British Passport : Series 24 (2019 — 2020) Biometric, 'Series B : Creative United Kingdom'

BREXIT

The wording, EUROPEAN UNION was removed from the front cover for passports issued from 30 March 2019, the day after Britain was expected to leave the EU. Home Office have it removed on the working assumption that Brexit day would have been 29 March. New stocks of the Series B from March 2019 onwards removed the reference in anticipation of withdrawal from the union.

INTRODUCTION

Series B e-passport was introduced through a phased implementation from December 2015. For security reasons, the biodata page (personal details page) forms one continuous sheet of paper with the rear end page and is at the front of the passport.

De La Rue has got a 10-year contract with HM Passport Office designing and producing the British Passports starting in 2010 as well as the new 'Creative UK' passport in 2015. The passport was also designed by De La Rue.

With the sole exception of emergency passports which are printed and issued by the British diplomatic missions, all other types British passports have been printed and issued by Her Majesty's Passport Office (HMPO) in the United Kingdom since May 2015.

The new passport contains images depicting just some of the successes in innovation, architecture, art, and performance that the UK has brought to the world.

For innovation, these include Stephenson’s Rocket and the London Underground. To represent architectural excellence, the work of Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and modern day architecture such as the Falkirk Wheel are shown. In art, the work of John Constable, as well as current greats Antony Gormley and Anish Kapoor, are included. William Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre are also featured to represent the very best of what the UK has brought to the performing arts.

The new passport uses the latest and most secure printing and design techniques. This includes advances in security printing, inks, watermarks and holograms, alongside a continuous personal details page, which is a method of construction that has never previously been seen.

One continuous sheet of paper is used for the laminated personal details page, through to the page that is adjoined to the back cover.

A secondary image of the passport holder features on page 3 of the passport. When magnified one can see that this image is constructed from the letters and numbers that make up the passport holder’s surname and date of birth.

"The passport is a unique symbol of national identity and a critical piece of national infrastructure. As such, there will be huge expectation on the development of this design, which is likely to become a defining symbol of Britain's new identity and relationship with the world." - Julian Payne, De La Rue head design team, 2017.

PASSPORT FEE
 
Home Office has approved plans to raise the price of passport with effect from 27 March 2018. The changes are underpinned by new fee-setting powers given to HM Passport Office under the Immigration Act 2016 to give it the resources it needs to process six million applications a year. The Home Office says it wants to shift the cost of passport services onto travellers to make it less of a burden on taxpayers.
 
ROYAL SALUTATION
 
SECURITY FEATURES

Watermarks
The passport contains high security watermarks. Embedded into each of the visa pages is a three dimensional watermark of William Shakespeare, and a bright, two dimensional watermark of a writer’s scroll, a quill, and the corresponding page number. The personal details page contains a three dimensional watermark of the Gipsy Moth IV boat as well as the four floral motifs that represent the UK – the rose for England, daffodil for Wales, thistle for Scotland, and shamrock for Northern Ireland. 

Perforated passport numbering
The passport number that is printed on page 1 of the passport, as well as the personal details page, also appears in perforation throughout the passport at the bottom of each page. The perforated number contains different shaped holes which become smaller as you progress through the passport.

Embedded security fibres
These appear on every page of the passport. In daylight, these fibres consist of red and blue alternate bands. When exposed to a UV light source, each segment fluoresces in a different colour.

Sewing thread
The passport is bound using a security thread that consists of red, white and blue twisted strands. When exposed to UV light, each strand will fluoresce.

VISA PAGE

For centuries, the United Kingdom has led the way in the creative sector. In recognition of the achievements in art, architecture, innovation and performance from the people of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the theme of the new passport is ‘Creative United Kingdom’. Each double-page spread within the passport features a unique design celebrating just some of the pioneering work in the creative industries throughout the last 500 years:

• John Harrison
• John Constable
• The Penny Black
• Steam Transportation
• Sir Giles Gilbert Scott
• The London Underground
• Elisabeth Scott
• Antony Gormley
• Anish Kapoor
• Shakespeare’s Globe
• Festival Culture
• Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace
• Brilliant Buildings

A portrait of William Shakespeare is used for the watermark on each of these pages in recognition of his status as the greatest playwright in history. Ordnance Survey maps also feature throughout the passport showing places related to the images on each page. 

   












REFERENCES

HM Passport Office, Introducing the new UK passport design
URL: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/473495/HMPO_magazine.pdf

Observations in passport
URL: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/118562/observations-passports.pdf