British passports are undergoing a huge overhaul as the travel document switches from burgundy to blue. The colour change comes after the UK left the European Union earlier this year. From today, the new passports will be issued – but not everyone is convinced they are actually blue.

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The Home Office unveiled a clip on Twitter today of what the new British passport will look like.

The document is returning to its traditional colour for the first time in almost 30 years.

The distinctive blue cover will be re-introduced now the UK has left the EU after Brexit, and will replace burgundy passports which were gradually rolled out from 1988.

Full introduction will be phased in from today and from mid-2020 all new passports will be blue.

The colour is not the only change, in a first for the British passport, the back cover will also carry its own symbolic design – the floral emblems of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales embossed.

The Home Office’s clip of the passport was captioned with: “Britons will once again be able to travel with a blue passport when the iconic colour returns for the first time in almost 30 years.”

However, many viewers are debating whether the passport is blue. Some have said it is green while others argue it is black.

One person tweeted: “That’s black bruh,” while another wrote: “That passport is green.”

A third posted “People. It’s black. Not blue.”

Another agreed, writing: “That’s black though right?”

One Twitter user joked: “Is there a pink option?”

For those Britons with time still left on their burgundy passport, the document will remain valid.

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“All styles of passport will be equally valid for travel,” said the government.

The Passport Office explained: “If you renew your passport during this initial period, you may be issued with either a blue or a burgundy British passport.

“You will not be able to choose whether you get a burgundy or a blue passport.”

Travellers are advised to hold onto their expired passports, in a bid to avoid identity theft.

You can apply for a new passport if yours is lost, stolen or damaged, or is out of date.

Renewing an adult passport online will cost £75.50, and £85 if you apply by paper form.

Your application will be processed and it will usually take three weeks for the new document to arrive.

The earliest ever British passport was issued in 1414 under the reign of Henry V.

But the modern passport as we know today did not come into circulation until 1915.

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