Guidance

Withdrawing passport applications (accessible)

Updated 5 March 2024

Version 30.0

His Majesty’s Passport Office guidance on withdrawing passport applications

About: Withdrawing passport applications

This guidance tells His Majesty’s Passport Office operational staff about:

• why they must withdraw a passport application

• when they must withdraw an application

• when the system automatically withdraws an application

It also tells staff how to:

• withdraw an application on the system

• update the system when they withdraw an application

• deal with customers who send in their documents after the system has automatically withdrawn their online application

For guidance on refusing and withdrawing passport facilities, examiners must refer to withdrawing passports and passport facilities.

See the relevant guidance if you are withdrawing because the customer:

• has died
• is unable to attend an interview
• has made duplicate applications

Contacts

If you have any questions about the guidance and your line manager or senior caseworker cannot help you or you think that the guidance has factual errors then email the Guidance team

If you notice any formatting errors in this guidance (broken links, spelling mistakes and so on) or have any comments about the layout or navigability of the guidance then you can email the Guidance team.

Publication

Below is information on when this version of the guidance was published:

• version 30.0

• published for Home Office staff on 4 March 2024

Changes from last version of this guidance

This guidance has been updated:

• to confirm an application should not be withdrawn if the customer has confirmed HM Passport Office has received their documents
• to remove sections which are covered in other guidance

Withdrawals policy

This section tells HM Passport Office examiners when to withdraw a passport application.

HM Passport Office will not keep a passport application open indefinitely. We tell customers about the information we need to process their application when they apply. It is the customer’s responsibility to send us a fully completed application form along with any supporting documents we need.

When to withdraw an application

Operational staff can withdraw an application when the customer:

• asks us to (requests must be made in writing by the customer, signed and dated)

• does not meet HM Passport Office requirements (for example, an AMS application when we ask the customer for more information and they do not reply at all or in a reasonable time)

• is a Digital Premium Service (DPS) customer who:

  • cancels their appointment within 48 hours and the application has not been Passed For Issue

Before we withdraw an application for a customer who cannot provide evidence, we’ll consider asking for alternative evidence and making a decision using a balance of probability.

The system will automatically withdraw an application when the customer:

• applies online but does not send us details of a digital referee or the documents we need to process their application (see automatic withdrawals)

• does not meet HM Passport Office requirements (for example, a DAP application, when we ask the customer for more information and they do not reply at all or in a reasonable time)

Withdrawal fees and payments

HM Passport Office does not usually return the customer’s fee when we withdraw their application. This is because the fee is for the whole administrative process and not just for the issue of the passport.

Examiners must refer to passport fees for more information about fees, when they can be returned and how to deal with refunds.

When a customer asks us to withdraw their application

When a customer asks us to withdraw their application, the request must come from the customer or a person who has authority to act on their behalf in line with Authorisation and consent guidance. They must:

• request it in writing:
  • in a signed and dated letter: or,
  • in an email sent from the email address they supplied on their application
• include a reason why they want the application withdrawn (in cases where the application has been passed for interview, but the customer has not attended the interview)

If you identify any risk indicators on the application and are an examiner working on the:

• Digital Application Processing (DAP) system, you must complete additional checks
• Application Management System (AMS), you must refer the application to Enhanced Application Checking (EAC) examiner

Withdrawing a live application at the customer’s request

When you get a letter or email asking to withdraw a customer’s application, you must check:

• the letter is signed and dated by the customer or a person who has the correct authority (see Authorisation and consent guidance)
• the email has been sent from the email address given on the application

Before you withdraw an application, you must check for other linked applications (unless the application was made online). This is because other applications may be dependent on the application that is to be withdrawn.

Withdrawing when the application is passed for interview

As part of the application process, some customers may need to attend an interview before they get a passport. If they ask us to withdraw their application and they have not yet been for their interview, you must recall their application from the interview process before you withdraw it if the application is on AMS.

Examiners working on AMS must:

1. Tell the customer to:

• put their request in writing, sign and date it, if they are sending it by post: or,
• send their request by email using the email address they gave on the application

2. Tell the customer their request must include:

• the reason why they want to withdraw their application: and,
• the names and dates of birth of any other person who applied at the same time (linked applications) and if they want to withdraw these applications too

3. Give the customer their name, team name or number, postal address or team email address where they must send their request.

4. Tell the customer to put their application reference number on the outside of the response envelope or in the email (see disclosure of information for when we can disclose the application reference number).

5. Tell the customer they must cancel their interview appointment.

6. Add a case note, which must include that we have asked the customer to:

• put their request in writing
• include details of any other applications sent at the same time and whether they need to be withdrawn
• cancel their interview appointment

When you receive the customer’s request, you must check if the application is part of a block or linked to any other applications before you withdraw the application.

How to check if an application is part of a block

Applications are linked by the fees the customer has paid for their application. If a telephone enquiry bureau (TEB) search shows there are no linked applications, you must also check using the modify application and payments section of the Application Management System.

If an application is not part of a block

If the application is not part of a block, you must:

1. Create a TEB sheet with the details of the withdrawal request.

2. Print the TEB sheet and give it to a Higher Executive Officer (HEO).

When the HEO receives the TEB sheet they must:

1. Recall the application to be withdrawn.

2. Add a case note showing they have recalled the application.

3. Return the TEB sheet to you.

When you get the TEB sheet from the HEO, you must withdraw the application.

If an application is part of a block

If the application is part of a block, you must:

1. Do a TEB search, using the customers post code to check all linked applications.

2. Create a TEB sheet showing the details of the withdrawal request.

3. Case note the name, reference number and location of all applications linked on the system to the application to be withdrawn.

4. Print the TEB sheet and give it to your HEO.

When the HEO receives the TEB sheet, they must:

1. Recall the applications to be withdrawn.

2. Recall all linked applications from block application holding (BAH).

3. Add a case note showing the application has been recalled. If the interview appointment is today or is in the future and an interpreter or signer has been booked, use a case note to ask the examiner to tell the contact centre to cancel it.

4. Return the TEB sheet to you.

When you receive the TEB sheet from the HEO, you must:

1. Reallocate the fees to the other application if they need transferring (see passport fees for reallocating fees)

2. Withdraw the application.

3. Deal with the remaining linked applications. If the linked applications are not dependent on the application to be withdrawn, they will need a second authorisation so they can be released from BAH and processed using current policy and guidance.

Linked first time child applications

A linked first time child application may be dependent on the application that is to be withdrawn, whether it is for nationality or identity reasons.

You must use current policy and guidance to check if the child still has a claim. If they do, you must add a case note to the application to explain the child’s claim. The applications can then be passed for issue.

If the linked first time child application is solely dependent on the application to be withdrawn, you must:

• refer the application to an Enhanced Application Checking (EAC) examiner if there are any risk indicators that mean a referral is needed

• refer the application to a line manger to fail the application in line with current policy and guidance if there are no risk indicators

When the customer does not send a withdrawal letter

When we have asked the customer to send us a letter requesting to withdraw their application but they do not send it, you must follow the guidance for when we do not get a response from the customer.

Examiner withdrawals

This section tells HM Passport Office examiners why an application is withdrawn and our timescales for withdrawing an application. It also tells examiners how to withdraw an application and exceptions to consider before withdrawing an application.

As we cannot hold an application open indefinitely, you, the examiner, must withdraw an application when:

• we have asked for more information or documents and the customer (or person acting on their behalf) does not respond within the timescales in this guidance (including deceased person’s passport applications)

• an application is incomplete and the customer tells us they cannot provide the missing information within the timescales in this guidance

• a customer needs to attend an interview but they:

  • do not make an appointment for their interview

  • make an appointment for an interview but do not attend (see Interviews - UK applications)

• we have told the customer they must align their name but they are unable or refuse to do so (see Names – aligning names on foreign documents)

• a resident of the British Overseas Territories (BOTs) applies to renew their British Overseas Territory Citizen (BOTC) passport directly to HM Passport Office instead of their BOT office (see British Overseas Territories Citizens)

• a Diplomatic or Official passport application is received at an Application Processing Centre (APC) that does not deal with them and we transfer it to the Durham Diplomatic team (see Diplomatic and Official service - passports and observations)

• the customer dies before their application is complete

• in exceptional circumstances, for example, we tell the customer to submit a duplicate application at the counter because they need to travel urgently (in line with the Tiered Application Service guidance)

• we find a duplicate application, in line with the warnings guidance

• a customer sends us 2 applications in error

• a customer sends in a passport application and tells us they were previously issued a standard passport because a jumbo one was not available but the visa pages in their passport are not full

• a customer fails to attend 3 appointments to provide a DNA sample in line with the DNA testing for UK and overseas applications

• an APC receives a paper or counter application that needs to be transferred to another APC, as it does not deal with that type of application

• a Digital Premium Service (DPS) customer:

  • cancels their appointment within 48 hours (of their original appointment) and the application has not been passed for issue

When we do not get a response from the customer

If we do not get a response from a customer after we have asked them for more information or documents to process their application, we will withdraw their application.

The time we give the customer to respond depends whether the application is a UK or overseas application and which passport issuing system we are using (for example, Application Management System (AMS) or Digital Application Processing (DAP).

AMS: timescales for contacting UK customers

We give UK customers 7 weeks to respond before we withdraw their application. When contacting customers, you must:

1. Send a letter by post or email (see emailing UK customers) to the customer and allow them 28 days to respond.

2. Try to contact the customer by phone after 14 days of the first letter.

3. 28 days after the first letter, send a reminder AMS letter 002 by post, asking the customer if they want to continue with the application and include a copy of the original letter.

4. After 14 days of the reminder letter, try to contact the customer by phone.

5. If the customer answers, explain they have 7 days to provide the missing information, otherwise we will withdraw their application.

6. If the customer does not answer, send a second and final reminder AMS letter 002 by post and allow 7 days for a response.

You must withdraw the application if you do not receive a response after 7 weeks.

You must update the bring up message every time you try to attempt to contact the customer. This creates a permanent record of the activity in the case note history.

If the customer responds with all the information, you must deal with the application in line with current policy and guidance. If they only provide some of the information, see timescales for providing information or documents.

You must add a case note if the customer does not respond. The case note must state the reason why the application is being returned to pigeon holes. For example, your case note may say:

• ‘no response to letter after 14 days, telephone call to customer confirms they will post the docs [insert date]’

• ‘no response after 28 days of first letter. Reminder letter sent by post asking the customer if they wish to continue with the application, copy of original letter included’

AMS: timescales for contacting overseas customers

For overseas applications on the Application Management System (AMS), we give customers 6 weeks to respond before we withdraw their application. Due to time differences and delays in posting letters overseas, you must use the How we communicate with customers guidance to:

1. Send an email to the customer asking for the missing information and allow 21 days for a response.

2. Check you are using the customer’s correct email address (shown on the application) and if you do not receive a response, send a reminder AMS letter 008 by post and email. Allow 21 days for a response.

Examiners must add a case note every time we try to contact the customer and withdraw the application if we do not receive a response after 6 weeks.

If the customer does respond with all the information, you must deal with the application in line with current policy and guidance. If they only provide some of the information, see timescales for providing information or documents.

DAP: timescales for contacting customers

We tell both UK and overseas customers they have 6 weeks to respond before we will withdraw their application (but we also give the customer a grace period).

DAP examiners do not send reminders to customers, if they ask for more information (for example, a new photo or digital referee) but do not get a response. Instead, the system automatically sends reminders by text message or email after:

• 1 day

• 7 days

• 21 days, which includes a letter that is sent to the customer’s address

• 35 days

• 49 days (6 weeks plus the grace period), which tells the customer we have closed their application

The reminders tell the customer we will withdraw their passport application if they do not respond. DAP will automatically withdraw the application – see automatic withdrawals.

DAP: a customer asks to keep their application open longer

If a customer contacts us with a genuine reason to keep a Digital Application Processing (DAP) application open longer (for example, because it meets one of our exceptions when we will keep the application open longer), you the Customer Services Management Team officer must refer to the DAP applications: customer contact record guidance, to record the reason why the customer needs more time to send documents.

The application will stop sending customer notifications requesting documents and create an Applicant needs more time to send documents task for a DAP examiner to action. The DAP examiner must deal with the Applicant needs more time to send documents task.

Customers who cannot give us treaty rights evidence

You must refer to the treaty rights guidance if you need to withdraw an application because a customer cannot give you the evidence you need deal with their treaty rights application. This is because you must send the correct letter that explains what European Union citizens may need to do, if they want to continue living in the UK after 30 June 2021.

Failure or delay providing missing information or documents

We tell customers about the information and documents they must provide us when they apply for a passport.

You must withdraw the application when the customer:

• cannot provide the missing information or documents within the timescales set out in this guidance and you’ve considered, if:

  • the customer can provide alternative evidence

  • we can make a decision on a balance of probability

• does not keep in regular contact with us or they delay in giving us the missing information or documents we need

You must not withdraw an application where the customer has proof they have sent documents to us, and we still need to investigate any possible lost document.

Timescales for providing information or documents

We give these customers 6 weeks (from the date we ask for it) to provide the missing information:

• all DAP applications (both UK and overseas)

• all AMS applications (overseas only)

We give UK customers, with an AMS application, 7 weeks (from the date we ask for it) to provide the missing information.

You must also consider keeping the application open for longer, if the customer:

• meets the exceptions in this guidance

• shows urgent or compassionate needs

If they only give us some of the information we asked for within the timescale, we will not extend it. We will only give them another 6 weeks (or 7 weeks for UK AMS applications only) when we ask for other information or documents we have not already asked for.

When asking customers for information or documents, you must use Knowledge Base to check if the customer can send other documents of similar standing to provide the necessary information.

Exceptions when we will keep the application open longer

There are a number of exceptions where we will keep the application open longer than expected.

Discretionary exceptions

You must allow an additional 2 weeks, if the customer can provide evidence that:

• they have ordered the missing information or documents (for example a receipt of payment)

• the missing information or document is on its way (for example proof of postage)

Other exceptions

You must give the customer more than the usual 2 week discretionary extension when:

• we ask for additional documents or information that was not asked for as part of our published requirements (for example DNA)
• the customer shows us evidence that they were misinformed about the requirements, either by HM Passport Office or Local Services overseas
• we ask the customer to provide DNA but there are no appointments, or the appointments are done on a monthly basis (see DNA testing for UK and overseas applications)
• the customer has evidence HM Passport Office has received requested documents, but they have not been linked to the application

When deciding how much more time to give, you must use:

• a common sense approach

• Knowledge Base to check how long it takes for the customer to get documents

When we give a customer extra time, they must:

• stay in regular contact with us and tell us about the progress they are making in sending the missing information or documents

• provide evidence (for example, appointment for a DNA test)

Exceptions: incorrect customer contact details

In some cases, the first time we ask the customer for more information or documents we do it by email. When we do not get a response, we send a reminder by email and by post.

When customers get a reminder letter, they might tell us that they did not get the original request for missing information or documents because:

• it was sent to the wrong email address

• it was sent to their spam folder instead of their inbox

• their email address was recorded incorrectly (by them or us)

When this happens, you must give all customer a further 6 weeks (7 weeks for UK, AMS customers only), to provide the missing information or documents from the date they contacted us.

Exceptions for Sopra Steria Ltd

Sopra Steria Ltd (SSL) will hold an application if they need to write or email a customer following their completeness checks. If the customer does not respond SSL will refer the application to you to deal with.

Completeness checks on AMS overseas applications

Sopra Steria Ltd (SSL) checks some overseas applications to make sure they are complete. SSL will write or email the customer to ask for the missing information and will hold the application for up to 30 days while they wait for the customer to respond.

When they do not get a response, they pass the application to HM Passport Office. You must be aware that you may receive an application from SSL that has already been held for up to 30 days.

If we need additional information or documents other than what SSL has asked for, the normal timescales apply before you withdraw the customer’s application.

If we do not need any more information other than what SSL has already asked for, you must:

1. Send a reminder email and letter asking for the missing information or documents.

2. Give 3 weeks for the customer to respond before withdrawing the application.

When sending a reminder, you must include the original letter or email sent by SSL. To search for the letter, you must use:

• the application reference number in the relevant Durham, Belfast or Liverpool folder

• Table A which shows the letter code

• Table B which shows the case notes added by SSL

Table A – letter codes used by SSL

Letter code	Letter content
1a	Photo standards not met
1b	Photo not certified
2	No photos supplied
3a	Signature not acceptable
4	No countersignatory
5a	Insufficient evidence of address
5b	No photo ID
6	No photo ID card (Hong Kong applications)
7	Declaration form will not scan

Table B – case notes added by SSL

Letter reference number	Case note used by SSL	Full meaning of the case note
	OVS email sent	Overseas Email Sent
	OVS letter sent	Overseas letter sent
1a	1a Photo standards not met	1a Photo standards not met
1b	1b photo no csig	1b Photo not certified
2	02 no photos	02 No photos supplied
3a	03a sig not acc	3a Signature not acceptable
4	04 no c/sig	4 No countersignatory
5a	05a address ev	5a No or insufficient evidence of address
5b	05b phot id	5b No photo ID
6	06 no PIC	6 No Photo Identity Card supplier (this is specific to Hong Kong applications
7	07 dec won’t scan	7 Declaration will not scan

Completeness checks on AMS UK applications

SSL will write to UK customers when they do not send in certain documents with their application on the Application Management System (AMS), for example, photos or birth certificates.

They hold the application for up to 30 days while they wait for the customer to respond. When they do not get a response, they pass the application to HM Passport Office. You must be aware that you may receive an application from SSL that has already been held for up to 30 days.

If additional information or documents are needed other than what SSL have asked for, the normal timescales apply before you withdraw the application.

If we do not need any more information other than what SSL have already asked for, you must:

1. Send a reminder letter and attach the original letter sent by SSL. The original letter will be shown on the Application Management System (AMS).

2. Give 4 weeks for the customer to respond before withdrawing the application.

Exceptions: Treaty rights

If the application is live and the customer applies for discretionary registration in line with the WRS – completing checks you must hold the application open pending the outcome.

You must ask the customer to provide evidence they have applied. If after 3 months, we have not received evidence or the customer has not been in touch, the normal timescales will apply before you withdraw the application.

If the customer has been in contact and provides evidence they have applied, you must keep their application open indefinitely while we wait for the outcome.

Exceptions: returning supporting documents

Some customers may ask us to return their supporting documents even though we still need them to process their application. You must consider taking and using colour copies of the document (if you can) before returning the original to the customer (see posting passports and documents).

If the supporting document is a passport needed for travel and you have returned the original, you must allow the customer 12 weeks to send it back to us (from the date you sent it back to them).

You must use discretion when deciding how much time to give the customer to send back other supporting documents. You must decide this on a case by case basis and refer to an Operational team leader (OTL) if necessary. The time you give the customer must not be more than 12 weeks.

Exceptions: contacting HM Revenue and Customs

In some cases, we may ask the customer for evidence of employment history. The customer will need to get this information from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), which can take up to 40 days.

If the customer confirms they have been in touch with HMRC and are waiting for them to send the evidence, you must allow 40 working days from the date the customer asked for it.

In some cases, a customer may need to send a Subject Access Request (SAR) to HMRC to get employment information, for example, if they need information for a period of time now shown on their employment history. These requests usually take HMRC up to 1 month to process but it can be as long as 3 months. You must allow the customer up to 3 months to provide the information, if they give us evidence they have asked HMRC for their information as part of a SAR.

UK Interviews

As part of the application process, we may ask some customers (for example, first time adult applicants) to attend an interview to confirm their identity. We will send the customer a letter to tell them to make an appointment for their interview.

Failure to make an interview appointment

For applications on AMS, the Customer Services Management team (CSMT) deals with customers who fail to make an appointment for their interview. They will:

• send reminders to the customer asking them to book an appointment

• withdraw the application if the customer still does not book an appointment

Failure to attend or complete an interview

Some customers might book their appointment but were unable to complete their interview, for example, they fail to attend the appointment (see Interviews - UK applications).

When this happens, Customer Service Office (CSO) staff will tell the customer that they need to book another appointment. If the customer does not complete their interview, CSO will return the application:

• using a surrogate form to the original Application Processing Centre (APC) if the application is on AMS

• to the examiner, if the application is on DAP

Examiners must refer to Interviews – UK applications to decide if there are exceptional reasons why they did not complete the interview.

If there are no exceptional reasons, examiners must withdraw the application.

Overseas interviews

As part of the overseas application process, we might ask customers to attend an interview to confirm their identity (see Interviews: overview of the interview process).

The Customer Services Network (CSN) Central Booking team (CBT) deal with the appointment booking process including:

• inviting the customer to make an appointment for their interview

• issuing reminders when the customer does not respond or fails to reschedule a cancelled appointment

• dealing with any changes to the appointment

• dealing with cancellations

CBT will pass the application back examiners when the customer:

• fails to make or rearrange an appointment after CBT sent them reminders

• continues to cancel rearranged appointments

When this happens, you must withdraw the application.

Withdrawing applications

This section tells HM Passport Office examiners how to withdraw applications on the Application Management System (AMS) and the Digital Application Processing (DAP) system.

Sopra Steria Ltd (SSL) cannot directly withdraw applications and will pass them to HM Passport Office to action.

Unless you are withdrawing the application because it needs transferring to an Application Processing Centre (APC) that can deal with it, you must check if there are any risk indicators on the application.

Depending on the risk indicators, you may need to refer the application to the Counter Fraud Team (CFT). How you do this will depend on if you are working on Digital Application Processing (DAP) or Application Management System (AMS).

Applications that have fraud indicators

If you are working on AMS, other fraud indicators mean you must send the application to an EAC examiner. You must:

1. Not withdraw the application.

2. Case note the risk indicators.

3. Send the application to an EAC examiner.

4. Include a form with the application, noting:

• the reasons why the application must be withdrawn

• that the applications have been left live because of other risk indicators and include the risk indicators

If you are working on DAP, other fraud indicators mean you must complete additional checks. You must:

1. Not withdraw the application.

2. Complete additional checks.

3. Decide to:

• withdraw the application

• select refer for investigation (this will transfer the application to AMS)

Applications that do not have fraud indicators

You must withdraw the application on the system if:

• there are no risk indicators

• the application does not need:

  • additional checks

  • to be sent to EAC

  • to be referred for investigation

How you withdraw the application will depend on the reason for the withdrawal.

Applications that are associated to an LS record

Before you withdraw an application to replace a passport that has been reported as lost, you must check if there is an LS record associated to it.

If the application has an LS record associated to it, you must:

• pass the LS record, if it has been established the reporter is the genuine holder and all authorisation and consents have been received
• fail the LS record, if there is doubt about the declaration or authorisation and consent has not been received
• add an LS note to record your actions and decisions
• disassociate the LS record before withdrawing the application

Withdrawing applications on AMS

You may have to withdraw an application processed on the Application Management System (AMS) if:

AMS withdrawal: customer asks to withdraw their application

You must:

1. Send a letter to the customer to tell them we have withdrawn the application and kept the fee for administering their application (see How we communicate with customers).

2. Scan the original letter asking for the application to be withdrawn as supporting documents (see how to keep scans of supporting documents).

3. Add the case note ‘WDN-ARW’ (meaning withdrawn-applicant requests withdrawal).

4. Withdraw the application from the system by selecting the ‘withdraw’ button.

5. Select ‘ok’ on the application ‘progress decision’ screen. A message will show to confirm you have withdrawn the application.

6. Return any supporting documents with the letter (see posting passports and documents).

7. Send the application to confidential waste.

AMS withdrawal: no contact or lost contact with the customer

You must not return any supporting documents when you have been:

• unable to get in touch with the customer

• in contact with the customer but later lost contact

This is because you cannot be sure you have the right address.

If you need to withdraw an application from the Application Management System (AMS) because you have not been able to contact the customer (or lost contact with them), you must:

1. Enter the case note ‘withdrawn due to no contact’ (if it is a treaty rights case and we have Workers Registration Scheme (WRS) documents, the case note must read ‘Treaty rights withdrawal – A* number from WRS/HO card’ (* is the number from the WRS/HO card)).

2. Check the case notes show a record of the dates you have tried to contact the customer.

3. Record any supporting documents received on to the system (either by using a case note or the recording supporting documents tab on the Application Management System).

4. Withdraw the application from the system by selecting the ‘withdraw’ button.

5. Select ‘ok’ on the ‘progress decision’ screen. A message will show to confirm you have withdrawn the application.

6. Complete a withdrawn form to send the application (or declaration form if the application was sent by the online channel) to archive, if there are supporting documents (see storage, retention and destruction of documents).

7. Send the application (or declaration form if the application was sent using the online channel) to confidential waste if there are no supporting documents.

Valid UK Passports sent in as supporting documents must be treated as supporting documents and must not be sent to the Lost Stolen Recovered (LSR) team for destruction.

AMS withdrawal: customer unable to send information we need

If you have been in contact with a customer but you need to withdraw their application from the Application Management System (AMS) because they cannot provide the information we need you must:

1. Send AMS letter 009 (or the correct treaty rights letter, if it’s a treaty rights passport application) to confirm the application has been withdrawn and the fee has been kept for administering the application (see How we communicate with customers).

2. Enter a case note to show why the application is withdrawn (if it is an overseas application the case note must include ‘INT-WDN’).

3. Withdraw the application from the system by selecting the ‘withdraw’ button.

4. Select ‘ok’ on the ‘progress decision’ screen. A message will show to confirm you have withdrawn the application.

5. Return any supporting documents with the letter (see posting passports and documents).

6. Send the application to confidential waste.

AMS withdrawal: customer sends more than one application

Unless the duplicate application submitted is because the customer is applying for an additional passport, SSL will need to clear the first application so it can be withdrawn. The second application can be processed to the examination complete stage in line with duplicate applications.

If you need to withdraw a duplicate application from the Application Management System (AMS), you must:

1. Add a case note to both applications to show:

• which application you are withdrawing

• the reason why the customer sent a duplication application

• the application number of the duplicate application

2. Withdraw the application from the system by selecting the ‘withdraw’ button.

3. Select ‘ok’ on the ‘progress decision’ screen. A message will show to confirm you have withdrawn the application.

4. Refer to passport fees if we need to return or reallocate the fee.

AMS withdrawal: paper application referred to another APC

If you must send a paper application to another application processing centre (APC) you must:

1. Add a case note to the original application to show:

• you have received the application at the wrong APC

• you have withdrawn it

• which APC you have sent the application and supporting documents to

2. Withdraw the application from the system by selecting the ‘withdraw’ button.

3. Select ‘ok’ on the ‘progress decision’ screen. A message will show to confirm you have withdrawn the application.

4. Check which APC deals with the application.

5. Send the application and supporting documents by secure bag to the correct APC.

When the application is received at the correct APC, the examiner must:

1. Arrange to get a new barcode so the application can be re-barcoded.

2. Send the application to SSL and ask them to scan the new application onto the system.

3. Add a case note to the new application to explain it has been transferred from another office.

4. Examine the application in line with current policy and guidance when it is received back from SSL.

BRIDGE withdrawal: for Emergency Travel Document

The British Identity Document Generating Equipment (BRIDGE) system is used to issue Emergency Travel Documents (ETDs). Before we can withdraw an ETD application, the BRIDGE user must first send it for approval.

To send it for approval, the BRIDGE user must:

1. Click ‘withdraw application’. The ‘withdraw application’ screen will be shown.

2. Click ‘customer withdrawal’ or ‘administrative withdrawal’ depending on the reason why you are withdrawing the ETD application.

3. Enter the reason for the withdrawal in the mandatory ‘additional notes’ field.

4. Click ‘save’.

The application will now be in ‘waiting for approval to withdraw’ mode. The approver will see the number of ETD applications waiting to be withdrawn on the ‘welcome to the BRIDGE’ screen.

To approve the withdrawal of the ETD application, the approver must use the BRIDGE system to:

1. Search for the application (see approving ETD applications).

2. Click ‘waiting for withdrawal approval’. A list of ETD applications that have been sent for approval will be shown.

3. Click on the link that shows the number of notes on the ETD application.

4. Select the ETD application that you want to withdraw.

The ETD application will now show the notes screen. The reason why the ETD application is to be withdrawn will be shown in the first note.

The approver must:

1. Check the notes for the reason why the application is to be withdrawn.

2. Click ‘withdraw’ if there are no errors or absences and the reason is acceptable. The application will disappear from the list and can no longer be changed.

3. Click ‘send back for changes’ if there are errors or absences on the application. The BRIDGE user must correct these before we can withdraw the ETD application.

Withdrawing applications on DAP

Applications processed on the Digital Application Processing (DAP) system can be withdrawn:

• at the customer’s request
• by a DAP examiner
• if contact is lost with a customer
• automatically by DAP
• if customer does not go to 3 or more interview appointments

DAP withdrawal: customer asks to withdraw their application

The customer wants to withdraw and application on Digital Application Processing (DAP), they will contact the Customer Service Management team (CSMT) by:

• phone

• email

• letter

If the customer contacts the Contact Centre, you, the examiner, will see a task Withdrawal requested, and a summary of the customer’s contact. This shows:

• who the caller is
• the caller’s message
• the advice given to the caller

Once the contact centre has created the Withdrawal requested task, the customer’s decision cannot be changed, and the only available option on DAP is to complete the withdrawal. If the customer (or Contact Centre) has made a mistake and they wish to continue with an application, the customer must reapply.

If a customer chooses to withdraw their application, they must send a signed and dated letter by post or email (the email can be recorded onto DAP using the upload process by CSMT (Customer Service Management Team)).

Before you withdraw the application, you must check if there are any risk indicators with the application.

If there are no risk indicators, you must select the Check documents tab to check the customer’s letter is acceptable (see When a customer asks us to withdraw their application).

To process the Withdrawal requested task, you must:

1. Select Yes under ‘Do you want to withdraw this application?’. 2. Add a case note to show why you are withdrawing it.

DAP will:

• tell the customer their application is withdrawn
• ask the Document Management Service (DMS) or Document Handling Unit (DHU) to return the customer’s supporting documents

If the letter is not acceptable, you must:

1. Select No, need new documents under ‘Do you want to withdraw this application?’

2. Send an email to the customer to ask for another letter.

3. Add a case note to show the reason for asking for another withdrawal letter.

If there are risk indicators, you must:

1. Decide if you need to complete additional checks before you refer for investigation.

2. Select Refer for investigation under ‘Do you want to withdraw this application?’.

3. Add a case note to show why you are referring it.

DAP withdrawal: examiner withdrawal

You, the examiner, may decide to withdraw an application without getting a request from the customer if the customer is unable, or refuses, to provide the evidence or information that we need. For example, if a customer:

• refuses to change their name in their foreign document, to align with their British passport
• is unable to provide consent for a child’s application

Before you withdraw the application, you must check if there are any risk indicators with the application. If there are risk indicators, you must decide whether to complete additional checks or refer for investigation.

If there are no risk indicators, you must:

1. Send the customer an email using the Comms builder explaining the reason for withdrawing the application.

2. Update ARD (Application Receive Domain) if guidance tells you the document handing instructions need to be updated (for example, if the customer is refusing to align their name, you may need to retain their British passport).

3. Select Withdraw this application on the relevant task, or on one of the other tasks on the application if the relevant task does not have a withdraw option.

4. Case note the reasons for the withdrawal.

DAP will:

• withdraw the application
• tell the Document Management Service (DMS) or Document Handling Unit (DHU) to return the customer’s supporting documents (or follow the updated handling instruction)

DAP withdrawal: no contact or lost contact with customer

Digital Application Processing (DAP) will automatically withdraw the application, if you ask the customer for more information (for example, a new digital referee or photo) but they do not reply (see automatic withdrawals).

DAP withdrawal: customer does not go to 3 or more interviews

If the customer fails to attend 3 or more interviews and their application is on Digital Application Processing (DAP), the customer service office manager (CSOM) will return an application to a DAP examiner.

You will see a task ‘Withdrawal requested’, and a summary of the request from the CSOM. This shows:

• the reason for the withdrawal

• interviewer notes

• interview manager notes

You must:

1. Check the timeline to investigate why the customer did not attend their appointments and consider in line with Interviews - UK applications guidance.

2. Decide to:

• withdraw the application

• allow the customer to attend another interview

If you find no acceptable reason to show why they did not attend, you must:

1. Select Yes under ‘Do you want to withdraw this application?’

2. Add a case note under ‘Why are you withdrawing it?’ to:

• record the reason for withdrawing the application

DAP will:

• tell the customer the application is withdrawn

• tell DMS to send the customer’s documents to Document Management Service - long term storage

If you find a reason to allow the customer to rebook an appointment (for example, if their journey was cancelled or delayed), you must:

1. Select No, reschedule interview – send email request to rebook.

2. Add a case note under ‘Do you have a message for the interviewer?’ to:

• record the evidence the customer has provided

• tell the interview office the reason for rebooking

DAP will send the customer:

• an email to ask them to book another interview

• automatic reminders to rebook an interview

The application will be held in DAP to wait for the customer to contact us (see Automatic withdrawals).

Automatic withdrawals

This section tells the HM Passport Office operational staff when the Application Management System (AMS) and Digital Application Processing (DAP) system will automatically withdraw an application.

Depending on the type of application, we may process it using Application Management System (AMS) or Digital Application Processing (DAP).

AMS automatically withdraws an application when:

• a customer makes an application online, but they do not send us the documents we need to process it, 90 days after we receive the application

If we are processing on DAP, we tell the customer we will withdraw their application:

• 90 days after we ask for a digital referee, if they do not provide one
• 90 days after we receive their application, if they do not send us the documents we need to process their application (if we haven’t asked the customer for a digital referee)
• 90 days after we receive their paper application, if they do not pay a fee
• 90 days after they submit their digital referee details, if they do not send us the documents, we need to process their application (if we have asked the customer for a digital referee)

If we are processing on DAP, we also tell the customer we will withdraw their application:

• 42 days after we ask for more information (for example, a new photo), if they do not respond
• 42 days after we ask for an additional payment, if the customer sent a paper application with an underpayment

DAP automatically applies an additional 30 day grace period before automatically withdrawing an application. DAP will therefore withdraw an application when we ask the customer:

• for a digital referee but they do not provide one, 120 days after we receive their application

• to send us the documents we need to process their application, 120 after we receive their application (if we haven’t asked the customer for a digital referee)

• to send us the documents we need to process their application, 120 days after they submit their digital referee details (if we have asked the customer for a digital referee)

This means that if we have asked the customer for a digital referee and supporting documents, they will have a maximum of 240 days, from submitting their application to automatic withdrawal.

DAP also automatically withdraws an application when we ask the customer:

• for more information (for example, a new photo), and they do not respond, 72 days after we ask for it

The grace period extension is for customers who have completed their actions and sent HM Passport Office their documents. This allows Sopra Steria time to complete their mailbag processes and register documents.

The grace period does not apply to customers who have not completed their action within the allotted time (either 90 or 42 days) given to them.

Online application: customer does not send a digital referee

Customers applying online, use the Digital Customer Services (DCS) system and must provide a digital referee if DCS tells them to.

When customers do not provide a digital referee, the system will send an automatic reminder text messages or email after:

• 1 day
• 7 days
• 21 days
• 69 days, which includes a letter sent to the customer’s address
• 97 days (90 days plus the grace period), which tells the customer we have closed their application

If a customer does not provide a digital referee DCS will automatically withdraw the application.

We keep the fee for administrating the application (see passport fees for information on keeping fees and when they can be returned).

Online application: customer does not send the documents

Customers applying online, use the Digital Customer Services (DCS) system and must send us documents by post before we can process their application.

The documents we require will depend on the type application.

Reminders we will send to ask for the documents

When customers do not send us the documents we need, we will send them reminders. For online applications that go in to:

• AMS – the system will send an automatic reminder text message or email after:

  • 2 days

  • 14 days

  • 28 days

• DAP – the system will send an automatic reminder text message or email after:

  • 1 day

  • 7 days

  • 21 days

  • 28 days

  • 69 days, which includes a letter sent to the customer’s address

• 97 days (90 days plus the grace period), which tells the customer we have closed their application

If a customer still does not send us their documents:

• AMS will automatically withdraw the application after 90 days

• DAP will automatically withdraw the application after 97 days

We keep the fee for administering the application (see passport fees for information on keeping fees and when they can be returned).

DAP: we ask customer for more information but get no reply

If we ask a customer for more information (for example, a new photo) and they do not respond, Digital Application Processing (DAP) will automatically send reminders (see DAP – timescales for contacting customers ).

If we do not get a response, DAP automatically withdraws the application. The system will automatically carry out watchlist checks when the system withdraws the application.

Automatic withdrawals: customer query

The customer may contact HM Passport Office to tell us they have sent the documents we have asked for, but they have received a notification telling them their application has been withdrawn.

If the customer has completed a required action in the allowed time (42 or 90 days), you (the person dealing with the customer enquiry) must tell the customer we will:

• link the documents and the application will continue

• contact them to advise of progress or if we require more information

We receive documents after online application is withdrawn

This section tells HM Passport Office, Customer Services Liaison teams, what to do when a customer sends us documents, after the Application Management System (AMS) or Digital Application Processing (DAP) system withdraws their online application.

When we automatically withdraw an online application because a customer did not send us their document but we later receive them, the Customer Service Liaison team (CSLT) must check:

• which application system processed the application

• when the application was withdrawn

• when the documents were received

AMS automatic withdrawals: documents received after 90 days

Some customers may send us their documents after the Application Management System (AMS) has withdrawn the application they made online (as they did not send us the documents we needed, when they made the application).

When this happens, Sopra Steria Ltd will send the documents to Customer Services Liaison team (CSLT), with the date they were received. When deciding what action to take, CSLT must check the withdrawal date. If this is 90 days after the application was sent to us, CSLT must consider if the documents were received:

• within 30 days of the application being withdrawn

• more than 30 days after the application was withdrawn

AMS automatic withdrawals: documents received within 30 days

If the documents are received within 30 days after we withdraw the application from the Application Processing System (AMS), CLST must:

1. Send the customer the CSLT-90 Day Withdrawn-A letter and a paper application form, asking the customer to complete and return it within the next 28 days. Tell the customer that the new application will be free of charge. If it is an overseas application, the letter must be sent by email, along with the overseas application form and guidance notes.

2. Give the customer the return address so the new application is sent directly to the CSLT team.

3. Retain the documents for 28 days or until we receive the paper application.

If the application is received within 28 days, CSLT must:

1. Send the new paper application form, documents and a completed SSL return form to SSL, asking for the application to be:

• scanned onto the Application Management System (AMS)

• returned to the CSLT team once it has been scanned on AMS

2. Add a case note to show the new application can be issued free of charge and the reason why.

3. Check if the new application can be examined in their team.

4. If it can be examined in the team, process and gratis (make it free of charge) the application in line with current guidance. If it cannot be examined on the team, arrange for it to be sent to the next team on the list and add a case note to show the application must be made free of charge.

If the application is not received within 28 days, CSLT must:

1. Send the customer the CSLT-90 Day Withdrawn-B letter by post (or email if it is an overseas application) to tell them:

• we have withdrawn their application

• if they want a passport, they must reapply

• we will keep the fee they paid for administrating the original application

2. Return their supporting documents (see posting passports and documents).

AMS automatic withdrawals: documents received after 30 days

If we receive a customer’s documents more than 30 days after we withdrew the AMS (Application Management System) application, CLST must:

1. Send the customer the CSLT-90 Day Withdrawn-C letter by post (or email if it is an overseas application) to tell them:

• we have withdrawn their application

• if they want a passport, they must reapply

• we will keep the fee they paid for administering their original application

2. Return the supporting documents (see posting passports and documents)

DAP withdrawals: documents received after automatic withdrawal

We tell customers (whose application is being processed on Digital Application Processing (DAP)) that we have withdrawn their application:

• after 90 days of asking them for their supporting documents

• after 42 days, when we have requested further information or documents from them

Because of the grace period, DAP does not automatically withdraw the application:

• until 97 days, after asking the customer for their supporting documents

• until 49 days, after asking the customer for further information or documents

If we receive (and record on the system) the documents after 90 days but before 97 days, or after 42 days but before 49 days, DAP will not withdraw the application and will process it as normal.

If a customer sends documents to a DHU (Document Handling Unit) after DAP has automatically withdrawn the application, ARD (Application Receive Domain) will create a Documents received for closed application task.

If a customer sends documents to an APC (Application Processing Centre) after DAP has automatically withdrawn the application, SSL will send the documents to CSLT. If CSLT find a previous application that was withdrawn, CSLT must:

1. Request any documents held in long term storage.

2. Send the customer the CSLT-90 Day Withdrawn-C letter to tell them:

• we have withdrawn their application
• if they want a passport, they must reapply
• we will keep the fee they paid for administering their original application

3. Return the supporting documents received after the application was withdrawn (see posting passports and documents).