PVS - how it works

How the Passport Validation Service works

As part of our commitment to supporting UK business, we operate the Passport Validation Service (PVS) to support public and private sector organisations in preventing fraud.

IPS operates a 'green, amber, red' system to establish the validity of a passport through PVS.

Our clients make enquiries to our central team either via a call centre or secure systems. If a passport is validated, we can confirm that the passport exists, matches our records, has not been reported lost/stolen and that we have no concerns over its issue.

If a passport is not validated, it may be because the passport is either expired or cancelled (e.g. due to a change of name). A 'not validated - retain if possible' response means that the document is fraudulent. In the event of an attempted fraud, our staff will direct customers to a member of the IPS Fraud Team who can further assist.

Government agencies use access our PVS via a highly secure, read-only system. This system uses the Government Secure Intranet (GSI) (and selected secure government networks) to access passport data, which is made available through a web browser. All access given to government departments is in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.