Identity and Passport Service

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Press release

Donīt be a Christmas turkey in 2007 - Check your passport now

Wednesday 27th December 2006

Ahead of the busiest month for booking a holiday the Identity & Passport Service (IPS) are calling on customers to check their passports when they book to avoid being a Christmas turkey next year. This is after 238 customers had to urgently call the Passport AdviceLine on Christmas day.

The advice comes as IPS research shows that British travellers are very protective of their passports. Only one in five couples (21 per cent) trust their partners to look after their passport with women particularly unlikely to hand it over - a third of men (27 per cent) ask their partner to look after their passport compared to just 16 per cent of women.

Surprisingly, young people worry more than older travellers when it comes to their holiday checklist routine. Two thirds (60 per cent) check they have their passport three or more times en route with 6 per cent checking upwards of ten times or more. Yet despite taking a responsible attitude to looking after their travel documents, few are permitted to look after their own passport until well into their teens. Almost a quarter of travellers (23 per cent) had to wait until they were 18 to look after their own passports and one in five (21 per cent) didn’t get to look after it until they were 21.

IPS Executive Director of Service Delivery Bernard Herdan:

 “The last thing anyone wants is to miss out on a well deserved trip away, so as well as making sure you double or even triple check that you have your passport  on you, it’s even more important that you ensure it is fully up to date and that you  leave enough time to apply for new documents before travelling.  Our advice is  to check your passport when you book your holiday and not wait until just before  you go away. ”

In 2007, a new process of face-to-face interviews will be rolled out for everyone applying for an adult passport (16 years and over) for the first time, building on a series of changes already being made to British passports to help fight fraud and forgery as well as meet international standards including:

For information on the services that IPS provides and to find out more about the passport application process, please visit www.passport.gov.uk

Notes to Editors:

  1. The Identity and Passport Service was established as an Executive Agency of the Home Office on 1 April 2006. The IPS Mission statement is ‘safeguarding your identity’.
  2. For media enquiries relating to IPS and passports, contact the Home Office Press Office on 020 7035 3535.
  3. Further information on IPS and passports is available at www.ips.gov.uk.

Sources for statistics
FDS conducted online consumer research with passport holders about their use of and views about passports in late June 2006.  The survey was conducted online and 1,064 adult UK passport holders responded.

Top tips

To help ensure you have a glitch-free holiday, IPS recommends the following top tips:

  1. Make a list: List everything you need to pack before putting it in your suitcase. Tick off the essential, and not-so-essential, items as you go, that way, you won’t forget anything you might want to take with you. And if you are backpacking – take half the amount you started with!
  2. Travel insurance: Make sure you have adequate and appropriate travel insurance before leaving. Nobody should consider travelling without cover for their trip – be it lost luggage, damage or health protection. This may well include taking a valid European Health Insurance card (EHIC) – the replacement for the E111 – with you. For more information visit: www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HealthAdviceForTravellers
  3. Vaccinations: Make sure you have any vaccinations you may need before travelling. Different areas have different risks when it comes to tropical diseases – ensure you’ve had the correct jabs before getting on the plane. For more information visit: www.immunisation.nhs.uk
  4. Know the exchange rate of the country: Before you travel anywhere, it’s a good idea to know the currency of the country and how much it is worth.
  5. Know the climate of the country: Nobody wants to be the person who goes to Australia in June to find that packing speedos and nothing else was an unwise move.
  6. Don’t take any unnecessary risks: Avoid problems by thinking through the best ways of not getting into trouble in the first place - for example, leave your money and passport in a safe if the hotel provides one.
  7. Make sure you know the local customs and rules: Many places have rules you will need to be wary of, for example, it is not advisable to drink water from the taps in certain areas. Also, respect the local’s way of life – if nobody else is sun bathing topless on the beach, then don’t be the first to whip off your bikini. For more information visit: www.fco.gov.uk/travel
  8. Check flight times: Don’t be the person to miss your flight and ruin everyone’s holiday because you read the time on the tickets incorrectly.
  9. Photocopy your passport: In case you lose your passport on your travels, it is always handy to have a photocopy on hand because then you will know your passport number and other key details.
  10. Tell a relative / friend about your travel plan: It is always wise for someone at home to know where you are heading and when you plan to be there, and make sure you tell your next of kin that you have put their contact details in the back of your passport.

24-hour Passport Adviceline: 0300 222 0000 (see terms and conditions). Calls made from landline phones are charged at your network provider's national rate, charges for mobile phones may vary depending on your service provider. Live operators are available to assist with your enquiry 24 hours a day.