Cancelled UK Passport (corners cutted)

I am working in a Visitors Centre at a London prison. Occasionally some foreign nationals wishing to visit a relative in custody have produced a one year British passport with the top corners removed and with a cancelled stamp on each page. In most cases, these persons are stateless and they were granted a one year passport with a limited number of countries allowed to travel to. I have been told that after one year, and while they are waiting for a new passport, they can keep the old document but, as I said above, with a cancelled rubber stamp and the corners removed.

It is my understanding that these 'cancelled' documents are still bona fide proof of ID, even if they cannot be used to travel aboard. The staff on the Visit Gate constantly refuse them entry, claiming that these passports are not longer valid for any purpose, but on the other hand they let enter visitors with expired foreign and British passports (providing the photograph is still recognisable).

Any help?

There is a difference between a document expiring and being cancelled.

I can appreciate that, but do they have any validity as a legitimate form of ID, for instance to cash a cheque, opening an account etc. (and in my particular case to enter a prison in order to visit a relative)?

I am unsure what these documents are, they are not passports if they are issued to stateless persons. Are they Home Office travel documents?

They are in all appearance a British Passport, but with one year validity and with just a couple of countries where they are allowed to travel...

When they ask for valid ID, then not expired nor cancelled. It needs to have a validity at the time you are using the ID.

parvus1202 wrote:When they ask for valid ID, then not expired nor cancelled. It needs to have a validity at the time you are using the ID.

Exactly. My understanding is that there is a difference between a valid ID and just proof of identity. If only proof of identity is required, an expired passport may qualify, if the picture is reasonably recent. For example you can travel within Europe on an expired passport, although it is a bit difficult. However, for some processes a valid ID is required, and so expired or canceled passports do not qualify.

It's called a "Travel Document". See here.

To a direct enquiry to the Passport Agency I got for an answer that passport with cut off corner(s), with or without a 'cancelled' rubber stamp, cannot be used as a form of ID. An expired passport yes, providing the photograph is still recognisable.

Is there a list of acceptable and unacceptable documents that they are using? Why don't you try to find out about that.

Remember the HO runs prisons and issues travel documents, so I would not be surprised if there is a reason for them not accepting them.

The documents you are talking about are not passports, they are travel documents.

Regards