Restricted validity passports
Policy setting out the process for issuing restricted validity passports.
Documents
Details
This guidance tells HM Passport Office examiners about passport validity, when we will issue a passport with restricted validity, and how to process an application when the customer sends us a restricted validity passport.
Last updated
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Updated to show when the Counter Fraud team will ask Enhanced Application Checking to issue a restricted validity passport (in the Restricted validity passports section).
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Accessible version added.
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Updated guidance.
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First published.
Update history
2026-06-10 17:24
Updated the guidance throughout; a full list of the changes can be found in the ‘Changes from last version of this guidance’ section.
2025-08-27 12:11
Changes to the guidance can be found within the ‘Changes from last version of this guidance’ within the document.
2025-03-24 15:04
This guidance has been updated to tell DAP (Digital Application Processing) examiners issuing a restricted validity (RV) passport to add an OBTU observation to the passport and to send the customer a letter 101 using Comms Builder.
2022-11-14 16:34
Updated to show when the Counter Fraud team will ask Enhanced Application Checking to issue a restricted validity passport (in the Restricted validity passports section).
2022-10-03 09:48
Accessible version added.