Passports please? Brexit means Islanders must apply

Wednesday 19 October 2016

The Brexit vote by the United Kingdom means current passports will eventually need to be replaced - and that includes those in Jersey.

A timescale on when new passports will be required is not yet clear, but a Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel was told yesterday that there would be a “transitional” period.

The United Kingdom will leave the EU in March 2019 following the Brexit vote and States members were concerned over the implications for Jersey passport holders. 

External Relations Minister Sir Philip Bailhache said: “The UK will no longer be able to use the European community passport any longer so will have to use a British passport. 

“The position is that the passport printing is done in England for security reasons and the applications are completed in Jersey and they are still Jersey passports in the sense that they are issued by the Crown on behalf of the Lieutenant Governor.” 

Senator Sarah Ferguson asked: “Does that mean we are all going to have to get new ones, and pay for them?  

Sir Philip said: “We will certainly need new passports, but I don’t know who is going to pay for it. I expect you will.” 

Deputy Simon Bree asked: “You say we will need new passports, are you saying in March 2019 our passports are no longer valid?” 

Sir Philip replied: “This is following on from a great number of matters which will have to be dealt with between the United Kingdom and the European Union. It is a matter which affects both and clearly I would have thought there would be some sort of transitional arrangement which allows EU passports to continue in force for a period of time, so that the passport office is not overwhelmed by 100,000 applications from Jersey.  

“We will go back to the status quo before the UK joined the EU, so whatever was in place before 1972 will happen again in 2019.”  

A Brexit department, designed to help Jersey cope with the UK’s exit from Europe, has been set up by the States and will cost up to £1.75m between now and the end of 2018.

States members were told the money will pay to recruit experts for a London office, a financial services team, law officers and travel costs.