UK households warned over passport rule after rain and thunder storms

UK households are being warned over a key passport rule following days of heavy rain storms which have swept across the country. Well, it is a Bank Holiday weekend after all.

It’s probably not the first thing you think of if your house gets hammered with heavy rain and you end up suffering from flooding. But as well as the damage to your possessions and your treasured family memories like photographs and heirlooms, leaks and floods can also wreak havoc on documents like passports and birth certificates.

Martin Lewis’ Money Saving Expert has issued key advice to households following the recent heavy rain storms and thunderstorms which left some facing flooding as well as power cuts.

MSE reports: “My passport’s got a tad wet. How do I claim if vital documents are damaged or destroyed? Seek copies from the relevant provider, such as the DVLA for motoring documents, brokers or insurers for duplicate insurance documents, utility providers and the Passport Office. Check Gov.uk for details on how to replace birth certificates.”

The government has its own set of rules about when a wet passport is valid and when it needs to be replaced.

According to the Passport Office, “A damaged passport is one which the customer cannot use as proof of identity because of its condition.

It says that damage can include damage or discolouration caused by water.

In such circumstances, you can apply to replace the damaged passport, but HM Passport Office will check it for signs of fraud or tampering.

It says: “HM Passport Office must check all British passports sent by customers for renewal or replacement or as supporting evidence for an application, for signs of damage or fraudulent tampering. Damaged passports can mask fraudulent tampering and the examiner or Document Handling Unit (DHU) must carefully check the passport for any indication of this.”