Hansard

Passports

Volume 35: debated on Thursday 20 January 1983

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Mr. Rooker

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is a supplementary passport; why they are issued; and how many are in current issue.

Mr. Hurd

Additional, or supplementary, passports may be issued:

  • (a) where it is known that the authorities of one country will refuse entry to any traveller whose passport bears evidence of a visit, or intended visit, to another country, and
  • (b) where the freedom of movement of business travellers is being impaired because their passports have frequently to be lodged with foreign embassies whilst visa applications are being considered.
    • No statistics are available of the number of such additional passports in current use.

    Mr. Rooker

    asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why Crown post offices are not permitted to issue passports on Saturdays.

    Mr. Hurd

    The service of issuing British Visitor's Passports is available only from Monday to Friday by mutual agreement between the Passport Office and the Post Office. The issue of a Visitor's Passport is one of the longer and more complicated Post Office transactions. Post Offices sometimes need to consult the Passport Office, which operates only an emergency service on Saturdays.