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HM Passport Office Warns UK Passport Holders: Think Before You Share

The alert urges simple identity-protection steps, including cancelling lost or stolen passports before requesting a replacement.

Overview

  • HM Passport Office posted a public message on X with a short video urging people not to share passport details and to protect their identity.
  • The video advises never to share personal details publicly online, to share only with trusted sources, to keep a secure copy of the details page, and to report loss or theft on GOV.UK immediately.
  • Official guidance reiterates that lost or stolen passports must be cancelled before applying for a replacement and that damaged passports must be replaced.
  • Damage that can invalidate a passport includes unreadable details, ripped or missing pages, holes or rips in the cover, the cover coming away, and stains on the pages.
  • Replacement options include an online application costing £94.50 that requires a digital photo and, for lost or stolen cases, an identity verifier, or a paper application costing £107 that requires two printed photos and accepted payment methods.