Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish her Department's rationale for requiring people from Northern Ireland to submit a physical copy of their Irish passport when applying for or renewing a British passport.

His Majesty’s Passport Office’s requirement for all customers to submit any other passport held (British or otherwise) when applying for a British Passport enables confirmation of identity and consistent name usage of all customers. This requirement is not limited to customers applying from Northern Ireland.

A colour photocopy of any other passport held may be accepted in some circumstances, including where the original passport is not available or the customer is unable to provide it, and can usually be accepted for applications to renew a British passport. Published guidance will soon be updated to make this clearer.