Certain UK visa applicants no longer need to provide selected original documents when putting their paperwork through the Home Office.
An update from the Home Office has explained that anyone who is applying by post for an extension to their stay in the country; indefinite leave to remain or British citizenship on selected forms will not need to provide an original passport from the British citizen or settled person that is supporting their application.
The Home Office confirmed that a photocopy of either the individual's passport of travel document can be used instead of the original item.
However, not everyone will be able to navigate around the requirement for individual documents. A statement from the Home Office confirmed the exact applications that will be included.
It stated that anyone applying for extension to their stay or indefinite leave to remain through the forms 'FLR (M)', 'SET (M)', and 'SET (F)', as a fiancé(e) of a British citizen or settled person; civil partner or proposed civil partner of a British citizen or settled person; spouse of a British citizen or settled person; unmarried partner of a British citizen or settled person; same sex partner of a British citizen or settled person; or child or other dependant relative of a British citizen or settled person, will no longer need the original documents.
Anyone applying for British citizenship with the forms 'AN' and 'MN1' as a spouse of a British citizen; a civil partner of a British citizen or a child of a British citizen parent will also be able to apply without the original documentation.
Any UK visa applicants sending off their application are advised to include a photocopy of all pages of the passport, including any blank pages.