Our governance

HM Passport Office board reports directly to the executive management board of the Home Office, and works with partners and stakeholders to ensure the department meets its objectives.

Who we are

HM Passport Office Management board is responsible for leading the organisation, monitoring performance and keeping the Home Office board abreast of the business. It ensures that we:

  • fulfill the goals set by ministers
  • can meet future challenges
  • maintain high standards

Our board

The management board of HM Passport Office sets our strategic agenda and direction and monitors progress against the business plan.

Its members include:

  • the director general
  • the chief operating officer
  • 3 independent advisers
  • director of passport operations
  • director of public protection
  • director of customers and digital services
  • director of national and international operations
  • director of civil registration
  • director of strategy and change
  • director of business design and planning
  • human resources director (from Home Office enablers)
  • finance director (from Home Office enablers)
  • policy director (from Home Office enablers)

The board is also attended by:

  • HMPO chief of staff
  • secretary to the board
  • director, performance reporting and assessment unit (from Home Office enablers)

The independent advisers provide an external viewpoint to our decision making and challenge to executive thinking.

The risk and assurance committee

The HMPO risk and assurance committee reviews and advises the director general on risk management, internal controls and governance arrangements. The committee is independent of the executive and its core membership is comprised of our 3 independent advisers, one of whom chairs the meetings.

Who we work with

We work with a number of partners: UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO). We also work with local authorities to provide the civil registration service.

We work closely with commercial partners to:

  • provide and maintain our information technology infrastructure
  • provide support to customers during the application process
  • capture data to manage applications through our systems
  • print a highly secure world class document
  • deliver it securely

amongst many other support functions.

Home Office shared services

Our enabler functions are now part of Home Office shared services following the transfer of approximately 230 staff in 2014.

UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI)

UKVI is responsible for immigration control and the granting of British nationality. It regulates entry to, and settlement in, the UK. It considers applications for permission to stay, citizenship and asylum. We are working on a joint interview initiative and developing a shared service as part of the public key infrastructure.

Border Force

Border Force is responsible for our Border controls and we support the use of UK passports at e-borders and are working with Border Force colleagues to ensure any passports reported as lost and stolen are returned to us when presented at our borders.

Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO)

FCO is responsible for promoting British interests overseas and supporting our citizens and businesses around the globe. It provides consular services to British nationals overseas through a worldwide network of diplomatic offices, including issuing emergency travel documents and helping British citizens report their British passport lost or stolen.

Local authorities and registration officers

The General Register Office oversees the civil registration of important life events such as birth, adoption, stillbirth, marriage, civil partnership and death throughout England and Wales, in partnership with local authorities. A network of local registrars is responsible for keeping us updated with all events registered at district level.

HM Passport Office also has successful partnerships with other service providers in the public and private sectors.

External relations

Our partners are organisations that have an interest in passports and certificates.

Some of our partners include many of the large travel operators and genealogy/family history organisations.

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