Major changes to UK passports take effect from today

The King’s coat of arms will be on the front of all new passports, among other new changes

The Home Office says the new passport will be the ‘most secure passport ever produced’ (Oli Scarff/Getty)

British passports are going to have brand new look from today, with a new cover, images, and host of security features

The Home Office said the new passport, the first wholly new design in five years, will be the “most secure passport ever produced” and will include the latest anti-forgery technology, including new holographic and translucent features.

Some 300 of the newly designed travel document are in circulation, bearing King Charles’ emblem on the front and pages inside depicting nature spots from across the four nations – Ben Nevis, the Lake District, Three Cliffs Bay and the Giant’s Causeway.

The King’s coat of arms will be on the front of all new passports (HM Passport Office/PA)

These new features will make passports easier to verify and “even harder to forge or tamper with”, the Home Office said.

Migration and citizenship minister Mike Tapp said: “I’m proud to see our new British passports in circulation.

“Featuring His Majesty’s Coat of Arms and landscapes from all four nations, they celebrate our heritage while delivering enhanced security.

“They are also the most secure British passports ever produced, helping us protect our borders and deliver outstanding public service.”

Inside the new-look passports (HM Passport Office/PA)

The Home Office said that passports with Queen Elizabeth II’s coat of arms remain valid until the expiry date listed inside the passport.

But it urged people to check the validity of their passports and apply in good time ahead of planned travel.

The first modern-style British passport was issued more than a century ago in 1915.

And the first security feature, a watermark, was added in 1972; since then, “dozens” of further security measures have been introduced.