Deprivation of British citizenship and withdrawal of passports disclosure of information used to determine such a decision will be subject to the individual circumstances of the case. The decision to refuse or to withdraw a passport under the public interest criteria will be used only sparingly. The exercise of this criteria will be subject to careful consideration of a person’s past, present or proposed activities. For example, passport facilities may be refused to or withdrawn from British nationals who may seek to harm the UK or its allies by travelling on a British passport to, for example, engage in terrorism-related activity or other serious or organised criminal activity. This may include individuals who seek to engage in fighting, extremist activity or terrorist training outside the United Kingdom, for example, and then return to the UK with enhanced capabilities that they then use to conduct an attack on UK soil. The need to disrupt people who travel for these purposes has become increasingly apparent with developments in various parts of the world. Operational responsibility for the application of the criteria for issuance or refusal is a matter for the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) [Now HM Passport Office] acting on behalf of the Home Secretary. The criteria under which [HMPO] can issue, withdraw or refuse a passport is set out below. Passports are issued when the Home Secretary is satisfied as to: i. the identity of an applicant; and ii. the British nationality of applicants, in accordance with relevant nationality legislation; and iii. there being no other reasons—as set out below—for refusing a passport. [HMPO] may make any checks necessary to ensure that the applicant is entitled to a British passport. A passport application may be refused or an existing passport may be withdrawn. These are the persons who may be refused a British passport or who may have their existing passport withdrawn: i. a minor whose journey was known to be contrary to a court order, to the wishes of a parent or other person or authority in whose favour a residence or care order had been made or who had been awarded custody; or care and control; or ii. a person for whose arrest a warrant had been issued in the United Kingdom, or iii. a person who was wanted by the United Kingdom police on suspicion of a serious crime; or a person who is the subject of: a court order, made by a court in the United Kingdom, or any other order made pursuant to a statutory power, which imposes travel restrictions or restrictions on the possession of a valid United Kingdom passport; or bail conditions, imposed by a police officer or a court in the United Kingdom, which include travel restrictions or restrictions on the possession of a valid United Kingdom passport; or 22 Commons Library Research Briefing, 18 December 2024