IPS to introduce online passport application service in 2012

The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) is to launch a new service enabling customers to apply for passports online in early 2012.

The service will also enable customers to check the progress of their applications online, and will be especially useful to overseas customers, according to the IPS.

"The online application channel will be of particular benefit to customers living overseas who, from 2012, will apply directly to IPS, rather than via the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, for their passport," said the IPS.

This news comes from the IPS's new business plan for 2011-2012, released on Friday.

The document also reveals a plan to digitise the UK's birth, death, marriage and adoption records, and put the data online.

"In 2011/12, we will also decide the future of the civil registration Digitisation and Indexing project.

Around 50 per cent of our birth, death, adoption and marriage records have already been digitised, and our aim is to digitise the remaining historic records and place our indexes online to improve access to this information."

The organisation also intends to replace its passport application system (known as PASS) with what it describes as a "new, improved and more robust system".

It says that this will enable additional services, such as an improved online application channel and the ability to process applications from outside the UK, as well as improving the resilience of our systems.

The report states that the IPS is currently modernising and replacing many legacy systems for the following financial year.

"From 2012/13, we will also replace or extend a number of legacy systems and upgrade our main passport database, to ensure it remains as secure as possible.

"These changes to IT systems and processes will act as a foundation for wider modernisation within IPS."