U.K. passports will soon take on a brand new look.
Britain will cease issuing passports in the European Union's (EU) traditional burgundy color after Brexit, the U.K.'s Home Office confirmed Friday.
Beginning October 2019, U.K. passports will be issued in the classic blue and gold color scheme they featured prior to Britain joining the EU.
According to Passport Index, 76 countries have blue passports, including the U.S.
"Leaving the EU gives us a unique opportunity to restore our national identity and forge a new path for ourselves in the world," Immigration Minister, Brandon Lewis said in a statement. "It will also be one of the most secure travel documents in the world, with a raft of new security measures to protect against fraud and forgery."
Security upgrades will include a super-strength plastic polycarbonate material used for the picture page, making it harder to alter.
The new passports will roll out in phases to save taxpayer money, the Home Office said.
Burgundy passports will still be issued after Brexit but they will bear no reference to the EU. In the meantime, current U.K. passport holders can continue using their EU-style identification until they expire.
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The decision has been met with mixed emotions in the U.K.
The Home Office said it plans to appoint a supplier in spring 2018. Additional details will be announced then.
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