Passports for all families

British passport application forms will be changed to reflect the diversity of modern families by giving applicants the option of putting ‘parent 1’ and ‘parent 2’ on their passports instead of ‘mother’ and ‘father’.

A UK Identity and Passport Service (IPS) spokesman said the changes recognised the reality of children with same-sex parents.

“It is essential that any parent provides the necessary information on their status as parents or guardians when applying for a passport on behalf of their child,” he said.

“This protects the interests of the child and ensures that IPS is able to issue passports securely and safely to the right person.”