Letter Of Authorisation Passport Template for England and Wales

A letter of authorisation is a formal document that lets you give a named person, or a business, written permission to act for you on a specific matter. This Letter of Authorisation for Passport is the version used in England and Wales to delegate passport-related tasks when you cannot handle them yourself. It provides a clear record of who you have authorised, what they may do, and for how long, so HM Passport Office and any staff dealing with the request can confirm the authority is genuine.

What is a letter of authorisation?

A letter of authorisation grants permission for someone to act on your behalf. The person giving permission is the authoriser (the passport holder), and the person receiving it is the authorised representative. For passports, the letter usually covers submitting an application, renewing an existing passport, or collecting a finished document. It names both parties, states the purpose of the authority, and confirms the authoriser's consent in writing. Unlike a general power of attorney, this letter is limited to the passport matters you describe, which keeps the scope narrow and easy to verify.

When do you need this document?

You need this authorisation letter when circumstances stop you from personally managing your passport matters. Common situations include serious illness requiring hospitalisation, overseas travel commitments that conflict with passport office appointments, physical disabilities that make travel difficult, or work obligations that cannot be rescheduled. Parents frequently use these letters when authorising grandparents or other family members to collect a child's passport. The document also helps elderly applicants who need support to complete the process or cannot attend a passport office in person. If a business or agency handles the request for you, name the business name in full so the authority is unambiguous.

What should a letter of authorisation include?

To be accepted, the letter should provide the following details:

• The authoriser's full name, address, and passport or reference number.
• The authorised representative's full name, address, and contact information (and the business name where an organisation is acting).
• A clear authorisation statement setting out the exact scope, for example applying for, renewing, or collecting the passport.
• The purpose of the authority and any conditions or limitations on the representative's powers.
• The start date and how long the authorisation lasts.
• A revocation clause explaining how the authority can be cancelled.
• The authoriser's signature and date, plus an independent witness signature where the relevant passport service asks for one.

Keeping each of these points explicit reduces the chance the request is delayed or refused.

How do you use the completed letter?

Once signed, give the letter to your authorised representative to present alongside the supporting documents HM Passport Office asks for. The representative may need to show their own identity document, and the office may make a telephone confirmation to verify your consent. If you decide to withdraw the authority, notify the passport service in writing and rely on the revocation clause in the letter.

Do you need a letter of authorisation for a child's passport?

For a passport for a child under 18, the letter carries extra weight because parental responsibility is involved. A parent or guardian with parental responsibility can authorise another adult, such as a grandparent, to collect the child's passport, and HM Passport Office may ask for evidence of that responsibility. State the child's full name and date of birth, name the adult you are authorising, and set out exactly what they may do. Where more than one person holds parental responsibility, consent from each of them is typically expected, so the letter should make clear that this requirement has been met.

Letter of authorisation vs power of attorney

Both let another person act for you, but they differ in scope and formality. The table below shows the practical distinction.

Data protection when you share personal details

An authorisation letter carries sensitive information: your full name, address, passport number, and the details of the person you authorise. Under the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR, that content must be handled securely and shared only for the stated purpose. Give the letter directly to your authorised representative rather than to a third-party you do not know, keep a copy for your own records, and note the date it was signed so the standard record is clear. If you cancel the authority, retrieve or destroy any outstanding copies to prevent misuse.

Related templates and definitions

If your needs go beyond a single passport task, a broader delegation of authority may fit better. See the GenieAI power of attorney definition to compare, or browse the letter of authorisation templates for other versions of this document.