The major problem many countries come across today is a passport fraud and forgery. In the United Kingdom the authorities have implemented a number of effective measures and steps toward the UK passport fraud and forgery. Each citizen, in his turn, should also be aware of actions and measures he should take, such as to inform the UK Passport Service about a passport loss so that this passport is immediately expired to prevent someone from using it for his own benefits.
General requirements of the UK Passport Service for a new passport receipt or a passport renewal are the following:
1. Two copies of a letter of authorization.
2. An application form is available in the following variants: Application Form for a UK passport (C1); Application Form for a UK passport for children under the age of sixteen (C2); Application Form for a British National (Overseas) passport (BNO-A) (for Hong Kong PIC holders only); Application Form for a British National (Overseas) passport for a child under sixteen (BNO-B) (Hong Kong PIC holders only). If you have lost your UK passport and apply for a new one, you should also complete and sign the form LS01.
3. Two passport photographs according to new international photo standards
4. A proof of the UK citizenship. This is either your expired/expiring UK passport or an official UK birth certificate.
5. A letter of consent - Young adults, aged between sixteen and eighteen must have a written parental consent for the issue of a new passport.
6. Fees and payment.
Additionally to all the UK Passport Service requirements, the last two years in the UK saw a range of new systems and procedures to prevent the passport fraud. In 2006, the UK is launching a Biometric British Passport to prevent most of UK passport fraud initiatives.
Generally, biometrics is an automated process, verifying an individual's identity that is based on their physical characteristics. Examples of biometric technology include a facial recognition, fingerprints and iris patterns.
A Biometric British Passport will have a new design with additional security features, including a chip with the holder's facial biometric. A facial recognition will map various features on the face, such as the distances between eyes, nose, mouth and ears. The measurements will be digitally coded and held on an electronic chip, secured in the passport page. It can then be used for comparison and verification purposes.
The recent innovations have also concerned passport photographs, as the UKPS implemented new international photo standards on September 12, 2005, as a part of a global move to fight the fraud and forgery. Since those times, many customers applying for the UK Passport Service, have had their photos rejected and their application delayed. Hence, it is important to become familiarized with new requirements to UK passport photographs in order to have your application completed on time.
The security boost and fraud fight have reflected in an increase of the UK passport price in order to pay for major security improvements. The last increase in passport fees occurred in 2003, and now it is followed by new passport fees, effective from December 1, 2005.