The UK passport has been redesigned to include iconic images from across Britain – but it is more than a pretty picture.
Officials say the new 10-year passport will be harder to forge as enhanced security features are embedded in the pages, which include pictures of the White Cliffs of Dover, the Gower Peninsular, Ben Nevis and the Giant’s Causeway.
A spokeswoman from the Home Office said the passports, available from October, will give UK citizens greater protection from identity theft and fraud.
The personal details page of the passport has been moved forward to the second page in the booklet, in common with other passports in Europe, to help speed travel across borders.
New security measures include:
– moving the chip which stores the holder’s details to the inside of the passport cover where it will no longer be visible. This gives additional physical protection as well as making it much harder to replace the chip without damage to the passport cover being spotted;
– a secondary image of the holder printed onto the observations page;
– new designs now stretching across two pages; and
– a new transparent covering which includes several holograms to protect the holder’s personal details.
The new passport will cost the same as current passports, that’s £77.50 for adults and £49 for children, more if required at short notice.
By Linsey McNeill
