Roadtown, Tortola - The Governor’s Office and the Civil Registry and Passport Office today announced important changes which will come into effect shortly affecting those who wish to apply for a full British Citizen passport.

Until now, persons applying for a British Citizen passport have been able to do so through the Passport Office in Liverpool via the BVI Civil Registry and Passport Office, for first passport issues, or directly with the British High Commission in Bridgetown, Barbados, for renewal and replacement passports.

Effective 3 August, 2009 neither the Civil Registry and Passport Office nor the British High Commission in Bridgetown will accept applications for British Citizen passports. This change does not affect applications for British Overseas Territories Citizen passports, which will continue to be processed by the Civil Registry and Passport Office as before.

From 3 August, 2009, persons wishing to apply for a full validity British Citizen passport, including first passport issues, should do so by sending their applications by courier or registered post to the UK Passport Service Centre in Washington D.C. This will be the new passport production centre for the British Virgin Islands and the region. 

The mailing address is: The UK Passport Service Centre for the Americas and Caribbean, British Embassy, 19 Observatory Circle, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA. You may use a courier company of your choice and at your cost to send your application, but please note that returned passports and documents will arrive from Washington via UPS.

The cost of the passport itself will remain the same (currently £124 or $211 for a standard 32-page passport) but an additional charge (currently $21) will be made to cover the cost of returning it via UPS. 

The vast majority of applications, which have the correct supporting documentation and payment fee, will be assessed within 10 working days of receipt in Washington.  Applicants will need to allow additional time for their applications to transit between the BVI and Washington, but overall the time taken to process an application will be quicker than the current six to eight weeks for one sent to the UK for processing.

To avoid applicants being without travel documents for extended periods (for example identification purposes or during Hurricane Season), applicants will not need to send their current passports with the renewal application.  They will however need to provide a photocopy.  The old passport must only be used for emergency travel.  This is because the passport issuing system will electronically cancel the old passport when the new one is being processed and applicants risk travelling on an invalid travel document. When the new passport is received, applicants should call into the Governor's Office to complete the cancellation process.

The UPS local agent is Sprint Courier Services located at Botanic Station in Road Town (telephone 494-8266).

This change is part of a global initiative to streamline the Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s passport operation to make it more cost effective, secure and sustainable.

You can obtain more information, guidance and copies of application forms from Civil Registry and Passport Office, the Governor's Office or www.ukinusa.fco.gov.uk or www.ukinbarbados.fco.gov.uk