After submitting the required documents, you will receive a summon to an interview for your British passport. This is the final but still critical stage for your application. What does the interview involve? What should I do to pass it? Not to worry if you have such questions, and use this guide to help you understand everything you need to know concerning the UK passport interview.
What is the UK passport interview?
A passport interview is an essential part of the UK passport application process. It is mainly used to prove that the applicant is the rightful holder of the claimed identity and make sure that the passport is being given to the correct person. When you are notified for an interview, you should:
- book an appointment by phoning the Interview Appointment Service;
- gather all the required materials, including the appointment letter or email and photo identification;
- attend the appointment on time with the above documents.
Who must attend an interview for UK passports?
It should be noted that not everyone needs to interview for a British passport. The British government establishes a set of criteria to determine if an applicant should go for an identity interview:
Applicants applying in the UK
People applying for their first British passport must attend an interview in person if they are living in the country and:
- they are 16 to 69 years old now.
- they were granted a restricted validity passport before because they were unbale to attend an interview.
- they are currently applying to renew or replace a machine-readable passport or an Old Blue hardback passport and there is no record of the passport in the archives of the HM Passport Office.
- they have never held their own passport but their details have reflected on their relative’s passport.
- the Passport Office fails to confirm the applicant’s identity through other checks or has reasons to worry about fraud.
Applicants applying from overseas
Generally you will receive the notification to book a passport interview if you live abroad and:
- you are applying for your first British passport.
- you are applying for a first British passport for a child.
In the latter case, the person who will attend the passport interview must be the (in order of preference):
- claim parent who has parental responsibility (PR).
- parent who consented to the application (if the claim parent is not available or does not have PR).
- someone who has PR for the child (if the parents with PR are unavailable).
- someone without PR but is acting on behalf of a parent (namely loco parentis).
Exemptions
If enough information is obtained from identity checks for reliable confirmation, you can be exempt from passport interviews when you meet the following requirements:
- You are 70 years old or over unless as long as there is no fraud concern.
- You were naturalised within the last 12 months, and your photo identity and personal details can be confirmed through UK Visa and Immigration records, unless you have changed your name since naturalisation.
- You are a member of HM Armed Forces and apply for your first British passport.
- You are dependents of members of HM Armed Forces verified by Home Office records.
- You are members or dependents of members of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and are applying for a Diplomatic or Official passport.
Are there any types of the UK passport interview?
There are different types of interviews provided by the Passport Office, which largely depend on whether you are in Britain or overseas.
Face-to-face interviews
The Passport Office implements personal face-to-face interviews for applicants residing in Britain, including those who should attend on the child’s behalf if he or she is based overseas. The interview locations span all around the UK.
Remote interviews
Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, you may be asked to complete an interview on Skype.
Vedio interviews
Vedio Interview Service (VIS) is designed for first-time passport applicants and passport replacement applicants living in remote areas of Britain. They should attend interviews on the Skype for Business application on secure laptops in approved host offices that are normally set in local council offices or private businesses.
If you are overseas applicant, you will receive an email invite to a vedio interview when the central booking team (CBT) has been sent the application by the examiner. You can choose the Visa Application Center or VIS location to conduct your interview.
Telephone interviews
Telephone interviews only apply to overseas applicants having no means to attend an interview. In this case, applicants must phone the CBT. The team then will update the Interview Appointment Booking (IAB) tool with their country of residence, record their reason, and refer the situation back to the HM Passport Office.
Later applicants will be emailed to prove why they cannot have an interview by any other means, so as to exclude the possibility of fraud or protection issues. They must provide the evidence or book a VIS interview within 56 days. Notice that whether a telephone interview is possible is decided by the Passport Office. This interview can usually be given to applicants who cannot come to an interview and live in:
- Australia
- USA
- Canada
What will happen at a passport interview?
When applicants reach the interview location, their bags will be checked in a scanner for security reasons. Then they will be taken to the interview room and asked various questions to help establish their identity. After that, the officer will compare applicants with their photos shown on the passport issuing system. If the application is for a child based abroad, the officer will confirm the claimed relationship between the child and the interviewee. At the end, applicants will need to sign on the signature form if they are an adult and there is a signature recorded in the system.
What questions will be commonly asked in an interview?
During the interview, you will face approximately 15 to 20 questions. Generally speaking, they are about your name, address, finances, spouse, and child. For example:
- How do you spell your full name?
- What is your postcode?
- Where were you living before you move to your current address?
- Which is your gas company?
- Where did you get married?
- What’s the name of your kid’s school?
How long does it take to complete a UK passport interview?
An passport interview typically lasts around 30 minutes for an application from the UK and 60 minutes for an application from overseas.
Can you fail a UK passport interview?
In fact, it is highly unlikely that you will not obtain a UK passport after an interview. Instead of a test of any professional knowledge, the UK passport interview is a confirmation of identity, in which the questions all personal questions that anyone can answer easily. Its aim is to check if you are sincere and honest.
Conclusion
The UK passport interview actually is not so complicated as it seems. This article looks through everything important to an interview. To ensure your success to the interview, you can visit the UK government website to get more information. Follow the guideline, and you must be able to pass your interview and get your British passport eventually!
Erin Lo