Guidance

Urgent government business or compassionate reasons: processing the application

Tells HMPO staff how to process passport applications for customers who urgently need a passport for urgent government business or compassionate reasons.

• From: HM Passport Office
• Published: 21 February 2025
• Last updated: 29 July 2025 — See all updates

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Urgent government business or compassionate reasons: processing the application (accessible)

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Urgent government business or compassionate reasons: processing the application

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Details

This guidance tells His Majesty’s Passport Office staff how to process passport applications for customers who urgently need a passport for urgent government business or compassionate reasons.

Published 21 February 2025

Last updated 29 July 2025 + show all updates

1. 29 July 2025

   Guidance updated to tell examiners they must add a mandatory case note when they are ready to issue a passport in an urgent government business or compassionate application. References to the Application Management System have been removed.

2. 8 May 2025

   Guidance updated to tell counter examiners how to deal with applications where the customer has originally applied using a paper form, met the Urgent and Compassionate (U&C) criteria and they have not provided a photo with their application.

3. 21 February 2025

   First published.