

  5. Check the documents on Application Receive Domain (ARD) to see if the original DAP application had enough evidence to fix the error (in line with current guidance). If it does not, you must ask the customer for the information you need.

  6. Re-examine the new application in full, completing all checks using current guidance. However, if the customer uses the same referee as their DAP application and the checks were completed correctly on that person, you do not need to complete those checks again.

  7. Add a case note to the new application, to explain:
    • the customer’s passport [insert passport number] has an error (include the type of error)
    • the customer completed a new application form so you can issue them a new passport with the correct details
    • you cancelled the passport with the error and issued a new one with the correct details
  8. Add a passport note to the record of the passport with the error, to explain:
    • the customer told us we issued their passport with an error (include the type of error)
    • the customer completed a new application form so you can issue a new passport with the correct details
    • you cancelled the passport and issued a new one with the correct details (include the new passport number)
  9. Make sure the system shows the customer’s correct details. If the error relates to an incorrect:

  10. Reimburse any out of pocket expenses (for example, if the customer had to pay for new photos).

  11. Update ARD (Application Received Domain) to send the passport with the error to confidential waste.

  12. Issue the new passport (in line with current guidance).

Customer must keep their passport until we fix the error

This section tells HM Passport Office operational staff when we will allow the customer to keep their passport with an error, while we issue a replacement.

In most cases, we will only issue a replacement passport when a customer returns the passport with the error, especially if it is their first passport.

In certain cases, we will consider issuing a replacement passport while the customer still has the passport with the error, if they:

  • have urgent government business or compassionate reasons to travel. You must be aware, the customer:

  • need to keep their passport for identity or security reasons (for example, because of the laws in the country where they live)

You must get authorisation from a higher executive officer (HEO) before you agree to let a customer keep their passport while they wait for a replacement.

You must follow the Gratis passport applications: how to apply for and deal with them guidance to arrange for a replacement application for the customer.

If a customer tells you they need to keep their passport for any other reason, you must tell them you cannot issue a replacement until they return the one with the error.

Passport error: if a customer needs a replacement urgently

This section tells HM Passport Office staff dealing with passports that have errors, what to do if a customer tells us they need a replacement passport urgently.

We may not be able to replace a passport with an error by post, for example, if the customer urgently needs a replacement because, they:

  • are due to travel in the next 2 weeks

  • have urgent government business or compassionate reasons

What we can do to help depends on if they are a UK or international customer.

Urgent replacement: UK customer

When this happens, we will ask the customer to visit their nearest passport office with evidence of their:

  • travel bookings or arrangements

  • urgent government business or compassionate reasons (in line with Tiered Application Services guidance)

The Customer Service Management team (CSMT) will follow the urgent government and compassionate travel guidance to advise the customer to reapply using the magic link and what they must take to the counter when they attend. See Gratis passport applications: how to apply for and deal with them.

When the customer visits the counter, you, the counter examiner, must:

  1. Take the passport with the error from the customer.

  2. Follow the Urgent government business or compassionate reasons: processing the application guidance to process the application.

Urgent replacement: international customer

If an international customer needs to urgently replace their passport, they must contact the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office to discuss their options.

Passport errors: incorrectly issued second passport

This section tells HM Passport Office staff what to do when we incorrectly issue a second passport to a customer.

If HM Passport Office incorrectly issue more than one passport to a child or adult we must retrieve and cancel it (for example, when a customer is not entitled to hold an additional passport). This is because we must apply the ‘one passport per person’ policy.

Where we issued the first passport correctly, we will consider the most recent passport to be the incorrectly issued one. We will contact the person who applied for the incorrectly issued passport and ask them to return it to us. We do not expect the customer to contact the person who received the second passport (for example, by taking legal advice in the case of family disputes), even if the error was not ours.

When we become aware of an incorrectly issued second passport, the Customer Service Management team (CSMT) will:

  • write to the customer (or parent who was issued with the most recent passport, if this is for a child) and request the return of the passport, explaining our ‘one passport per person’ policy

  • deal with any complaint that has been raised because we have issued a second passport

  • send a maximum of three letters to the customer, if they do not reply, the third letter must be sent by registered post (guaranteed delivery)

  • destroy the incorrectly issued passport when it is returned

  • record actions and decisions in passport notes on our passport records

  • deal with any fees paid for the incorrect issue, following the Passport fees guidance

  • refer the details to Quality, Examiner Support team (QuESt) if the customer does not return the passport

If the details are referred to QuESt, they will consider the next action based on all the available facts and will advise CSMT how to proceed.

Passport errors: passport issued before checks complete

This section tells HM Passport Office staff what to do if we issued a passport before we have completed all our checks.

You, the examiner, may realise you have issued the customer’s passport without:

  • completing all checks

  • receiving necessary documents or evidence from the customer

  • sending the customer for interview

How you deal with these applications will depend on what system you are working on and what checks were incomplete or what information was missing. For example:

  • incomplete internal checks may include, when you have not:

    • completed watchlist checks or checked passport and application records

    • confirmed the customer’s nationality or identity (but you have the documents to do so)

    • recorded all necessary case notes

  • missing external checks or evidence may include, when you have not:

    • received all the documents we need (for example, to confirm the customer’s identity and nationality or consent)

    • completed the external checks (for example, when we need to contact the customer’s referee)

    • sent the customer for interview

  • the information and documents you received show the application was completed incorrectly, this could be when:

    • we have not data verified a paper application correctly

    • the customer made an error on their application

    • a city or country has changed its name

    • we did not request evidence to support a change (for example, a changed date of birth or name)

DAP: passport issued before checks complete

If the passport was issued using DAP (Digital Application Processing), you must identify which checks were not completed (internal or external), or what evidence is missing.

If you did not complete internal checks, you must:

  1. Complete the checks immediately.

  2. Passport note the results of the checks, and that you completed them after the passport was issued.

  3. Add a passport note to confirm the results of the checks you have just completed do not affect the issue of the passport, and you do not need to take further action.

If the results of the internal checks affect the issue of the passport, or you:

  • have not completed all external checks

  • need more information or documents from the customer

you must:

  1. Arrange for the passport to be returned to HM Passport Office.

  2. Tell the customer we issued their passport in error, and we need to complete extra checks before we can complete their application.

  3. Follow When a DAP issued passport has an error guidance.

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