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British passports are to have a brand new look from December, it has been revealed.
home office Naveen said PassportThe first completely new design in five years, it will be “the most secure passport ever” and will incorporate the latest anti-counterfeiting technology, including new holographic and translucent features.
The Home Office has announced that from December all new passports will have the King’s emblem on the front.
The inside pages of the passport have also been changed as part of the reform and will include images of the natural landscapes of four countries – Ben Nevis, the Lake District, Three Cliffs Bay and the Giant’s Causeway.
The Home Office said these new features would make it easier to verify passports and “more difficult to forge or tamper with”.
Immigration and Citizenship Minister Mike Tapp said: “The introduction of Her Majesty’s arms, iconic landscapes and enhanced security features marks a new era in the history of the British passport.
“It also reflects our commitment to excellent public service – celebrating British heritage while ensuring our passports remain among the most secure and trusted in the world for years to come.”
The Home Office said that passports bearing the coat of arms of Queen Elizabeth II remain valid until the expiry date listed inside the passport.
But it urged people to check the validity of their passports and apply for them in time before planned travel.
The first modern-style British passport was issued more than a century ago in 1915.
And the first security feature, watermarks, was added in 1972, with “dozens” of additional security measures introduced since then.