The British Visitors Passport - The Simplicity Of A Travel Document

The British Visitor’s Passport (BVP)

Introduced in March 1961, the simplified passport was available to UK residents. The document was a 3-fold card obtained from post offices with the applicant’s birth certificate or specified identity documents.

Its sole purpose was for individuals to actively engage on holiday or private visits, lasting no more than 3 months, to specified European countries. It was valid for one year only. Due to many concerns arising in connection with the easy availability and security of this document, the BVP was withdrawn with effect from 1 January 1996. British Visitors Passport

Version from 1963

The Independent reported in June 1994

“The one-year British Visitor’s Passport – used by more than 2 million holidaymakers a year – is to be abolished”. The review, at least partially prompted by threats from Spain to stop recognizing the BVP from 1995, sought the opinion of experts in the travel trade about the future of the one-year passport which gains entry to most west European countries for a three-month period. Two-fifths of its holders travel to Spain.

Millions of holidaymakers pick up their passport from post offices at the last minute. It costs pounds 12 and is available on proof of identity. The family passport costs half as much again as a single one. If issued for a family or husband/wife, only ALL could travel, not a single person mentioned in the BVP.

Versions

The first British Visitor’s Passport (BVP) had gray pages on the inside and beige outside
In the second version of the BVP, the inside changed to white
The third had a white inside with small flecks of colored thread distributed across it. These glow under ultraviolet light
The ultimate iteration, effective from July 1989, expanded its reach to include Tunisia, Yugoslavia, and Canada, influenced by a suggestion from a British reader.

Besides the BVP, there was an even simpler form of document valid for day trips to France known as a British Excursion Document! Literally, a piece of paper with a photograph on it, which was stamped by the Post Office! It cost about £2.50 and was valid for 3 days.

Version from 1979

Tom Topol | Passport History Expert & Author.
Featured in media incl. CNN, BBC, Newsweek. Awarded by the U.S. Department of State.
"Want to go deeper? My book Let Pass or Die covers the full 400-year history"

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