Introduction of Blue Passports

The return of the navy colour passport, first used in 1921, will replace the burgundy colour cover required under EU membership.

After the UK leaves the EU in March 2019, burgundy passports will continue to be issued but with no reference to the European Union. 

The blue passports will be issued from October 2019 to British nationals renewing or applying for a new passport. 

There is no need for British passport holders to take any action before their current passport renewal date.

The power to issue Isle of Man a variant British passport is derived from the Royal Prerogative and on the Isle of Man this is formally exercised by the Lieutenant Governor on behalf of the Sovereign. 

The security of the British passport is of paramount importance. Revisions to the security features contained within the passport and the system which produces them are regularly upgraded in order to thwart counterfeiters. The Isle of Man variant British passport therefore is identical in format and contains the same security features as the British passport issued in the United Kingdom by Her Majesty's Passport Office. As a variant passport it does differ in some of the text so as to identify the fact that the passport is issued in the Isle of Man under the authority of the Lieutenant Governor and not the United Kingdom under the authority of the Secretary of State.

There is no difference in status between the Isle of Man variant British passport, the British passport issued in the United Kingdom, and those British passports issued via consular posts abroad for central printing in the United Kingdom.

The Isle of Man Passport Office has been working with Her Majesty’s Passport Office and Crown Dependencies to ensure that the variant British passports will be aligned to the British Passport.