I thought some of you might find it interesting to check out the different types of passports issued throughout 2023 and their statistics. Thanks to the magic of the FOIA, I got my hands on some data from the HM Passport Office.
Who knew passport stats could be so fascinating, right? It’s like getting a sneak peek into how many British citizens were ready to travel the world, whether for sun, snow, or maybe just a quick trip to France for some croissants. Plus, it's cool to see how many British National (Overseas) passports were issued.
| Month | GBDE | GBDO | GBN | GBO | GBP | GBR | GBSE | GBSN | Grand Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1160 | 2946 | 112 | 15 | 866172 | 136 | 16 | 870580 | |
| Feb | 1337 | 2181 | 66 | 20 | 1 | 1014316 | 233 | 9 | 1018185 |
| Mar | 40 | 1913 | 2546 | 94 | 17 | 1034232 | 234 | 7 | 1039083 |
| Apr | 35 | 1907 | 1369 | 42 | 7 | 632107 | 93 | 3 | 635563 |
| May | 18 | 1511 | 2475 | 84 | 12 | 704517 | 157 | 7 | 708781 |
| Jun | 50 | 2662 | 2576 | 93 | 21 | 716731 | 178 | 6 | 722317 |
| Jul | 52 | 2138 | 1851 | 90 | 19 | 540408 | 128 | 9 | 544695 |
| Aug | 28 | 2095 | 2445 | 78 | 18 | 512296 | 147 | 7 | 517114 |
| Sep | 24 | 1347 | 2269 | 66 | 13 | 482017 | 131 | 4 | 485871 |
| Oct | 37 | 1182 | 2316 | 90 | 15 | 491255 | 95 | 3 | 494993 |
| Nov | 38 | 1140 | 2092 | 85 | 18 | 430486 | 100 | 4 | 433963 |
| Dec | 59 | 1318 | 1642 | 57 | 10 | 333788 | 75 | 4 | 336953 |
| Total | 427 | 19710 | 26708 | 957 | 185 | 7758325 | 1707 | 79 | 7808098 |
GBDE: British Dependent Territories Citizen, Gibraltar
GBDO: British Dependent Territories Citizen
GBN: British National Overseas
GBO: British Overseas Citizen
GBP: British Protected Person
GBR: British Citizen
GBSE: British Subject with right of abode in UK
GBSN: British Subject without right of abode
| Code | Passport Type | Number of Valid Passports |
|---|---|---|
| GBR | British Citizen | 51291365 |
| GBN | British National (Overseas) | 719973 |
| GBO | British Overseas Citizen | 10177 |
| GBDE | British Dependent Territories Citizen, Gib | 2756 |
| GBDO | British Dependent Territories Citizen | 103123 |
| GBP | British Protected Person | 1093 |
| GBSE | British Subject with right of abode in UK | 22081 |
| GBSN | British Subject without right of abode | 632 |
I really enjoy this forum and all the interesting discussions we have, so I figured this would be a fun addition. If you’ve got any theories on why certain months were busier for passport issuance, I’d love to hear them!
Looking forward to your thoughts!
Best!