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His Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO) has advised of the following changes to British passport application processing.
HMPO will now directly contact applicants if additional information or documents are required to support an application. If original documents are requested by HMPO, applicants must post them directly to the address provided in the HMPO correspondence.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that prompt action is taken on any correspondence received from HMPO. There is a strict six-week timeframe for documents to be received by HMPO calculated from the date HMPO’s correspondence was sent.
Required Documents for all First-Time and Renewal Applications:
- A full birth certificate (and marriage certificate if applicable)
- If born after 31 December 1982, your mother’s birth certificate
- If applicable your parents’ marriage certificate (to show mother’s change of name)
- Two (2) passport-type photographs (signed)
- Your current passport (for renewals)
- A colour copy of the bio-data page of the passport belonging to the person who countersigns your application.
| Passport Type | Passport Fee (Cheque payable to HMPO, submitted with application) | Handling Charge (Cash, paid at Customer Service Centre, receipt submitted with application) |
| Adult 34-page standard passport | £120.50 | £18.80 |
| Child 34-page standard passport (where the applicant is under 16 years of age) | £82.50 | £18.80 |
Your counter signatory must meet specific criteria as outlined by HMPO:
Accepted Occupations/Criteria:
A counter signatory must either:
- work in (or be retired from) a recognised profession
- be ‘a person of good standing in their community’
Examples of recognised professions include:
- Accountant
- Chairman or Director of a limited company
- Commissioner for oaths
- Councillor, for example local or county
- Justice of the Peace
- Minister of a recognised religion (including Christian Science)
- Nurse (Rgn or Rmn)
- Person with honours, for example an OBE or MBE
- Police Officer
- Post Office Official
- Salvation Army Officer
- Social Worker
- Solicitor
Your counter signatory cannot:
- Work for HM Passport Office
- Be a doctor, unless they state that they know you well (for example they’re a good friend) and that they recognise you easily from your photo
- Be related to you by birth or marriage
- Be in a relationship with you or live at the same address as you.
The counter signatory must hold a current British or British Overseas Territory Citizen (BOTC) passport. If your counter signatory does not meet these requirements, you will be asked to find someone else.
For any queries regarding the above information, please contact the Immigration Office.
#StHelena #BritishPassportApplications
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St Helena is set to take a significant step forward in its efforts towards digital modernisation with the approval of a new Communications Bill by Legislative Council on 18 June 2025. The Bill will become an Ordinance when HE Governor signifies his assent.
This crucial legislation replaces the outdated Telecommunications Ordinance 1989. When brought into force the new Communications Ordinance will establish a complete regulatory code for the management of the entire electromagnetic spectrum for St Helena as well as making wider provision concerning broadcasting and communications more generally. Consumer protection and the protection of vital national interests are at its heart.
This landmark Bill follows years of work, stemming from the Communications Networks and Services Policy first approved in 2020. The Policy, consistently endorsed by the Executive Council, most recently in July 2024, laid the groundwork for drafting a modern law that addresses the complexities of today’s digital landscape.
Key Provisions for a Modern and Fair Communications Landscape
The new Communications Ordinance contains more than 130 sections and is divided into 22 Parts. Some of its key elements include:
- Establishing a Communications Regulator: The Communications Regulator will oversee and enforce compliance with the Ordinance. The Regulator will look to ensure that Communications Service Providers operate in the best interests of customers. There will be a focus on fair pricing, quality, and innovation. To ensure transparency in a less competitive market, the Regulator will require companies to provide clear information and will impose penalties for non-compliance. This will lead to better decision-making and improved service.
- Clear Licensing Framework: The Ordinance together with regulations and codes will create a clear Licensing Framework. This will provide certainty for investors, consumers, and all stakeholders. In addition to these laws all licences, when granted will include conditions and obligations that licensees will have to comply with. The aim is to foster confidence for licensees, for investors and for consumers. It also seeks to protect vital infrastructure, future investments and support network upgrades across the island.
- Universal Service Obligation: A Universal Service Obligation is mandated, ensuring that all St Helena residents have access to affordable communication services, regardless of their geographical location.
- Enhanced Consumer Safeguards and Quality of Service: The Ordinance will strengthen Consumer Safeguards and make arrangements for the introduction of Quality of Service standards. Service providers will be required to establish complaint-handling procedures, protect user privacy, and meet minimum quality standards, with regular performance reporting.
- Power to Impose Price Controls: To ensure fair pricing for consumers, the Ordinance introduces the power to implement Price Controls. This ensures that services remain affordable while allowing providers fair returns that reflect operational costs and risks on St Helena.
- Robust Exit Provisions: To guarantee continuous service, even if a service provider departs, detailed exit provisions are required to be included in licences. Licensees will be required to compile a comprehensive exit plan to ensure smooth transitions of services, assets, and data, protecting users from any disruption.
- Surveillance and interception: Communications networks carry vast amounts of information that can be of interest in criminal investigations. The powers in the Ordinance are carefully balanced and seek to safeguard privacy whilst at the same time giving appropriate investigatory powers. The Ordinance looks to the appointment of a Surveillance Commissioner. Part of the Surveillance Commissioner’s role will be to strike the appropriate balances between the needs of law enforcement and consumers rights to privacy.
Protecting St Helena’s Consumers
At its core, the new Communications Ordinance is designed with the consumer at its heart. It introduces robust regulation to safeguard the public and prevent harm, ensuring fair practices in the communications sector. The Ordinance provides necessary tools, including the power to implement price controls to ensure fair costs and a comprehensive licensing framework that holds providers accountable. These measures will collectively ensure that the island’s communications services genuinely serve the welfare of every resident.
This proactive legislative step underscores St Helena’s commitment to building a robust, equitable, and modern digital future for all its citizens.
Minister for Treasury & Economic Development Portfolio, Mark Brooks, commented:
“This Government is committed to ending the digital poverty and exclusion that St Helena has faced due to our remote location. We have taken decisive action by commissioning the Equiano subsea cable, which connects our island to the transformative potential of subsea fibre infrastructure, and started to realise the benefits when the cable was connected to our island network in October 2023.. With the passage of the Communications Bill, we are demonstrating to the world that St Helena is open for business with a modern, forward-thinking regulatory framework.
St Helena offers unique advantages: lightly used spectrum, an ideal mid-Atlantic location, and a government actively encouraging development as a hub for satellite ground stations and other businesses. This has been a significant journey, and I commend the dedicated work of SHG officials who have helped transform this ambition into reality with this Bill.”
A copy of the Ordinance can be found on the Bills for an Ordinance page on the SHG website at https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/government/legislative-council/bills-for-an-ordinance/.
#StHelena #CommunicationsBill #LegislativeCouncil
www.facebook.com/StHelenaGovt/
SHG
20 June 2025
In his final week in office, the Hon. Martin Henry, St Helena’s Minister for Health and Social Care, has been invited to attend and participate in the UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs) Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Conference in London. The conference, funded by the FCDO (Overseas Territories Civil Resilience Programme), via UKHSA as the Delivery Partner, is scheduled to take place from 23 to 27 June 2025 and brings together CMOs from across the Territories to focus on Behavioural Science Approaches to Risk Communication, a critical pillar of St Helena’s recently approved Prevention Strategy.
Minister Henry’s attendance at this event is a strategically important step to ensure the continuity and advancement of St Helena’s Public Health initiatives. As the island prepares for a new administration, this conference offers a vital opportunity to showcase St Helena’s commitment to preventative health and the significant work undertaken to date. It also fosters collaboration that will benefit St Helena and other UK Overseas Territories as they collectively progress.
The UKHSA’s support for St Helena and its public health efforts has been, and continues to be, substantial, providing both funding and professional expertise. This support is built on a mutual commitment to improve current health outcomes and foster long-term sustainable strategies.
Minister Henry commented:
“This conference is not about the end of a journey, but the continuation of a commitment that should not be bound by any individual. St Helena is at a critical juncture, but much work has been done in securing important foundations that are critical to success. These have been laid in the hope that they will be built upon by the incoming government. Our work on the Prevention Strategy and our collaboration with UKHSA is a testament to the Government’s dedication to support the health and well-being of our people, both now and into the future.”
Minister Henry’s participation underscores that policy evolution does not pause during governmental transitions. Instead, it ensures that the island remains at the forefront of innovation, strengthening partnerships that are key to providing lasting impact beyond political cycles.
All elements of the visit are fully funded by the UKHSA and will have no impact on St Helena’s approved recurring budget for 2025/26.
Minister Christine Scipio will be responsible for the Health and Social Care portfolio in Minister Henry’s absence and can be contacted by email via Christine.scipio@sainthelena.gov.sh
SHG
17 June 2025
Following the presentation of the Appropriation Bill 2025 on Thursday 29 May 2025 in Legislative Council, and the budget speech by Minister for the Treasury and Economic Development Portfolios, Mark Brooks, the Budget Book 2025/26 – 2027/28 is now available on the SHG website via: https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/documents/2025-26-to-2027-28-Budget-Book.
The Budget Book, formally titled Estimates of Recurrent and Capital Expenditure and Revenue 2025/26 – 2027/28, covers the Government’s forecast revenue and expenditure for the 2025/26 financial year. It also explains the assumptions and methodologies applied where the Government has costed policy decisions.
Within the Budget Book you will find details about overall government finances as well as portfolio-specific finances.
#StHelena #Budget2025/26 #AltogetherWealthier
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St Helena has been nominated for the ‘Most Desirable Island – Worldwide’ category in the prestigious Wanderlust Travel Awards 2025. This significant recognition follows Wanderlust’s shortlisting of destinations that resonated with their readership of over 140,000 and broader audience, with consumers now voting on these shortlisted nominations to determine the ultimate winner. This highlights St Helena’s growing appeal as a truly unique and authentic travel destination.
Voting for the Wanderlust Travel Awards is open now until 17 October 2025. Travelers and admirers of St Helena are encouraged to cast their votes and support the island’s bid for this esteemed title.
The winners of the 24th annual Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards will be unveiled at a ceremony hosted during World Travel Market, held at the National Gallery in London on 5 November 2025. The event aims to celebrate awe-inspiring worldwide destinations, as championed by Wanderlust’s discerning readership.
The Wanderlust Travel Awards are highly regarded, with categories designed to identify the most desirable cities, regions, countries and emerging destinations, all chosen by Wanderlust readers. Additionally, the awards recognise top destinations for adventure, culture and heritage, nature and wildlife, food, and sustainable travel.
This nomination provides an exceptional opportunity for St Helena to gain further international recognition and attract more visitors eager to discover our rich history, breath-taking landscapes, and friendly culture.
To vote for St Helena as the ‘Most Desirable Island – Worldwide’, please visit https://www.wanderlustmagazine.com/about-us/our-awards/2025-vote/.
Head of Tourism, Jonathan Passaportis, commented:
“Being nominated for the Most Desirable Island Worldwide is an amazing honour for St Helena. It reflects the growing appreciation for this magnificent island’s rare beauty, unrivalled nature, deep heritage, and warm hospitality. We invite everyone who has been inspired by St Helena, whether through travel, story or connection, to cast their vote and help share our unique island with the world.”
Photo
Note to Editor
Wanderlust, a leading voice in independent travel, is dedicated to informing and inspiring travellers globally to explore off-the-beaten-path destinations. Through original travel writing, photography, and expert advice, both in print and online, Wanderlust champions unique travel experiences.
#StHelena #Tourism #ReaderTravelAwards
The St Helena Government (SHG) is implementing significant reforms to enhance public safety and improve the island’s transportation system, focusing on taxis, buses, and Public Service Vehicles (PSVs). These reforms, approved by the Executive Council in October 2023, include a comprehensive licensing policy for drivers and vehicles and a reduced drink-driving limit, aligning with international standards. These reforms will come into effect on 1 September 2025.
Addressing Regulatory Gaps and Enhancing Public Safety
Currently, while vehicles can be registered as taxis, there are no safeguards to ensure driver vetting and authorisation. This lack of oversight poses a potential risk to public safety. To address this, SHG will introduce a new licensing policy mandating driver and vehicle licensing. This will ensure all operators undergo thorough vetting, including medical assessments and safeguarding training.
Minister for Safety, Security, and Home Affairs, Jeffrey Ellick, stated:
“This policy is crucial for ensuring the safety and reliability of all public transportation services. By implementing a robust licensing system, we are taking a significant step towards protecting our community and ensuring passengers, especially the most vulnerable, can have confidence in the vehicles and operators they use.”
Implementation and Financial Implications
The implementation of these reforms will involve additional costs, including vetting, photo card licenses, and administrative expenses. To cover these costs, a licensing fee structure has been established. A new driver’s license, including medical, vehicle (Class C), and vetting and administration costs, will total £60.80.
The Royal St Helena Police (RSHP) will manage the licensing renewal of approximately 213 vehicles, representing an estimated 75% of the 284 registered taxis, PSVs, and buses. Budget adjustments will be made to accommodate ongoing material and administrative expenses.
Lowering the Drink-Driving Limit
In a move to further enhance road safety, SHG is reducing the drink-driving limit from 50mg to 35mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath, aligning with standards in the UK, Falkland Islands, Ascension, and most other British Overseas Territories. This change, necessitating amendments to the Road Traffic Ordinance 1985, aims to reduce road accidents and promote responsible driving.
Minister Ellick added:
“St Helena previously had possibly the highest drink-driving limit in the world. Updating this limit is a step towards reducing road accidents, making our roads safer for all users and promoting responsible driving.”
#StHelena #ReducedDrink-DrivingLimit #RoadTrafficSafety
www.facebook.com/StHelenaGovt/
St Helena is proud to observe Carers Week from 9 to 15 June 2025, dedicated to recognising the invaluable contributions of unpaid carers across the island. This year’s theme, ‘Working towards an equal society where unpaid carers are truly recognised, valued and supported,’ highlights the critical role these individuals play in our community.
A carer is someone who provides unpaid care and support to a family member, neighbour, or friend living with a disability, illness, mental health condition, addiction, or who needs extra help as they grow older. While paid care professionals are essential, Carers Week specifically shines a light on those who integrate caregiving into their daily lives without financial compensation.
Caring can often be a lonely and isolating experience, and the dedication involved can be immense. During this week, we encourage everyone to reflect on how we can show our support, appreciation, and understanding for these remarkable individuals and their unwavering commitment to their loved ones, extended family, friends, and neighbours.
The St Helena community extends a heartfelt ‘Thank You’ to all carers, both known and unknown, for the positive difference they make in the lives of others. Your selflessness and compassion are the backbone of our society.
#StHelena #DiabetesWeek2025 #AltogetherHealthier
www.facebook.com/StHelenaGovt/
St Helena is celebrating further international recognition with St Helena Tourism’s video, ‘Come and Find Me’, receiving a Gold Award at the International Tourism Film Festival Africa (ITFFA) in the Tourism Destination – International category. This achievement builds on the island’s previous successes at global film festivals, further showcasing St Helena as a unique destination in the film industry.
‘Come and Find Me’, an innovative tourism film, has garnered international attention for its narrative-driven approach and celebration of St Helena’s wonders. Recently, it won a Director’s Choice special award at the Japan World’s Tourism Film Festival (JWTFF).
The film’s success is particularly significant as it was an output of the St Helena Showcase, an event held in April 2024, which connected local and international tourism and investment representatives. The showcase aimed to highlight St Helena’s as an emerging travel destination for travel trade and investors interested in adventure, marine life, responsible tourism, history, and culture.
Minister of Treasury and Economic Development, Mark Brooks, commented:
“We are incredibly proud of the continued success of ‘Come and Find Me’ and its recognition on the international stage. This film beautifully captures the essence of St Helena and its unique tourism offerings. I commend the work of my portfolio and the St Helena Showcase for facilitating this film, which continues to demonstrate its valuable outputs.”
To view the ‘Come and Find Me’ film, click the link below:
Come and Find Me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATenzRrnCJc
#StHelena #Tourism #Film
https://www.facebook.com/StHelenaGovt/
St Helena is joining the global observance of Diabetes Week, a time dedicated to elevate awareness, spark conversations, and shed light on the daily realities of living with diabetes. With an estimated 1 in 4 people on St Helena currently receiving medication for diabetes and approximately 400 individuals living with prediabetes, the island faces a significant public health challenge.
Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterised by the body’s inability to produce sufficient insulin or effectively utilise the insulin it produces. Insulin is a crucial hormone responsible for regulating blood sugar. Uncontrolled blood sugar levels can lead to severe complications, including damage to blood vessels, increasing the risk of blindness, amputation, kidney disease, heart attack, and stroke.
This year, Diabetes Week on St Helena shines a critical light on the importance of regular health checks for individuals living with diabetes. Whilst the constant cycle of numbers, checks, and tests can feel overwhelming, and despite feeling fine or lacking time, these routine health assessments are vital for maintaining good health and ensuring a full and active life. For those living with diabetes, it can often feel like a constant battle, but these regular health checks are your strongest defence. These vital assessments provide crucial insights into your health, enabling early intervention and preventing serious complications further down the line.
The health team on St Helena encourages the community to proactively engage in lifestyle changes that can reduce the risk of developing diabetes, such as maintaining a healthy weight through healthy eating, being physically active, and not smoking.
To mark Diabetes Week, the Health Promotion Team will host a stall at The Market, Jamestown on Thursday, 12 June 2025, from 10:00. This event will offer:
- Diabetes risk score checks
- Blood pressure screenings
- Opportunities to speak with healthcare professionals about diabetes and related health topics
- Discussions with the Better Health and Smokefree team on making positive lifestyle changes
This is a valuable opportunity for community members to gain a better understanding of their diabetes risk, learn about vital health checks, and access support for healthier living.
For more information, please contact:
- Diabetic Nurse: 22500 Ext 2094
- Health Promotion Team: 22500 Ext 2079
#StHelena #DiabetesWeek2025 #AltogetherHealthier
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Four constituency meetings have been organised to take place during the month of June 2025. These meetings will constitute the final round of constituency meetings before the dissolution of Council on 30 June 2025. It is unfortunate that meetings cannot be arranged for every district, due to time limitations and other competing priorities. It is hoped however, that constituents from all districts will make every effort to attend, at a meeting venue convenient to you.
It is hoped, that where possible, all Elected Members will be in attendance at these meetings, however all meetings will be chaired by the Ministerial Team and will specifically focus on the following four key topics:
- The approved Budget for 2025/26 and its allocation to Portfolios & service areas
- The recently approved £13.5M for Capital Funding and it intended utilisation
- The utilisation of the £6.65M BIOT Funding in key strategic areas
- Achievements in respect of the Ministers’ Vision for St Helena (2022 – 2025) – what has been achieved, what is being worked on and what remains outstanding
Due to the imminent dissolution of Council, these round of constituency meetings will not provide the opportunity to raise any issues that fall outside of the topics listed, nor will Ministers discuss matters pertaining to SHG’s plans for the future. This is to prevent the likelihood of being in breach of the Elections Ordinance and Regulations.
All meetings will start at 19:30 and will be held on the following dates at the locations listed.
| Date | Venue |
| Wednesday, 11 June 2025 | Kingshurst Community Centre |
| Thursday, 12 June 2025 | Harford Community Centre |
| Thursday 19 June 2025 | Half Tree Hollow Community Centre |
| Tuesday, 24 June 2025 | Jamestown Community Centre |
We are looking forward to engaging with you.