Why do UK babies need their own passports now?

Question

Why were these changes brought in?

Answer 1

I think it may have been to stop estranged partners "kidnapping" their children away from the custodial parent.

Answer 2

They were brought in by the previous Labour government in October 1998. The passport is valid for 5 years, until they reach the age of 16, when thay can apply for a ten year passport.

It costs a minimum of £46 and up to £81. Before 1998, children up to the age of sixteen could be included on either or both parents passport.

The reason they were brought in?

No doubt you will get the usual platitudes of:

1) to prevent children being "kidnapped" by foreign dwelling estranged parents, with the child on the parent's passport.

2) Possession of the passport by a parent would give evidence that the parent had legal custody of the child.

As these cases are very rare, the more cynical among us would presume that it was done to increase government income.

Answer 3

The original idea was that all children should have their own biometric passports so their identity could be easily checked at customs/immigration control points. This was done in a genuine effort to stop children being traded for child pornography and also to prevent the illegal trade of 'paying for adoption' and more common offences such as kidnapping.

Whether it has actually had the desired effect, I am sorry bit I have no knowledge.

Answer 4

Because a name could be anyone. For example, you could have a daughter, with her name and DOB on your passport you could take any little girl who looks like they are that age to a different country

Answer 5

It has not been possible to add a child to an adult's passport since 6 October 1998. However, children who are already included in their parents' passports can continue to travel on these passports until they reach the age of 16 or the passport expires.

These new rules were brought in because of child abduction, where a child is taken out of the country (often by one parent or guardian against the wishes of the other parent), is a rare but serious crime

Answer 6

It's all these terrorist babies going around.

Seriously though, it's to try to make child kidnapping more difficult. As it was, all a parent without custody had to do was pick up a child from, say, school and take them abroad on their passport. Now, that would be impossible, they'd have to get their hands on the child's passport too.

Answer 7

Perhaps to stop/prevent ppl kidnapping them out of the UK.

Answer 8

According to the UK passport office website the change was made mainly to avoid child abductions.

From the UK passport office website:

Child passports - the rules have changed

In the past babies and children could be included on a parent or guardian’s passport. The law has now changed and babies and children up to 16 who are not already on a parent’s or guardian's passport must have their own child passport if they are going to travel abroad. Why have the rules changed? - Preventing child abduction

Child abduction, where a child is taken out of the country (often by one parent or guardian against the wishes of the other parent), is a rare but serious crime. At the Identity and Passport Service (IPS), we are working to help prevent child abduction.

A child passport is valid for five years. When it runs out you can renew it for another five years, and so on.

http://www.ips.gov.uk/passport/apply-chi...

http://www.ips.gov.uk/passport/apply-chi...

Answer 9

This change was brought in YEARS ago when the 1 year visitors passport, the 5 year passport and the family passport were abolished. Everyone must have a full 10 year passport.

EDIT it was different about 15 years ago - a child upto 16 could be included on a family passport or an adult's one year visitors passport with no photograph. But without a photo, the child could be anyone's!