Biometric Passport | A common question our team receives is about biometric passports, what they look like, and whether or not you need to apply for one.
U.K.ABROAD’s area of expertise is British passport renewals and applications for citizens living outside of the UK.
This article will explain everything you need to know about UK biometric passports and how they affect you:
What is a Biometric Passport?
Biometric passports were first introduced by the UK passport office about 10 years ago.
Essentially, they are nothing more than a normal British passport that contains a microchip on the front cover. This microchip contains your personal information and your passport photo.
Biometric passports were introduced due to the increasing instances of human trafficking, identity theft and fraud, and attempts to improve the security of passports.
How do I know if I have a biometric passport?
You have a biometric passport if there is a little, gold camera shaped logo on the front of your passport. This is the microchip technology that contains your details and photo.
The microchip itself is tiny and you can hardly feel it when you run your fingers over it.
Do I Need to Apply for a Biometric Passport?
No, you do not need to apply for a biometric passport. If you have renewed your passport in the past 10 years, chances are that you already have a biometric passport.
Her Majesty’s Passport Offices now only issues biometric passports, so the next time you have your UK passport renewed, it will be a biometric passport.
How Does a Biometric Passport Affect Me?
In addition to providing additional security for British passport holders, biometric passports make life easier for you.
When you enter the UK, you can clear immigration much faster than before. Most major UK airports have e-passport gates, meaning you do not have to present yourself and your passport to a border control official. A simple swipe of your passport is all that is needed for entry into the UK.
An important point to note is that if you are a UK national traveling to the USA on an ESTA visa, you will need to hold a biometric passport to gain entry. Many Brits have not been aware of this and this has resulted in a lot of last-minute panic.
What Should I Do If I Don’t Have a Biometric Passport?
If you do not have a biometric passport, this probably means that you haven’t renewed your passport since 2010.
Since your passport will likely be older than 10 years, now would be a good time to have it renewed.
If, for some reason, your non-biometric passport is still valid for travel, you may still use it and shouldn’t experience any problems. The only thing to remember is that you will not be able to use it at the e-passport gates when entering the UK, and will have to gain entry via an immigration official.
Need to renew your UK passport from abroad? Simply fill in our online application forms here.
What to do at the E Passport Gate.
When you arrive at the UK border and spot the e-passport gates, you will need to swipe your passport over the designated space in front of the gate. The machine will capture the information contained in your passport’s microchip and will use facial recognition technology to determine if the person holding your passport is really you.
If you are wearing tinted glasses, sunglasses, or anything else covering your face or head, remove these before approaching the gate so that there is nothing interfering with the facial recognition technology.
If everything checks out alright, a green light will appear and the gate will automatically open.
How Do I Renew My Biometric Passport?
Renewing your British biometric passport is done in the same way as a normal passport renewal.
If you live outside of the UK, you will need to complete the online application form for your passport renewal. Completing physical forms is unfortunately not an option for UK citizens living abroad.
U.K.ABROAD takes care of the entire process for you, from start to finish, so that you can focus on the more important things in life.
Instead of worrying about whether or not you have completed the forms accurately, and being anxious about a passport renewal rejection, allow our team of experts to handle the process for you.
For a low fee (including all courier costs, government fees, and administration costs), we will make things much easier for you and will keep you updated on all progress made.
All you need to do is fill out this simple form, have some passport photos taken, and you are good go!
We will arrange for your current UK passport to be sent in via DHL, and you can then sit back and wait for your new passport to arrive. It really is as simple as this!
Contact U.K.ABROAD
Contact U.K.ABROAD for fast & easy British passport applications, renewals or replacements from abroad.
