Huge new changes to be made to UK passports from December | Royal | News
British passports will undergo a radical transformation before the end of 2025 and will be replaced by King George III. The first official travel documents bearing Charles’ Coat of Arms will be issued in December. The four countries of the UK will be represented as part of the revamped design through images of 4 UNESCO-protected natural landscapes – Ben Nevis, the Lake District, the Bay of the Three Cliffs and the Giants Causeway.
Billed as the most secure British passport ever produced, it will also feature the latest anti-counterfeiting technology. This includes holographic and translucent features that make passports easier to verify and harder to counterfeit or falsify. The government says the changes will tackle illegal entry by people who have no right to be in the UK and deliver on the prime minister’s Plan for Change to secure Britain’s borders.
Immigration and Citizenship Minister Mike Tapp said: “The introduction of Her Majesty’s Arms, iconic views and enhanced security features marks a new era in the history of the British passport.
“This also demonstrates our commitment to outstanding public service, ensuring that our passports remain among the most secure and reliable in the world for years to come, while celebrating British heritage.”
The updated passport is the first completely new design since 2020 and comes as Her Majesty’s Passport Office continues to provide outstanding service to British citizens.
More than 3.8 million passports were issued in the first six months of the year; 99.7% of applications requiring no further information were processed within three weeks, above the target of 98.5%.
People are advised to check the validity of their passports before any planned travel and apply in time. Queen Elizabeth II Passports issued with the Coat of Arms of Elizabeth remain valid until their expiration date.
The first modern-style British passport was introduced in 1915, and the first security feature, the watermark, was added in 1972.
Since then, HM Passport Office has added dozens of additional security measures to frustrate criminals, including complex patterns that are difficult to copy and features that are only visible under UV light.
