There has been no change to the eligibility for free passports. This is not an age related concession, but was introduced in recognition of those who could have made a substantial contribution to the national effort during the second world war. The free passport scheme is an extension of the initial scheme that offered free one-year passports to second world war military veterans attending 60th Anniversary Commemorative Events in 2004. It was decided to extend the scheme to full validity 10 year passports and to recognise those who may have made a contribution to the overall war effort, whether or not they had served in the armed forces. It therefore applies to those born on or before 2 September 1929 who would have been aged 16 or over at the end of the war.