Digital Identity Services

One of the Post Office’s most well-known identity verification services is the passport check and send. It is still possible to do these kinds of customer authentication services with paper documentation, but most people now prefer to do it digitally. Whether you’re applying for your first passport or renewing your current one, you’ll speed up the process by utilising the Post Office’s digital check and send service.

We will take a digital photograph of you in-store that will adhere to HM Passport Office guidelines, then we’ll check your application form to ensure you have all the correct information. If you’re renewing your passport, we’ll send your old one to the Passport Office by Special Delivery. Your new passport will be sent directly to you when it’s ready.

Passport check and send fee: £16 per passport

When you’re getting your first driving licence or need to renew your current photocard driving licence, your nearest UOE Post Office will help you with the process. We will take a new photo and capture your signature, make sure everything is in order and submit it on your behalf.

UK driving licence check and send fee: £4.50 per licence

If you’re planning to drive when you’re abroad, it’s important to remember that not every country will accept a UK driving licence alone, so you may need to get an International Driving Permit (IDP). To obtain an IDP at a UOE Post Office, we will need your full valid photocard licence (or a valid passport if you only have the older paper version of the driving licence) as well as a passport photo. If you don’t have a recent photo, we can take one for you.

IDP check and send fee: £5.50 per permit

Whether you need a standard or enhanced DBS check, you will be asked to produce original documents. If you need to have those documents with you or don’t want to let them out of your sight, use our DBS checking service. Bring your original documents, copies of these documents (or we can copy them for you) and your application form to a UOE Post Office. We can check your application, verify your documents and certify the copies, and send the copies with the application form for you. 

To apply for a Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence, you initially need to apply via the UK government website. You will then be given a reference number and a list of the documentation you’ll need. Take copies of these documents (or we can take copies for you) and bring them, with the original documents, to your nearest UOE Post Office branch where we will check and verify them, then submit them for you.

SIA licence fee: £190 for one licence in one sector; £95 for additional licences in different sectors

If you’re applying for more than one set of documentation, the thought of having to go through the identity check more than once is quite daunting. Wouldn’t it be great if there was a digital identity service available at your local UOE Post Office branch that could enable you to apply for multiple documents just once? 

The Post Office now offers a digital identity service that is linked to the application, validation and certification of IDs. We will take a photo of you and upload it to a secure site for a number of digital checks to ensure it meets the necessary requirements for a biometric passport in terms of facial expression, image quality and positioning. Once the photo has been approved, you will be given a unique code. You can then use this code when applying for a passport online or licences and certification. Your photo will automatically be uploaded to that application. The advantage is that your image will be readily available, and you can be certain the photo will not be rejected on the grounds of poor lighting or having too much hair covering your face.

Digital biometric photographs fee: £16 for six months of access  

Whether you need ID as proof of age, for your job, for banking, or just for proof of who you are when you collect a package, the Post Office’s EasyID app provides great digital identity solutions. This app provides a place to securely store all your ID documentation together, with easy access to everything you may need.