Freedom of information

The Freedom of Information Act gives anybody the right to access information held by public authorities, including central government departments. This means that you can make an information request to us.

Public authorities include central goverment departments like the Home Office, local authorities and councils, GPs and hospitals, schools and other educational establishments, the police service and armed forces, and other public bodies.

Note: the Freedom of Information Act 2000 covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland. For information on Freedom of Information in Scotland, please see the websites of the Scottish Executive and the Scottish Information Commissioner.

How to ask for information

Freedom of Information (FOI) requests need to:

• be in writing
• state the name and correspondence address of the person requesting the information
• include sufficient details to help us identify the information requested

However, before contacting us, please first ensure that the information has not already been made available under our publication of key documents: Identity and Passport Service publications, or within our library of recently answered Freedom of Information Act requests: Released information/disclosure log.

To make a FOI request, please download and fill in the FOI request template. You can email it to IPSFOIs@ips.gsi.gov.uk, or print it out and send it to:

Parliamentary correspondence management team
Home Office, 4th Floor, Peel SE, Mailpoint D
2 Marsham Street
London SW1P 4DF

Please note that personal information (for example, information about passport applicants) is subject to the Data Protection Act 1998.

For requests relating to personal information, please email us at DPA.Queries@ips.gsi.gov.uk or write to:

Disclosure of Information Section
Identity and Passport Service
Aragon Court
Northminster Road
Peterborough
PE1 1QG

Download a Subject Access Request (SARs) form

Following the transfer for responsibility for the issue of British passports overseas from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to the Identity and Passport Service, requests relating to British passports issued overseas should be made directly to IPS using the contact details above.

Further help

United Kingdom Border Agency

For information about applications to obtain British citizenship, visas/entry requirements to the UK, immigration, asylum policies or procedures, please visit the UK Border Agency website.

For specific queries, including rules and applications, please contact the UK Border Agency (UKBA) on:

• telephone: 0870 606 7766
• email:  INDpublicenquiries@ind.homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

For UKBA Freedom of Information requests, please write to:

Immigration and nationality directorate,
Central Freedom of Information team
5th Floor East
Whitgift Centre Block C
15 Wellesley Road
Croydon
CR9 3LY

• email: IND.foiteam@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk 
• fax: 020 8760 3085

Home Office

For information about the Home Office, please visit the Home Office website or contact:

Home Office
Direct communications unit
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF

• telephone: 020 7035 4848 (09:00-17:00 Mon-Fri)
• fax: 020 7035 4745
• minicom: 020 7035 4742 (09:00-17:00 Mon-Fri)
• email: publicenquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk