13 January 2014 | Comments
The Immigration Office would like to inform St Helenians that the way British Overseas Territories Citizen (BOTC) ‘St Helena Type’ Passports are applied for will change in 2014.
From December 2014, the printing of BOTC passports for all Overseas Territories, including St Helena, will take place in the UK. When making an application for a BOTC passport, you will need to allow sufficient time for the passport to be returned from the UK. The new passport will be very similar to the current UK passport, with significantly improved security features and a biometric chip. The passport will still carry individual Territory-specific details, such as ‘St Helena’ embossed on the front cover.
Where emergency travel is required at short notice, the Immigration Office will continue to issue the current St Helena type passport on-Island. This will ensure that those who genuinely need to travel for medical and other emergencies are able to do so in current timeframes.
The price of the new passport is expected to be competitive. Her Majesty’s Passport Office is able to order in much larger quantities than individual Territories and accordingly can command a lower unit price. The savings will be passed on to St Helena and other Territories.
Immigration Office
13 January 2014
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