Freedom of Information Team
Globe House
7th Floor
89 Eccleston Square
London
SW1V 1PN
Email
: xxx@xxxx.xxx.xx
Website
: www.gov.uk/hm-passport-
office
Edward Baker
Emai
l xxx@xxxx.xxx.xxx.xx
Websi
te www.gov.uk/hm-passport-
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
office
Reference: FOICR 53415/19
Date: 16 May 2019
Dear Mr Baker
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST
Thank you for your email of 23 April, in which you ask for information on signing your new
UK passport.
Your request has been handled as a request for information under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000.
When a new British Passport is issued to someone it will sometimes have a photo
of the persons signature copied and pasted electronically from their form to the
passport (meaning that there is no need to sign the passport). While sometimes it
will not have this and the person will be required to manually sign it with a pen the
old fashioned way. It seems very random and both styles seem to still be used.
I am therefore requesting full details and information about this. I would like to know
why a photo of the signature is sometimes electronically copied and pasted
(meaning that there is no need to sign the passport). Why sometimes does this not
happen and the person has to manually sign it with a pen.
I am able to disclose the following information regarding signatures on passports.
International Civil Aviation Organisation standards require Travel Documents to include a
signature of the holder unless by exception. The original online channel to apply for a
passport required that applicants print off and sign the declaration form and send this
together with their photograph in the post to Her Majesty’s Passport Office.
To improve the online application process Her Majesty’s Passport Office is moving to all
applications using the digital route to allow applicants to upload their photograph online
and to remove the need for applicants to send in a signed declaration. The applicant is
then asked to sign their passport after they receive it.
The introduction of the new style passport enabled sign after receipt to take effect from 8
October 2016. All passports issued before this date captured the signature during
the application process.
Passport Adviceline: 0300 222 0000
Email us at foi
@hmpo.gov.uk
Visit our website at www.gov.uk
To ensure the smooth running of the online application system it was necessary for both
systems to operate as gradually more applications were dealt with by the new digital
application process. The transfer to the digital route is envisioned to complete in the near
future.
In some instances, however, applicants still need to send in the signed declaration as
certain application types are still being dealt with using the online channel rather than the
digital route. Currently the applications being dealt with by the online channel are Welsh
language applications and child change of name applications.
Please see the attached links to the gov.uk website regarding the rollout of the new digital
service.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/customers-to-benefit-from-online-passport-
application-roll-out
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ten-minute-passport-renewal-service-extends-to-16-
to-25-year-olds
Yours sincerely
D Hjiej-Andaloussi
Freedom of Information Team
Passport Adviceline: 0300 222 0000
Email us at foi
@hmpo.gov.uk
Visit our website at www.gov.uk