Would you give someone a copy of your passport (photo page)?

I've got a job interview tomorrow and they have just sent me an application form to complete and to take with me.

It says to attach a copy of the photo page of my passport but I am uncomfortable doing this. 

I've been asked to take my passport to previous interviews to prove that I am a British/EU citizen and can legally work in the UK but no one has ever asked for a copy of it.  Am I being paranoid? 

Pretty much every interview Mr Wt has had this year theyve asked him for his passport and theyve taken a copy of the photo page. I thought it was standard practice.

I've had to do this with recruitment consultants - they'll keep it on your file to prove they've completed their necessary checks. I presume HR departments would do the same. 

We also request it of our clients (I'm an accountant) as part of our money-laundering procedures.

I've always been asked for it for interviews

Standard procedure in certain jobs now.

FSA registered employees have to provide a copy of their passport photo page for compliance now. Even banks now asks for this during certain transactions.

I have done it several times but I always send a B&W copy. When I've taken my passport to job interviews etc they have always taken a photocopy of the photo page anyway - I can't see the difference.

I think it's quite normal.

Good luck for tomorrow though - I'll be thinking of you, and have my fingers crossed!

OKAYYYYY just me being paranoid then

Thanks Flowery!

This is in case you turn out to be an illegal worker - the company has to prove that they've done the checks rather than just say they have

Standard procedure now - in fact, I'd be more concerned if they didn't ask for it!

Good luck with the interview 

Sorry to crash and good luck with the job interview.  Does anyone know what they do if you don't have a passport or driving licence for id?

I work for a university and the only alternative form of ID we can accept in the recruitment process is a full birth certificate (not the shortened version). We have to take a copy ofthe photo page of the passport, plus the front cover and any visa stamps as standard now. The head of the interview panle has to sign as a true likeness of the candidate.

The photo page only contains information that's quite readily available anyway so I wouldn't be worried. i would be irritated, as there's no legal obligation to have a passport or indeed any other form of ID - if this is some kind of legal requirement, it isn't very well thought through.

In many countries a copy of your ID is required for any vaguely offical transaction, right down to buying a mobile phone/applying for a credit card. I wouldn't like to see that happen in the UK.

ETA - I don't understand how a birth certificate would work as a form of ID since it doesn't have a photo on it - odd.

I wouldn't worry too much, at work we have to have KYC docs for all our clients including a copy of their passport or driving licence and two proofs of address. (it's the law to combat money laundering and terrorist funding and something that Jersey is very hot on being an offshore finance centre).  

Anyway i'm sure you'll have asked to supply your id for very similar reasons.

Wishing you the very best of luck for your interview tomorrow i'm sure you'll do fabulously

We take a photocopy of new patients' passports and a copy of a utility bill too - for counter fraud reasons (ie it goes centrally, to prevent people registering at multiple GPs etc).

That said, I couldn't register at my own practice, as I haven't had a valid passport since 2005

Carrie74:

I've had to do this with recruitment consultants - they'll keep it on your file to prove they've completed their necessary checks. I presume HR departments would do the same. 

We also request it of our clients (I'm an accountant) as part of our money-laundering procedures.

 

Did you mean anti-money laundering procedures? Or are you an accountant for the Mob?