Guidance: Place and country of birth: caseworker guidance

Hm Passport Office

February 26

14:26 2024

This guidance tells HM Passport Office staff dealing with passport applications:

how the customers place and country of birth is part of their identity
the customers place and country of birth affects their nationality
how the customers place and country of birth may affect their entitlement
the impact place and country of birth may have on a vulnerability
how the customers place and country of birth may affect consent for a passport
about the importance of the name of the place and country of birth, and how to correctly record them
what documents a customer must send us, as evidence of their place and country of birth
how and when you must make changes to the customers place and country of birth

Published 17 June 2021
Last updated 26 February 2024 +show all updates

26 February 2024
Removed reference of China and Taiwan. Updated Place of birth: common name changes section to show we must use Kyiv instead of Kiev. Updated Place of birth and country of birth: UK nationality certificates to show how we will deal with naturalisation or registration certificates that show Hong Kong as the customers country of birth. Updated When to record the customers place of birth as unknown if a UK issued adoption certificate does not give a place and country of birth. Added information to show a customer can choose to have their place of birth written in Welsh if they were born in Wales. Updated Rangoon to Yangon in place of birth field. Added information that if a customer asks for their place of birth to be changed, you do not need to ask them to complete another declaration form. Updated throughout to reflect a change in the name and roles of HM Passport Office's Guidance team.
26 October 2022
Added version 18.0 of guidance.
29 September 2022
Accessible version added.
17 June 2021
First published.