Official Statistics

Privacy information notice (accessible version)

Updated 1 August 2024

July 2024

How we manage your data

How we use your information

His Majesty’s Passport Office is responsible for the issue of the UK passport and for administering the civil registration process in England and Wales including a publicly accessible central index of registration events.

We will process your data when you make or countersign an application, use civil registration services, contact us for information or use your passport.

We process your data to decide whether to issue, refuse or withdraw a product or service, to comply with our legal obligations or to carry out necessary tasks in the public interest.

We may contact you directly to request further information about your application, remind you that your passport is due to expire, or ask you about the services we provide.

How we share your information

We will only share data when it is legal to do so. We will retain your information only for as long as is necessary and will never share your data for marketing purposes.

You have the right to be told if we hold any personal information about you and if so to be given a copy. We may restrict the information we provide to you for the purposes of law enforcement.

We may pass your data to organisations in the UK and abroad. We may share data with business partners, other government departments, law enforcement agencies and local authorities to help fulfil their aims and objectives.

Your data may be checked against information from other organisations to prevent or detect crime.

If you deliberately give untrue or misleading information to HM Passport Office you could be prosecuted.

More information

We will do our upmost to ensure we record accurately information provided on applications.

For more information on how we process your personal data please see HM Passport Office Privacy Information Notice on GOV.UK

For more information on how to contact us or register a complaint visit His Majesty’s Passport Office pages on GOV.UK

If you do not wish to be contacted for customer research purposes, please inform a member of staff.

Introduction

This document explains your rights as an individual when using services provided by His Majesty’s Passport Office (HM Passport Office).

The Privacy Information Notice for other areas of the Home Office are covered here:

Borders, Immigration and Citizenship: Privacy Information Notice

The Home Office Personal Information Charter can be accessed on GOV.UK.

Who we are

HM Passport Office is part of The Home Office.

HM Passport Office is responsible for the services and issue of UK passports and for administering the civil registration process in England and Wales.

1. Your personal data

We will collect personal data when:

• Customers make an application for a passport.

• Referees corroborate an applicant’s identity on a passport application.

• During a passport interview to confirm identity. A digital audio recording of the interview will be retained for 28 days.

• We receive information about registration of a birth, death, marriage, civil partnership in England and Wales from local registrars or from the British authorities such as Armed Forces or a consul where the event is registered overseas.

• We receive information about a parental order, adoption or gender recognition certificate.

• An application is made for a Civil Registration certificate.

• We receive further information from customers or a third party in connection with a passport or registration event, for example, if you apply for a birth, marriage or death entry to be corrected.

This information will be used, as appropriate, to enable us to:

• Verify an identity and nationality to make a decision on an application and assist in delivery of our services

• Verify customer’s entitlement to hold a UK passport, for example being subject to a football banning order

• Verify information about passport or civil registration record once it has been made

• Create a central record of registration events for England and Wales and produce indexes to enable any member of the public to apply for and obtain copies of certificates

• Complete our response to any queries or comments customers submit about their own application

• Improve our customer services

1.1 Cookies

When using our online services, we place small amounts of information on devices, for example, computer or mobile phone. These include small files known as cookies. They cannot be used to identify users personally. Our cookies policy provides more information:

https://www.gov.uk/help/cookies

2. What personal information is held on a passport?

A passport will contain the following personal information:

• Passport number

• Surname

• First name(s)

• Date of birth

• Place of birth

• Gender

• Digitised image (photograph)

• Signature (if recorded digitally).

Personal information and digitised image are located on the personal details page of the passport. The page is in two parts. The upper part is for visual inspection, while the lower part consists of two lines of print which can be read by special passport-reading equipment at immigration controls – it contains no additional information compared to what is listed on the page already. It simply repeats this information in a way that can be easily read by such equipment. Depending on how old a passport is, it will either contain a digitised image of a signature or the passport holder’s handwritten signature.

In 2006, HM Passport Office introduced the e-passports, which include a chip. The chip stores a digitised image and the personal information printed on the personal details page of the passport, there is no personal information held on the chip that cannot be seen already.

Once information has been placed on the chip, it cannot be amended. When the chip is being read by passport reading equipment, the information on the chip is protected against third parties reading the information from a distance (known as “eavesdropping” or “skimming”) by an advanced digital encryption technique.

Lost or stolen passports

You should report a lost or stolen passport as soon as possible. This will reduce the risk of anyone else using your passport or your identity. You can report your passport lost or stolen by:

• going to the GOV.UK website: Cancel a lost or stolen passport
• reporting the loss or theft to a consulate or embassy post (overseas)
• completing a paper notification form (known as an LS01)
• applying to replace the passport, giving the details of the loss (or theft) on the passport application.

3. What information is shown on a birth, death or marriage / civil partnership and adoption certificate?

The format of birth, marriage and death certificates has varied over the years and the content may differ depending on when the event was registered, but generally speaking will include the following information:

Birth:

• Registration district and sub district of birth

• Entry number, date and place of birth

• Name and surname

• Sex

• Name, surname and occupation of father/parent (if recorded)

• Name, surname and occupation of mother

• Usual address

• Name, surname and usual address of the informant (if not the mother or father/parent)

• Date of registration

• Name of registrar

Death:

• Registration district and sub district of death

• Entry number

• Sex, date and place of death

• Name, surname, maiden name (if applicable)

• Occupation and usual address of the deceased

• Date and place of birth of the deceased

• Name, surname and usual address of the informant

• Cause of death

• Date of registration

• Name of the registrar

Marriage:

• District of marriage

• Place of marriage

• Entry number

• Date of marriage

• Name and surname of parties to the marriage

• Date of birth, condition, and occupation

• Residence at the time of the marriage

• Name, surname and occupation of each party’s mother/father/parent (if provided by the parties to the marriage)

• Signatures of both parties

• Name and surname of witnesses

• Signature of the person(s) who officiated at the marriage

Adoption:

• Entry number

• Date of birth

• Registration district and sub district of birth, or place and country of birth (if born abroad)

• Name and surname

• Sex

• Name and surname, address and occupation of the parent(s) of the adopted child

• Date of adoption order or date on which the adoption was affected

• Description of court by whom effected

• Date of entry

• Signature of officer deputed by Registrar General to attest the entry

Civil Partnership:

• Registration Authority where the civil partnership was registered

• Date and place of civil partnership registration

• Name and surname of civil partners

• Date of birth, condition and occupation of the civil partners

• Residence at the time of the civil partnership registration

• Name, surname and occupation of each civil partner’s mother/father/parent (if provided by the civil partners)

• Signatures of civil partners

• Name and surname of witnesses

• Signature of civil partnership registrar

4. Your rights in relation to the processing of your personal data

You have the right to be told if HM Passport Office holds any personal information about you. These are sometimes known as “subject access” rights.

The UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) also provides you with other rights about how your personal information is handled. We will help you exercise your data protection rights by complying with the UK GDPR, including meeting rights to:

• Request a copy of the personal information we hold, subject to a number of exceptions under data protection and civil registration law.

• The personal information will be provided in a clear form.

• Make sure that the personal information we hold is accurate.

• Ask for a correction if necessary and where legislation allows.

• Expect that personal information gathered during the passport process is never used for the purpose of direct marketing. Please note that civil registration records are records which the public have access to and it is a matter for any purchaser of that record to ensure that personal information is used lawfully.

• Expect processing of your personal information in a way that is likely to cause damage or distress is prevented or ceased.

• Ask that a decision which would significantly affect you should not be taken by automatic means.

Automated Decision Making

• We use personal data to develop tools that allow us to assess and then process applications in a particular way. Automation within the application process will comply with our wider obligations under equality legislation. This helps us to target our resources and ensure our processing is efficient, allowing us to minimise costs while protecting the public effectively.

• Parts of our processing involve degrees of automation, but complex or adverse decisions will always be taken by a trained officer or caseworker.

5. Making a request for your data

For help with current passport application queries or complaints, please contact HMPO Helpline (0300 222 0000, Textphone: 18001 0300 222 0222)

You can submit a request for your data in writing or verbally to any part of the organisation Our preferred customer contact point for personal data requests is:

Disclosure of Information Section

His Majesty’s Passport Office

2 East Station Road

Fletton Quays

Peterborough

PE2 8YY

Email: [email protected]

To make a request for your data you will need to provide information to help us find your records. At a minimum, this should include:

• Your full name

• Your date of birth

• Your address

• Any previous name you were known by

• If applicable, your UK passport number, (if you have lost your passport, please try to provide us with an approximate date and place of issue).

You will need to provide us with a means of verifying your identity. The best way of doing this is to provide a copy of the personal details page of your passport. If you do not have a passport, we will accept a photocopy of your photo card driving licence or another form of official photo ID.

We have developed a subject access request form to help you provide all the information we need in order to deal with your application as quickly and smoothly as possible. Download the Subject access request form here.

You do not need to use the subject access request form to request your personal information if you do not wish to. We will be happy to help you complete the request. The Citizens Advice Bureau may also be able to help.

Requests relating to immigration status or whether you hold British Citizenship will not be treated as a Subject Access Request under Article 15 of the UK GDPR following guidance from the Information Commissioners Office.

If you are living in the UK the GOV.UK website can be used to apply online for confirmation of immigration status or confirmation that you have not gained British Citizenship: Nationality Services Base Product (visas-immigration.service.gov.uk)

The online service is not available if you live in the Channel Islands, on the Isle of Man or in a British Overseas Territory. If you cannot, or do not wish to use the online service or live outside the UK a postal application is available on the GOV.UK website: Apply for proof that you do not have British citizenship (form NQ) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Where a request applies solely to information contained as part of a civil registration record, such as a birth registration, an application for a copy of the certificate can be made by applying online through the GOV.UK website:

https://www.gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate or by contacting the Registration Office at the local authority for the area where the registration event occurred and the record is held.

6. Exemptions to the right to subject access

There are specific exemptions within the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Freedom of Information Act 2000, allowing us to refuse requests for personal information where providing personal information would be likely to:

• Prejudice the prevention or detection of crime.

• Disclose personal information about another person.

• Disclose adoption records for those not yet 18 years old.

• Disclose information which relates to a person who has made an application under the Gender Recognition Act.

When we use an exemption set out in legislation we will let you know about this in our response to your request. Consideration will be carried out in accordance with the Guides to Information provided by the Information Commissioner’s Office.

7. Restrictions

HM Passport Office can restrict your right to information if doing so would be a necessary and proportionate measure to:

• avoid obstructing an official or legal inquiry, investigation or procedure.

• avoid prejudicing the prevention, detection, investigation or prosecution of criminal offences or the execution of criminal penalties.

• protect public security.

• protect national security; or

• protect the rights and freedoms of others.

In such circumstances HM Passport Office will notify you in writing of the following:

• what information has not been provided, and the reasons for this.

• your rights of complaint to the Information Commissioner, and to apply to a court.

This requirement to provide information about the exercise of the restriction does not apply if the Home Office decides this would undermine the purpose of applying the restriction.

Because of the legal basis by which we process data a right to data portability does not apply.

8. Rectification and erasure of data and restriction of processing

HM Passport Office will do its upmost to ensure it records accurately the information provided on applications. If errors exist customers can contact HM Passport Office to correct records. Customers may need to provide evidence to support a change in order to reduce the risk of crime or fraud. HM Passport Office may refuse to amend records where sufficient evidence is not available or where a request is not within its legal jurisdiction.

The personal data collected from applications is used to administer existing services, such as confirming the validity of passports or protecting individuals against fraudulent applications submitted in their identity. The erasure or restricted processing of data collected would have a disproportionate impact upon the ability of HM Passport Office to carry out its core functions. Requests for restrictions of processing will be limited to requests to be excluded from customer research.

Please see the contact details section of this document for information on opting out of customer research.

9. Our responsibilities

9.1 Our commitment to you

Our aim is to safeguard and manage personal information and ensure that it is held safely and securely. This will ensure that we protect customers personal identity and support the wider Home Office public protection agenda of combating fraud and identity theft.

We will do that by delivering policies and processes that meet the key values of:

Transparency: We will provide clear and accessible information about how and why we gather, use, retain and share personal information as well as making customers aware of how to exercise their rights to access or amend their information.

Trusted and Secure: We will ensure the security and accuracy of personal information, protecting it from loss or unauthorised disclosure. We will ensure that we manage this effectively, regularly monitoring and improving how our processes work. The overall security of processing is deemed sufficient to protect special category data including nationality, biometric (passport photos, etc) and children’s data as described in Article 9 (2) (g) of UK GDPR.

Benefits to the Citizen: We will ensure that our management of personal information delivers benefits to the law-abiding citizen, either as an individual (e.g. by helping people travel abroad or access a service) or as a member of society (e.g. by helping protect the public). We will only share personal information with others when Ministers have agreed that such benefits exist in those circumstances, or where there is provision in law to provide access to information.

Proportionality: We will only gather personal information that is needed for carrying out our duties. We will not keep it for any longer than is necessary, ensuring that it is only seen by those who need it to do their jobs. We will only share information with others where the law allows this and we will provide the minimum amount of information needed to achieve the benefit

Value for Money: We will ensure that we manage our data in a cost-effective way to ensure we deliver value for money to those who pay fees for our services.

For more information visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-passport-office/about

9.2 How we use the personal information you provide us

Personal data is processed lawfully under Article 6 (1) (c) and/or (e) of the UK GDPR. Article 6 (1) (c) relates to the lawful processing of personal data for compliance with legal obligations to which the data controller is subject. Article 6 (1) (e) relates to the lawful processing of personal data necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the data controller. UK GDPR places restrictions on the processing of sensitive data known as Special Category Data. We will process Special Category data such as biometric, nationality and genetic data under Article 9 of UK GDPR. Biometric and nationality data is processed under UK GDPR Article 9 (2) (g) - substantial public interest. Where customers have decided to voluntarily submit evidence of genetic relationships in support of an application it will be processed with the explicit consent of all parties under Article 9 (2) (a) consent.

In addition, we use personal information we hold for a number of other purposes:

• Customer Research: Customers may be contacted about the services we offer and to get customer opinion about how such services should be run in the future. You may be contacted by customer research companies appointed by HM Passport Office to carry out surveys on our behalf.

• Training and Assurance: We use personal information when training our staff – primarily when training those conducting interviews or dealing with customers over the telephone. We will review personal information as a necessary part of conducting audits to ensure that our staff are carrying out their duties effectively and in accordance with the law.

• Testing our systems: We prefer to use “dummy” or anonymised data for testing our IT systems but exceptionally, we use some personal information to assist in testing our systems effectively where no other reasonable alternative exists. In such circumstances, we ensure that the security and integrity of personal data is never put at risk.

• Statistical analysis: In order to review the effectiveness of our services, we will collate information to measure and judge our performance. Wherever possible, we will use anonymised data to achieve this but some personal information may be involved in conducting such analysis where no reasonable alternative exists.

• Customer Service Messaging: In some cases, we will send customers a text, email or letter acknowledging receipt of an application, confirming successful completion of an application or to confirm an appointment, when customers have provided us with a mobile telephone number or email address. We will also attempt to send a text, email or letter to remind customers when their passport is reaching the end of its validity.

• Images in Publications and Projects: Data subjects that volunteer or give permission to HM Passport Office to use their photographs in publications or projects will be asked for consent to use their image. Consent is provided under Article 6 (1) (a) of the UK General Data Protection Regulation and data subjects can withdraw consent at any time.

Detecting and preventing crime

• The data provided in applications is also used to identify fraud patterns and develop fraud risk indicators.

• Passport photographs submitted with passport applications may be compared against other passport photographs to prevent and detect identity fraud and may be shared with other agencies to fulfil their aims and objectives where there is a legal gateway to do so.

• Passport photographs submitted with passport applications may be compared against facial images from law enforcement agencies in order to prevent or detect crime as well as assisting in the locating or apprehension of known criminals/suspects. We only share data when it is legal and proportionate to do so.

9.3 Information from third parties.

We will obtain personal data relating to British Citizenship applications collected by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). HM Passport Office will only retain the minimum information needed to process a passport application which include a photo of the data subject. The data will be retained irrespective of the data subject submitting a passport application and may be used in the detection and prevention of crime.

We may request information from other sources when you have applied for a passport or contacted us about a registration event. We will do this in order to verify information or the authenticity of supporting documents provided. This includes:

• Contacting someone chosen to corroborate an identity

• Obtaining information from other government departments or a credit reference agency

• Contacting the issuer of a supporting document provided with an application to ensure that it is authentic – this applies to documents issued in the UK and overseas

• Other than the persons chosen to corroborate an identity, information from third parties will only be sought where there is legal power to do so or it is expressly to prevent or detect criminal activity.

9.4 Where is my personal data held and for how long?

Databases hosting passport and civil registration records are located in the UK. Passport application details submitted via online channels are processed within the EEA and held for 28 days after the application is passed for issue and then deleted from the online channel. Our IT systems are subject to security oversight and review in compliance with agreed Government standards. A record held in other formats such as paper or microfiche are similarly subject to oversight and review.

Where passports are applied for overseas, records of application are held securely overseas by our commercial partner VFS Global or at consular posts by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. In some circumstances, our customer research partners may store information securely overseas when they are collecting information from participants. We tell participants when this is the case at the point of collection.

The information gathered from passport or certificate applications will be destroyed at different times based on the information in question and how long it is necessary to keep it. For example: Personal information obtained from other organisations in order to verify information on a passport application or to support an interview will be deleted 28 days after a passport has been issued. Such information may be retained for longer where the application was refused or it is required for the purpose of the prevention or detection of crime. When contacting the HMPO Helpline (0300 222 0000, Textphone: 18001 0300 222 0222) calls will be recorded and stored for 6 months.

Information about passport deliveries are ordinarily retained for three months for UK deliveries and six months for overseas deliveries in order to address any subsequent queries from customers and to retain evidence of delivery or attempted delivery. Such information may be retained for longer where it is required for the purpose of the prevention or detection of crime.

We keep records of civil registration events indefinitely as a record to which the public has access. Records of what passports have been issued and the key information included on such passports are kept for 80 years. Information will be recorded as part of dealing with any applications or queries you make – for example, case notes on how we make a decision on your passport application or whether to correct a civil registration record.

We keep our retention periods under review and will update this section should we make changes.

For more information see What to keep: Home Office guide to managing information.

9.5. How is my information shared?

HM Passport Office shares data with other government departments, law enforcement agencies and local authorities to help fulfill their aims and objectives. HM Passport Office primarily relies upon common law as its legal basis for sharing data.

The Registrar General relies on a specific legal gateway as the legal basis for sharing data. A copy of any register entry will be provided by the Registrar General in accordance with the law to any applicant, provided they supply enough information to identify the entry concerned and pay the appropriate fee. The copy can only be issued in the form of a paper certified copy (a “certificate”). A PDF or digital image can also be obtained from the General Register Office for historical births (over 100 years old), and deaths registered up to 1957. An application for a certificate can also be made to the local office where the event was registered.

A central index of registration events is publicly available in order to help members of the public identify the registration record they might need. Information about the indexes can be found at Research your family history using the General Register Office.

Civil registrations records are also shared for:

• Statistical or research purposes

• Administrative purposes by official bodies e.g. for ensuring records are up to date

• Fraud prevention or detection.

Life Events Verification (LEV) is a service that provides for the electronic verification of civil registration data to government departments. LEV will enable government departments where a legal gateway allows the data to be shared and approval has been given by the Registrar General, including HMRC and UKVI, to verify civil partnerships and also to verify births, marriages, and deaths registered in England and Wales after 2009 instead of checking a paper birth certificate.

A full list of the Registrar General’s data sharing arrangements can be found at Annex A

Other services provided by HM Passport Office:

Passport Validation Service (PVS) to support the business community and government departments in preventing fraud and crime.

This includes:

• Law enforcement agencies to help prevent and detect crime

• For employment purposes to confirm the identity and immigration status of potential employees

• Facilitate passport and consular services overseas

• Financial services to prevent or detect fraud.

• Other government agencies to help fulfill their aims and objectives.

The PVS service will validate information provided by a PVS customer but will not provide personal information. Law enforcement organisations, and other government departments access the Data Verification Application (DVA) system records directly and therefore have access to personal data. Data sharing will only take place where there is a lawful basis that permits the data sharing to occur.

9.6. Information transferred outside of the United Kingdom

For overseas applications, information regarding the delivery of a passport or certificate will be shared with DHL Global Forwarding (UK) Ltd who provide delivery services overseas. Customer data may be stored outside of the United Kingdom by DHL Global Forwarding (UK) Ltd but will be stored in a manner that meets HM Passport Office standards.

HM Passport Office shares information with overseas law enforcement agencies such as Interpol or Home Office staff overseas for the purpose of preventing, investigating and prosecuting crime and fraud overseas and in the UK.

VFS Global, The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and FCDO Services receive and facilitate the processing of some British passport applications made overseas on our behalf.

HM Passport Office may contact applicants, or persons chosen to corroborate an application who may be located outside of the United Kingdom, directly by email, text, phone or post. HM Passport Office cannot assure the integrity of communications or IT systems which do not form part of HM Passport Office services or those of its business partners.

10. Third parties and business partners

10.1 Who has access to my personal information?

HM Passport Office does not share data unless it is lawful, proportionate and relevant to do so.

As part of our operational processes personal information will only be available to those who have a need to see it in order to carry out their duties. We have put in place a range of policies, processes, and system controls in order to enforce this principle. Staff who have access to personal information are subject to pre-employment vetting appropriate to their role and are subject to random audit and review.

A number of organisations are contracted by or subject to agreement with the Director General of HM Passport Office to deliver HM Passport Office services. To do this, they will often handle personal data on our behalf and under our instructions. These organisations, as “data processors”, conduct the following work:

• Sopra Steria Limited: Opening passport applications received in the post and recording their contents onto our passport application processing system; and writing to you if we need some additional information to support your application. Authenticating supporting documentation as part of the Scanning and Validation Service.

• Iron Mountain: In partnership with Sopra Steria to provide the Scanning and Validation Service. Storage and retrieval services for HM Passport Office and Civil Registration Services.

• DXC: Developing and supporting our online application channel, passport application processing system, passport records database and supporting IT systems.

• Thales: Printing passports where an application has been approved by HM Passport Office.

• DHL Global Forwarding (UK) Ltd: Delivering passports and returning supporting document to customers outside of the UK. DHL Global Forwarding (UK) Ltd are the data controllers for the customer data they process on our behalf. DHL Global Forwarding (UK) Ltd may contact customers by email, text or phone call regarding the delivery of a passport.

• Amazon Web Services (AWS): Storage of on-line passport application data.

• Credit reference agencies: Supporting identity verification.

• VFS Global: Provide passport application submission services, interview facilitation, DNA facilitation, and passport and document collection services overseas.

• The Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office and FCDO Services: Receive and facilitate processing of some British passport applications made overseas on our behalf.

• Home Office Digital Data and Technology: Host and maintain the computer systems used for the registration of births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships and for online certificate ordering. Host and maintain computer systems in the UK for the storage of Digital Application Processing (DAP) applications

• Post Office Ltd: Providing the Check & Send service which helps customers submit applications to HM Passport Office.

• Royal Mail: Dispatch and delivery of Civil Registration documents and supporting passport documents where a secure delivery service has not been requested. Provide secure delivery of UK passports and supporting documents in the UK, as well as delivery service for Civil Registration and UK Visas & Immigration. Royal Mail are the data controllers for the customer data they process on our behalf. Royal Mail may contact customers by email, text or phone call regarding the delivery of a passport.

• Teleperformance: Answering initial customer enquiries at our contact centre located in the UK for the Passport Advice Line and sending letters to invite some applicants to an interview. Processing reports of passports which have been reported as lost or stolen

• Kainos, Equal Experts, ATOS, Automation Logic and BAE Systems assist with software and programme development of HM Passport Office systems.

• Top Level: provision of appointment booking and queuing systems

• IBM: Support for biometric verification services.

• WorldPay: Accessed via GOV.UK Pay to process payments.

• Worldreach: Supporting the processing of passport applications from British Overseas Territories.

• ESynergy and Cognizant: Used to provide contractors for IT services. Private contractors are also appointed independently.

• Serco: Answering initial customer enquiries at our contact centre located in the UK for the Passport Advice Line

10.2 Contact details

HM Passport Office is part of The Home Office.

The Home Office is the controller for passport data. The Office of the Data Protection Officer is responsible for data protection compliance within the Home Office and can be contacted at Office of the Data Protection Officer, Peel Building, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF or Email: [email protected].

The Director General of HM Passport Office, Joanna Rowland, is responsible for issuing passports on behalf of the Home Secretary under the powers of the Royal Prerogative.

The Registrar General for England and Wales, Tom Grieg, is responsible for the registration of life events such as births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships in accordance with the law^{[footnote 1]}. The service is delivered locally by registration officers and local authorities in England and Wales.

The Registrar General is the controller for civil registration data and can be contacted at General Register Office, Trafalgar Road, Southport, PR8 2HH. The Registrar General has appointed the Data Protection Officer for the Home Office to also be the Data Protection Officer for the Registrar General, they can be contacted at Office of the Data Protection Officer, Peel Building, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF or Email: [email protected].

The Superintendent Registrar for each registration district is also a controller for birth, death and marriage registrations and the relevant local authority is a controller for civil partnership registrations held locally.

If you do not wish to be contacted for customer research purposes you can contact [email protected] asking to be opted out of customer research. In your email you should provide the following information:

Title

Full Name

Address

Date of Birth

Email address

Contact details for making a subject access request:

Disclosure of Information Section

His Majesty’s Passport Office

2 East Station Road

Fletton Quays

Peterborough

PE2 8YY

Email: [email protected]

If you are not satisfied by the service you have received from HM Passport Office or would like to discuss our response to a Data Subject rights request please contact:

Customer Service Management Team

HM Passport Office

PO Box 767

Southport

PR8 9PW

Or use the Passport Enquiries form on Gov.uk which can be found here: Passport enquiries (eforms.homeoffice.gov.uk)

11. Other sources of advice and assistance

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office about the way we are handling your personal information. Further information and advice can be obtained from the Information Commissioner and the Citizens Advice Bureau, whose contact details are as follows:

The Office of the Information Commissioner

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Website: ICO.org.uk

Citizen Advice Bureau:

To find your nearest Citizens Advice Bureau, go to the “Get advice” pages of the Citizens Advice website

Annex A

List of personal data processing activities by the Registrar General

1. Collection of personal data

Data provider	Purpose	Information	Personal data	Statutory basis	Lawful basis (Under Article 6 UK GDPR)
Superintendent registrar	To compile and maintain a central record of birth registrations	Registration district and sub district of birth Entry number, date and place of birth Name and surname Sex Name, surname and occupation of father (if recorded) Name, surname and occupation of mother Usual address Name, surname and usual address of the informant (if not the mother or father) Date of registration Name of registrar	Yes	S27 Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953	6 (c) legal obligation The rights to object to processing of personal data or have personal data erased do not apply
Superintendent registrar	To compile and maintain a central record of death registrations	Registration district and sub district of death Entry number, date and place of death Name, surname, maiden name (if applicable) Sex Occupation and usual address of the deceased Date and place of birth of the deceased Name, surname and usual address of the informant Cause of death Date of registration Name of the registrar	Yes, in relation to informant’s details	S27 Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953	6 (c) legal obligation The rights to object to processing of personal data or have personal data erased do not apply
Superintendent registrar	Statistical purposes	In relation to birth: Age of mother Age of father or parent (if registered) No. of previous children Date of marriage or civil partnership of parents (if appropriate) Whether the mother had any marriage or civil partnership before that date In relation to death: Condition of deceased (i.e. single, married, etc) Age of surviving spouse or civil partner (if any)	Yes, as linked to registration record	S3 Population Statistics Act 1938	6 (c) legal obligation The rights to object to processing of personal data or have personal data erased do not apply
Superintendent registrar	Statistical purposes	In relation to birth: Industry of employment and employment status In relation to death: Length of stay in a communal establishment Industry of employment and employment status of deceased	Yes, as linked to registration record	No provision as collected voluntarily	6 (e) public task The right to have personal data erased does not apply
Superintendent registrar	To compile and maintain a central record of marriage registrations	District of marriage Place of marriage Entry number Date of marriage Name and surname of parties to the marriage Age, condition, rank or profession Residence at the time of the marriage Name, surname and rank or profession of each party’s father Signatures of both parties and their witnesses Name of the person(s) who conducted, and registered the marriage	Yes	S58 Marriage Act 1949	6 (c) legal obligation The rights to object to processing of personal data or have personal data erased do not apply
Parties who have formed a civil partnership	To compile and main a central record of civil partnership registrations	Registration Authority where the civil partnership was registered Date and place of civil partnership registration Name and surname of civil partners Date of birth, sex, condition and occupation of the civil partners Residence at the time of the civil partnership registration Father’s name, surname and occupation of each civil partner Mother’s name, surname and occupation of each civil partner Signatures of civil partners Name and surname of witnesses Signature of civil partnership registrar	Yes	S30 Civil Partnership Act	6 (c) legal obligation The rights to object to processing of personal data or have personal data erased do not apply
Adoption court orders from relevant courts in England and Wales and some overseas adoptions	To compile and maintain a central record of adoptions	Entry number, date and place of birth Name and surname Sex Name, surname address and occupation of parents Date of adoption and name of court Date of entry Officer who attested the entry	Yes	S77 Adoption and Children Act 2002	6 (c) legal obligation The rights to object to processing of personal data or have personal data erased do not apply
Registrar	To ensure the records are accurate.	Birth registration data for births in England and Wales along with the corresponding NHS number	Yes	S19AA Registration Service Act 1953	6(e) public task. The right to have personal data erased does not apply.

2. Sharing of registration information

Recipient	Purpose	Information	Personal data	Statutory provision	Lawful basis (under Article 6 UK GDPR)
Applicant for a certificate	To obtain a certified copy of a birth, death, marriage, civil partnership or adoption entry	Where the applicant can identify the relevant entry and pay the fee, all the information in a birth, death or marriage entry; name, surname and date of birth for a short birth or adoption certificate; full details from a civil partnership entry where the applicant can provide the address of the civil partners; all information excluding address of the civil partners where the applicant cannot provide it.	Yes	S30 and 33 Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 S65 Marriage Act 1949 Regulation 13 Civil Partnership (Registration provisions) Regulations 2005 S78 Adoption and Children Act 2002	6 (c) legal obligation The rights to object to processing of personal data or have personal data erased do not apply
Statistics Board (Office for National Statistics)	To support UK Statistics Authority requirement to produce statistical information	Birth, Death, Still-birth, Adoption, Marriage and Civil partnership registrations Any other birth or death information received by the RG (includes Birth, Still-birth, and Death confidential and voluntary statistical information)	Yes	S42 Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007	6 (e) public task The right to have personal data erased does not apply
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care	To assist the Secretary of State in the performance of functions in relation to health	Birth, Death and Adoption registrations. Any other birth and death information kept under legislation	Yes	S270 National Health Service Act 2006	6 (e) public task The right to have personal data erased does not apply
Welsh Ministers (for Health)	To assist Welsh Ministers in the performance of functions in relation to health	Birth, Death and Adoption registrations. Any other birth and death information kept under legislation	Yes	S.201 National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006	6 (e) public task The right to have personal data erased does not apply
Department for Education	For research purposes	For research purposes any information that relates to a person who was or may have been under 18 at the time of death	Yes, in relation to the parents of the deceased and the informant	S32 Children and Young Persons Act 2008	6 (e) public task The right to have personal data erased does not apply
Public sector agencies and law enforcement organisations	For the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of offences	Verification of birth, death and marriage registration information when requested	Yes	Schedule 6 Immigration Act 2014	6 (e) public task The right to have personal data erased does not apply
His Majesty’s Passport office	To assist the Home Secretary in the performance of duties in connection with passport issue	Verification of information provided for the purposes of, or in connection with, an application for the issue of a passport, or determining whether to withdraw an individual’s passport	Yes	S10 Identity Documents Act 2010	6 (e) public task The right to have personal data erased does not apply
Variety of Libraries and Records Offices	For the RG to provide an index of registration events	A microfiche subset of birth, death, marriages, civil partnership, adoption and overseas indexes	Yes	S30 Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 S65 Marriage Act 1949 Regulation 13 Civil Partnership (Registration provisions) Regulations 2005 S78 Adoption and Children Act 2002	6 (c) legal obligation The rights to object to processing of personal data or have personal data erased do not apply
Adopted People	To enable adopted people to trace their original birth record	Information to allow them to purchase a certificate of original birth record	Yes	S79 and Schedule 2 Adoption and Children Act 2002	6 (c) legal obligation The rights to object to processing of personal data or have personal data erased do not apply
Adoption Agencies (Intermediary Agencies)	To enable adopted people to trace their original birth record and make contact with birth relatives	Information from the Adopted Children Register, Adoption Contact Register, court details and original birth details as required	Yes	Regulation 13 Adoption Information and Intermediary Services (Pre-Commencement Adoptions) and equivalent Welsh Regulations 2005. The Disclosure of Adoption Information (Post-Commencement Adoptions) Regulations 2005 Regulation 18 Access to Information (Post-Commencement Adoptions) (Wales) Regulations 2005	6 (c) legal obligation The rights to object to processing of personal data or have personal data erased do not apply
Adopted people and birth relatives	To facilitate contact between adopted people and birth relatives	Information from adopted people and their relatives which is necessary to complete an application for the Adoption Contact Register	Yes	S80 Adoption and Children Act 2002	6 (c) legal obligation The rights to object to processing of personal data or have personal data erased do not apply
Other government departments	To enable the recipient to exercise one or more of its functions	Birth, Death, Marriage and Civil partnership registrations	Yes	S19AA Registration Service Act 1953	6(e) public task. The right to have personal data erased does not apply.

1. The main legislation governing civil registration is the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953, the Marriage Act 1949 and the Civil Partnership Act 2004 ↩