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british passport Get a new look starting today, including new covers, images and a host of security features
Ministry of Interior The new passport, the first completely new design in five years, will be the “most secure passport ever” and will feature the latest anti-counterfeiting technology, including new holographic and translucent features.
Around 300 of the newly designed travel documents are in circulation, featuring the coat of arms of King Charles on the front and inside pages depicting four of the country’s natural attractions – Ben Nevis, the Lake District, Three Cliffs and the Giant’s Causeway.
The Home Office said the new features would make passports easier to verify and “harder to forge or tamper with”.
Immigration and Citizenship Minister Mike Tapp said: “I’m proud to see our new British passport coming into use.
“Featuring His Majesty the King’s Coat of Arms and landscapes from the four countries, they celebrate our heritage while providing enhanced security.
“They are also the most secure British passports ever created, helping us protect our borders and deliver outstanding public services.”
The UK Home Office says passports bearing the Queen Elizabeth II emblem will remain valid until the expiry date listed within the passport.
But it urged people to check the validity of their passports and apply promptly before planning travel.
The first modern British passport was issued more than a century ago in 1915.
The first security feature, a watermark, was added in 1972; since then, “dozens” of further security measures have been implemented.