British Passport - Endorsements

Endorsements

Certain British passports are issued with printed endorsements on the Official Observations page. These form part of the passport when it is issued, as distinct from immigration stamps subsequently entered in the visa pages:

• Holder is not entitled to benefit from European Community provisions relating to employment or establishment

British citizens from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man without a qualifying connection to the United Kingdom by descent or residency for more than five years have this endorsement in their passports, as the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are part of the European Community only for the purposes of the free movement of goods.

• Holder of this passport has Hong Kong (Permanent) Identity Card No: A123456(7) which states that holder has right of abode in Hong Kong *

British National (Overseas) passports usually have one of these endorsement in their passport, as a valid Hong Kong permanent identity card or Hong Kong identity card (which guarantees right of abode and/or entry in/into Hong Kong) is normally required to possess a BN(O) passport.

• Holder is entitled to right of abode in the United Kingdom

British Subjects with the right of abode (usually from the Republic of Ireland) have this endorsement in their passports.

• Holder is entitled to readmission in the United Kingdom

British Overseas Citizens, British Subjects and British Protected Persons without the right of abode who have been granted indefinite leave to enter or remain retain this entitlement for life, and their passports are accordingly issued with this endorsement.

• Holder is subject to control under the Immigration Act 1971

British nationals without the right of abode will have this endorsements in their passports unless they have been granted indefinite leave to enter or remain. However, even though a British National (Overseas) passport does not entitle the holder the right of abode in the UK, this endorsement is not found in BN(O) passports (1999–2006 and biometric versions).

• In accordance with UK immigration rules the holder of this passport does not require an entry certificate or visa to visit the UK

This endorsement is found in British National (Overseas) passports, and accordingly holders of the BN(O) passport have six-month access to the UK as a visitor without an entry certificate or visa.

• The holder is or Holder is also known as ...

This endorsement is found in passports where the holder uses or retains another professional name or has an academic, feudal or legal title. The styling 'Dr ...', 'Professor ...' or similar is recorded here, or the alternative professional name. For example, Cliff Richard's birth name was Harry Webb, and his passport would read:

"Holder is also known as Cliff Richard."

• The holder's name in Chinese Commercial Code: XXXX XXXX XXXX

This endorsement was found in British passports (British National (Overseas) and passports for BOTC with a connection with Hong Kong) held by people with Chinese names issued by the Hong Kong Immigration Department before the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong. After the handover, British passport issued in Hong Kong can only be issued at the British Consulate-General, and this endorsement is no longer in use. (See also: Chinese commercial code)

• Holder is a dependant of a member of Her Britannic Majesty's Diplomatic Service

This endorsement is found in British passports held by people who are dependants or spouses of British diplomats.