Introduction of Blue Passports

The design of the British passport will change in anticipation of the UK leaving the EU. This will happen in two stages.

Burgundy coloured Passports printed from 5 April 2019 will not include the words ‘European Union’ on the front cover. This includes passports issued by the Crown Dependencies and Gibraltar.

The new blue passport design will be phased in gradually starting in the UK late in 2019. The Isle of Man currently anticipates transitioning to the Blue books early in 2020.

If you renew or apply for a passport between late 2019 and early 2020, you will automatically be issued with either a blue or a burgundy British passport, you will not be able to choose which one you get.