Jersey passports to turn blue after Brexit

Thursday 28 December 2017

Jersey passports will change colour due to the UK’s exit from the EU in the Spring.

The UK Government has announced plans to revert the British Passport to its original colour of Blue, which was first used in 1921, as the travel document will no longer be required to conform to European Union standards when the UK officially leaves the EU in March 2019.

Speaking about the change, UK Immigration Minister Brandon Lewis commented: “…leaving the EU gives us a unique opportunity to restore our national identity and forge a new path for ourselves in the world… that is why I am delighted to announce that the British passport will be returning to the iconic blue and gold design after we have left the European Union in 2019... it will also be one of the most secure travel documents in the world, with a raft of new security measures to protect against fraud and forgery.”

Pictured: How Britons can expect their passport to look in future. (Home Office/PA)

The Jersey Passport Office assures Jersey passports will be aligned to give the same status to holders of British passports issued in the United Kingdom or the other Crown Dependencies.

Customs and Immigration Service Assistant Director, Immigration and Nationality, Luke Goddard, explained, "...initially, from March 2019 British passports will remain burgundy but will have no reference to the European Union. British passports issued from October 2019 will have a blue cover."

Islanders are being advised that they do not need to take any action before the renewal date in their current passport.