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See other news storiesBritish passports to get facelift
11 June 2009
The next generation of British passports will have a new design and improved security features.
The new passports - available from October 2010 - will have a variety of new features designed to make them work better, and keep borders safer.
The new passports will have the capacity to hold fingerprint biometrics. This, and other security features, will make them more difficult to counterfeit, and improve the features passports already have to protect those who hold them from identity theft.
The £400m contract to produce the new passport book was awarded to the world’s largest commercial security printer, De La Rue.
'The best in the world'
James Hall, the chief executive of the Identity and Passport Service, said, ‘The British passport is recognised as one of the best in the world.
‘Upgrading the passport is essential to keep pace with the most advanced international standards for travel documents, and will ensure that British citizens have the freedom to travel easily worldwide.’
