Why we moved to passport-only identity verification
Previously, we accepted a range of identity documents (IDs). However, this introduced several issues:
- applicants from some countries could submit a range of IDs including passports, driving licences, birth certificates, or national ID cards.
- assessors had to interpret and request verification of wide variety of these ID types, making the process inefficient, inconsistent and harder to scale.
- assessors had to trigger high number of further information requests (FIs) due to expired, unclear, or ineligible IDs.
This complexity necessitated for a simplified and standardised identity requirement that could support operational efficiency and improve the applicant experience. Passports offered the highest consistency in format, recognisability, and alignment with international travel and sponsorship processes.
What we’ve changed
We’ve updated the identity verification process. All applicants must now submit a valid passport as their sole form of identification when applying for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in England. This change applies to all applicants, including those from countries with additional subject-specific eligibility rules.
This also brings the Apply for Qualified Teacher Status (AQTS) service in line with the GOV.UK One Login strategy, which aims to unify and simplify identity verification across services.
What we did
Understand people (our users) and processes
We audited over 12 months support queries on ID submissions and mapped the most common rejection and FIs reasons.
We analysed the volume and types of documents being submitted and consulted assessors to understand where complexity and inconsistency were affecting decision-making.
We worked closely with policy and operations teams to ensure alignment with identity verification rules, exemption criteria (e.g., for English language requirements), and sponsor eligibility pathways.
We considered our Public Sector Equality Duty obligations, and ensured this change didn’t unnecessarily disadvantage any particular group of users.
We asked our international users from 47 countries, whether passport was the most common type of ID, how passport applications and renewals worked in different countries, and what financial or bureaucratic barriers existed for applicants to obtain or renew a passport. We found that:
- in some countries, the passport was not the default or primary ID document, instead national identity cards or other documents were more commonly used for official purposes.
- majority of respondents rated the cost of obtaining their first passport as affordable.
- vast majority of individuals intending to move to England held at least one passport.
- only some applicants cited financial constraints or long processing times in their country of origin as reasons for not having a passport.
Design the passport-only journey
We clarified passport validity requirements; applicants must hold a valid passport at the point of submission. This is essential for those awarded QTS from abroad who may later apply for sponsorship and travel to teach in England.
We explored edge cases, such as applicants with dual citizenship. This led to a dual-document logic:
- expired passports from certain countries could still be used to check for exemption from English language requirements.
- valid (non-expired) passports would then be used to complete the QTS application submission.
We introduced a hard stop blue error page that appears if an expired passport is submitted. This clearly informs the user they cannot proceed. The content includes messaging around the six-month period allowed to renew their passport.
We rolled out the passport-only journey in February 2025.
Next steps
We are monitoring how applicants navigate the passport-only requirement and whether any further guidance or support is needed.
We’ll continue to collect feedback from users and assessors to ensure the approach remains clear, accessible, and aligned with One Login integration plans.
We are also tracking any increase in passport-related queries and issues to assess where improvements may be required.