It’s happening again – UK passports are getting another makeover. It seems like it was only yesterday that the trusty burgundy cover was replaced with navy, and now some further adaptations to Britons’ travel books are on the cards.
Redesigns of passports usually happen every five years. The 2020 update famously swapped the burgundy cover for navy after Brexit. The blue covers are here to stay but meaningful changes will come to the travel document next month, with changes to how the passport looks, and how secure it is.
Wondering what your new little navy book will look like? Here’s everything you need to know about the new passports launching in the UK in December.
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What are the new features on the UK passport?
Passports are being redesigned with new aesthetic and security features.
The most obvious changes in this update are inside. The geometric designs from 2020 have been replaced with watermark-style illustrations of famous British landscapes representing the four nations that make up the UK. The images will be of UNESCO-protected locations: the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, Ben Nevis in Scotland, Lake Windermere in the Lake District and Three Cliffs Bay in Wales.
On the photo pages that include your mugshot there will be more holographic and translucent elements which reveal certain shapes when tilted.
The front cover will replace the late Queen’s coat of arms with King Charles’s design, making this the first British passport to bear the new(ish) monarch’s crest. But you’re unlikely to notice the subtle changes: the lion and unicorn are slightly smaller, and the crown is rounder at the top.
Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Mike Tapp, said: ‘The introduction of His Majesty’s Arms, iconic landscapes, and enhanced security features marks a new era in the history of the British passport.
‘It also demonstrates our commitment to outstanding public service – celebrating British heritage while ensuring our passports remain among the most secure and trusted in the world for years to come.’
When will the new UK passport be introduced?
The Home Office says the updated passports will begin circulating from December. Anyone applying for a new passport after that point should receive the redesigned version automatically. Passports are usually valid for 10 years.
Your current passport is still valid until it expires, so there’s no need to switch to the new design unless you want the upgrade.
According to the Home Office, it generally takes three weeks for passports to be processed.
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