Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, with reference to the Written Statement of 9 January 2023 on Diplomatic Passport Policy, HCWS173, what his Department’s policy is on the (a) eligibility for and (b) use of (i) diplomatic and (ii) official passports; and how long such passports last once issued.

Policy remains that diplomatic or official passports (linked to the nature of accreditation), are issued to UK civil servants and qualifying dependants on postings to UK diplomatic missions or consular posts.

These passports are normally valid for:

• Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office staff - 10 years;
• Other HMG staff - 6 years;
• Other HMG staff on loan to the FCDO - posting length + 6 months.

They should generally be used only to enter and exit the country/countries of accreditation or for duty travel to some countries operating restrictive visa regimes, or where using such a passport would exempt the need for a visa.