Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what provisions she has put in place for people who grew up in care and are unable to provide a birth certificate when applying for a passport.

Her Majesty’s Passport Office (HM Passport Office) needs to be satisfied with an applicant’s claim to nationality, identity and entitlement to issue a passport. The absence of a birth certificate in itself does not preclude the issue of a passport and applications are assessed on a case by case basis considering the information and alternative documents available.

Where no documentation is available, there is provision within the British Nationality legislation for a person to register as a British citizen, this will depend on the requirements for registration.

If the enquiry relates to a specific case, I would encourage my honourable friend from Torbay to write to HM Passport Office to discuss how the matter can be resolved.