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See other news storiesNo more fast track for first passports
1 June 2007
New anti-fraud measures mean there is no longer a fast-track option for your first adult passport.
Starting today, first-time adult passport applicants will no longer be able to request the 'fast-track' service, which is used to renew passports more quickly.
As part of an effort to ensure that passports are as secure as they can be, the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) now requires face-to-face interviews with applicants before approving their first adult passport.
This will help the IPS weed out fraudulent applications and identity thieves.
Allow time for new passports to arrive
Bernard Herden, an IPS Executive Director, said the new process means anybody seeking a first adult passport for a trip this summer should get their applications in early.
'With identity theft on the rise, new developments are being introduced to help fight passport fraud and forgery,' he added.
The IPS recommends allowing six weeks for a first-time passport application, and strongly recommends that you should not plan your holiday until you have the whole family's passports sorted out.
Normal passport renewals can still be done more quickly through the one-week fast track service.
Anyone 16 or older applying for a passport will take part in a short, straightforward interview in which they will be asked basic questions about themselves and their families to ensure that they are who they say they are.
