Glossary

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Abbreviation/Term Expansion Explanation
2MS 2 Marsham Street London HQ address
AA Active Authentication
A&E Application and Enrolment Original name of the programme that included the PASS replacement project, amongst others, and was part of CIO & Commercial and the NIS. The department is now Organisational Transformation (OT)
AbI Authentication by Interview Was introduced in 2007 requiring all those aged 16 or over applying for a passport for the first time to have an interview as part of the application process. The interview confirms that the passport application we have checked actually belongs to them and that they are the rightful owner of that identity
AbIOS Authentication By Interview Operating System The interview management system that provides capabilities used to manage interviews with applicants. It stores interview profiles; case notes and decisions
ABS Appointment Booking System System used by Interview Office Managers to manage the number of appointments
AD Active Directory An AD domain controller authenticates and authorizes all users and computers in a Windows domain type network—assigning and enforcing security policies for all computers and installing or updating software. For example, when a user logs into a computer that is part of a Windows domain, Active Directory checks the submitted password and determines whether the user is a system administrator or normal user
ADA All Details Agree Abbreviation used by examiners to denote details agree with records
ADC Aylesford Data Centre
ADD Address Abbreviation used by examiners
ADE Authorised Dedicated Equipment
Adelphi F & P Adelphi Finance and Procurement Adelphi finance and procurement will enable strategic alignment with other Home Office organisations and create one integrated system, replacing separate non-integrated systems
Adelphi HR Adelphi Human Resources Adelphi is the HR system used by HMPO and many other government departments. The Shared Service Centre provides the day-to-day administrative support services for HR transactions. These services are provided from a single location to support several different HMPO offices at the same time.
AES Advanced Encryption Standard
AF Architectural Framework
Agile A project methodology that provides a more iterative, rapid approach to delivery where design, build and test are split into smaller, more frequent, releases of functionality.
AI Authority Instruction (leads on from a CCN)
AMO Architecture Management Office
AMS Application Management System. Processes applications for passports
AMS Audit Central store for AMS related audit data
AMS WIP Application Management System Work in Progress TBC - internal HMPO application.
APACS Association for Payment Clearing Services UK trade association for payments now known as UK Payments Administration Ltd - see UKPA
APC Application Processing Centres 4 sites – examination and support functions
APDA All personal details agree Abbreviation used by examiners
APP Applicant Abbreviation used by examiners
APPN Application Abbreviation used by examiners
AppNo Application Number Abbreviation used by examiners
Application Store A repository to enable application downloads and installation
Appointment Booking Provides a means of allowing the contact centre to make applicant appointment bookings that can be attended at Interview Offices
APSS Applications Processing and Support Systems
ASC AdminIT System Change A form required by IT Ops to amend access to drives and folders
ASP Active Server Pages
ASTWG Agency Supplier Technical Working Group
ATDA Automated Death Authentication (death records from CIS)
ATDN Access to Death Notification
ATOB At Time of Birth Abbreviation used by examiners
B Born Abbreviation used by examiners
BAA Business Analysis and Architecture (profession)
BAC Business Area Champions HM Passport Office staff overseeing migration in their areas - DDS Project
BAC Basic Access Control
BAU Business As Usual
BC British Citizen Abbreviation used by examiners to denote a form of British nationality with automatic right of abode in the UK. A person with this status may be issued a British passport. The determination of this status is based on legislation and policy.
B/C Birth certificate Abbreviation used by examiners
BCDR Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery
BCM Business Change Manager
BCS Background Checking Service Automated check of details on a passport application using OGDs and other databases. Discontinued when NIS was closed.
BCS Baseline Control Set
BCS Business Continuity System
BCS British Computer Society
BD By Descent Abbreviation used by examiners to denote right of applicant to British citizenship
BDA Business Design Authority. Maintains the integrity of the current business and technical architectural baseline, in line with HMPO’ strategic priorities and provides the foundation documentation and analysis to turn strategic objectives into prioritised and deliverable packages of work.
BDL Business Design Lab Requirements workshop
BDTC British Dependent Territories Citizen (now BOTC) Abbreviation used by examiners to identify a citizen of a British Dependent Territory (now British Overseas Territory)
BEL Belfast
Benefits Realisation A process concerned with the delivery of projected benefits as defined in the business case
Benefits Review Identifies which benefits have been achieved, or not (and why) and considers unanticipated benefits occuring as a result of the business change
BEU Business Expertise Unit
BFC Biographical Footprint Check A means to ensure that a claimed identity has a history of social interaction
BHC British High Commission
BI Biographic Identity Programme
BIA Business Impact Analysis
BIB Biometric Investigation Bureau Part of the NBIS programme
BID Biometric Immigration Documents Documents issue by UKBA such as biometric resident permits
BIGS Biographical Information Gathering Service Precursor to BCS
BLOB Binary Large Object
BMD Births Marriages and Deaths
BMIS Book Management Information System This is the system that tracks book movement and status throughout the lifecycle of the passport
BMS Biometric Matching and Storage (project)
BNA British Nationality Act Abbreviation used by examiners
BNA48 British Nationality Act 1948 Abbreviation used by examiners
BNA81 British Nationality Act 1981 Abbreviation used by examiners
BNO British National Overseas Abbreviation used by examiners to denote a form of British nationality with no automatic right of abode in the UK. A person with this status may be issued a British passport. The determination of this status is based on legislation and policy.
BOC British Overseas Citizen Abbreviation used by examiners
BOE Back office examiner Abbreviation used by examiners
BOT British Overseas Territories. The 14 British Overseas Territories are territories under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the United Kingdom but do not, however, form part of the United Kingdom. See Overseas Territories
BOTC British Overseas Territories Citizen Abbreviation used by examiners
BOXI Business Objects version XI – Object based management reporting system
BPEL Business Process Execution Language
BPO Business Process Outsourcing Services contracted to commercial organisations such as Steria or Equifax i.e. postal opening, scanning, passport application data verification, query and payment handling.
BPP British Protected Person Abbreviation used by examiners
BPSS Baseline personnel security standard
BRIT Biometric Recognition Information Technology The FCO’s equivalent of PASS
British Nationals British nationals include a range of groups, including British Citizens, British Overseas Citizens, British Overseas Territories Citizens, British Nationals (Overseas), British Protected Persons and British Subjects.
BRP British Resident Permit
BRP Biometric Residency Permit Replaced ICFN
BS British Subject Abbreviation used by examiners
BSUKC British Subject Citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies Abbreviation used by examiners
BT British Telecom
BTD Biometric Travel Document
Builds/Releases/Iterations Interchangeable terms which are used to describe a collection of functionality that is compiled together into a single package of work.
Bulk Scanning Optical Character Recognition (OCR) capture and verification of paper application to digital applications, and of the declaration and Counter signatory forms printed and sent by applicants using the online channel as well as the supporting documents for the application.
BUP Bring Up Abbreviation used by examiners
Business Case A document that describes the findings from a business analysis and recommends a course of action
Business Rule Business rules describe how business activities are to be performed. There are two main types: one shows constraints that restrict how an activity is performed and the other gives operational guidance, describing the procedures for performing activities.
BUSY Bulk Scanning System
CA Chip Authentication (See EAC)
CA Certification Authority Entity that issues Digital certificates
C&R Cancelled and Returned Abbreviation used by examiners
C/N Change of Name Abbreviation used by examiners
CAB Change Advisory Board
CAM Change Assurance Meeting
CHAMP Counter Handling Appointment Management Project
CAN Change Authorisation Note
CAN Card Access Number
CANC Cancelled Abbreviation used by examiners
CAND Cancelled Abbreviation used by examiners
CASE Computer Aided Software Engineering. For example, an automated tool that supports requirements engineering work. See DOORS
CAT Change Assurance Team
CBF Clear but for Abbreviation used by examiners
CCG Change Control Group
CCN Contact Change Notes (updates to a contact) Abbreviation used by examiners
CCP Common Certificate Policy
CCP Change Control Process
CCST Central Customer Service Team
CEC Customer Enquiry Centre
CERT Certificate Abbreviation used by examiners
CESG Communications Electronics Security Group
CFBC Consular Full Birth Certificate Abbreviation used by examiners
CFI Counter Fraud Intelligence Abbreviation used by examiners
CFIU Central Fraud and Intelligence Unit
CFP Corporate File Plan
CFP Customer Facing Projects
CFU Counter Fraud Unit Abbreviation used by examiners
CHX Checks Abbreviation used by examiners
CIAT Central Intelligence and Analysis Team
CIFAS It is not C.I.F.A.S. It's just a name CIFAS is a Fraud Prevention Service, covering the United Kingdom. It was created in 1988 by a group of retail credit companies
CIMS Messenger service used by DLR to support passport production
CIO Chief Information Office
CIP Citizen Information Project (life events)
CIS Customer Information System DWP database
CIT Component Integration Test
CL Covering letter Abbreviation used by examiners
Cloud A phrase used to describe a variety of desktop machines connected through a real-time communicated network
CLSP (Project) Critical Legacy System Programme
CND Change of Name Deed Abbreviation used by examiners
C/N Change of Name Abbreviation used by examiners
CO Company Abbreviation used by examiners
CoC Change of Circumstances Abbreviation used by examiners
CoCo Code of Connection
CONF Confirmation Abbreviation used by examiners
ContactPoint Core demographic data on every child in England up to their 18th birthday held by DCSF including school and GP. Their data may be held on ContactPoint up to the age of 25 years if deemed necessary.
CORR Correspondence Abbreviation used by examiners
Cost-Benefit Analysis A technique to identify initial and ongoing costs and benefits associated with business change.
COTS Commercially Off the Shelf Used to describe hardware and software that can be purchased from a retailer without requiring any modification
Counter Service A public counter service available for urgent passport applications
Counter-signature/signatory A convenient way of confirming an applicant's identity is for a first time application and one photograph to be verified by a reliable person (but not a relative) of “some standing” who has personally known the applicant for more than two years.
CP Certificate Policy
CPIA Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act AMS report used by FIU for court cases etc
CPP Central Print and Production EPA1 overprint service
CPPP (Project) Centralised Production of Passports & Passport-type documents programme
CPS Central print service
CR Change Request (major and minor)
CRB Criminal Records Bureau. See DBS.
CRB Certificate of registry of birth Abbreviation used by examiners
CRF Change Request Form
CRL Certificate Revocation List
CROW Back office registration casework system
Crown Dependencies (CD) Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. Although not strictly speaking a Crown Dependency Gibraltar is often included in this group.
CSC Customer Service Centre Area Office incorporating Interview Offices. 7 sites - providing a public counter for urgent applications and carrying out passport interviews.
CSC Computer Science Corporation Supplier
CSCA Country Signing Certifying Authority (ICAO 9303)
C'SIG Countersignatory Abbreviation used by examiners
CSO Customer Service Offices 16 sites – providing passport interview service.
CSO Central Support Office
CSS Cascading Style Sheets
CSU IPS Corporate Strategy Unit
CTAS CESG Tailored Assurance Service
CTC Counter Terrorist Check. Basic level security check. See also DV and SC
Customer Enquiry Centres Telephone enquiry service manned by HMPO staff
CVCA Country Verifying Certification Authority - EAC
CVD Consolidated View Database The centralised store of applications that are current, are still being processed or have been dormant in PASS but not yet purged. It provides a single view of all applications being processed in all of the regional offices. CVD contains several schemas including Watch List data, Reference data and Letter templates
CVS Certificate Verification Service A service intended to confirm whether a registration or certificate that is claimed to have been issued by HMPO is valid or not
CWIC Critical Workers Identity Card
D/HAM Durham
DA Design Authority
DAC Data Analytic Capability. The analysis of data from a number of sources to identify potential identity fraud
Data Centre Consolidation HMPO are currently consolidating down to two main data centres from the four that it now operates from
DBA Database Administrator
DBIF Data & Business Interfaces Forum
DBN Distressed British Nationals
DBS Disclosure Barring Service. New name for CRB. This service enables organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors to make safer recruitment decisions by identifying candidates who may be unsuitable for certain work, especially that involving children or vulnerable adults.
DCSF Department for Children, Schools and Families The Department for Children Schools and Families website has now been decommissioned. Relevant content can be found on the DfE website
DCSOM Deputy Customer Service Manager Abbreviation used by examiners
DD Dated Abbreviation used by examiners
DDA Disability Discrimination Act
DDRI Disclosure of Death Information Deaths extracts provided to fee paying customers with relevant legislative gateways
DDS Disaggregated Desktop Service The project to implement CSC’s cloud based desktop service as a replacement for Admin IT
DEC DeclarATION Abbreviation used by examiners
DEC’d Declared Abbreviation used by examiners
DES Data Encryption Standard
DfE Department for Education
DfES Department for Education and Skills The Department for Education and Skills website has now been decommissioned. Relevant content can be found on the DfE website
DG Data Group DG1=MRZ:DG2=Face Image:DG3=Fingerprint Image:DG14= Public key
DHL The Supplier responsible for delivering Passports and Supporting Documents Overseas on behalf of HMPO.
Digital by Default One of the objectives of the government's ICT strategy is to encourage more use of the internet to access government services and make this the default position
Digital Signature This is country specific. The country that signs the chip data must be the same as the county that is identified in the passport's MRZ as the “Issuing State or Organisation”
DIP Detailed Implementation Plan
DIR ENQ Directory Enquiries Abbreviation used by examiners
DIV DOC Divorce Document Abbreviation used by examiners
DLD Detailed Level Design Sometimes referred to as Micro, Specification or Physical Design. Describes the detailed description which a developer will use to actually build an application.
DLBR Detailed Level Business Requirements A lower level statement that describes what those providing the solution (usually a commercial supplier) are required to do in order to deliver a system that in turn delivers the High Level Requirements. Detailed requirements trace back to high level requirements and are used to assure the proposed design is fit for purpose and to verify the correct solution has been delivered during testing. See also HLR - High Level Requirements
DLR De La Rue 3rd party used to print passports
DLR Central Central facility for the manufacture and personalisation of passport books. Provided by De La Rue.
DLR Local Local facility for the manufacture and personalisation of passport books. Provided by De La Rue.
DN Drafting Note Note inserted into draft document to denote something to be added at a later date
DOB Date of Birth Abbreviation used by examiners
DOCS Documents Abbreviation used by examiners
DoD Date of Death Abbreviation used by examiners
DOE Date of Entry Abbreviation used by examiners
DOM Date of Marriage Abbreviation used by examiners
DOORS Dynamic Object Orientated Requirements System. An IBM tool that helps develop and manage requirements throughout the project lifecycle.
DOT Date of Travel Abbreviation used by examiners
DP Delivery Partner
DPRC Defence Passenger Reservation Centre
DPA Data Protection Act
DR Direct Report Fortnightly report from each project for senior management
DS Document Signing
DUR Durham
DV Document Verifier - See EAC, CVCA,SPOC & IS
DV Developed Vetting Top level security clearance within HMPO. See CT and SC
DVA Data Validation Application Replacement for Omnibase
DVCA Document Verification Certificate Authority
DVLA Drivers and Vehicle Licensing Agency DVLA provides vehicle licensing and road tax services to drivers within the UK. In issuing a liscence to a driver DVLA asks for the passport number as proof of ID. This is verified using Omnibase to validate the UK passport details provided by the Applicant. The passport holders photograph is also provided to DVLA to include this on the photocard liscence.
DW Dealt With Abbreviation used by examiners
DWP Department of Work and Pensions
DX DX Secure Delivery (previously SMS)
E-Borders TBC TBC - External application interfacing to CVD.
EA Enterprise Architecture
EAC Extended Access Control
EAGLE Electronic Access to GRO Life Events Back office certificate production system)
EBP Elementary Business Process
EDAG Equality and Diversity Action Group
EDL Electronic Document Library
EDW Enterprise Data Warehouse
EEA European Economic Area
ELECT REG Electoral Register Abbreviation used by examiners
Eligibility This refers to the testing of an Applicants’ Eligibility. E.g. “Does the Applicant have British Nationality?” “Are you eligible for the products and services that you are applying for?“ ” Do you meet the criteria that are set down for this product?“
EMB Executive Management Board
EMS Enterprise Messaging Service
Entitlement This refers to the qualification of an eligible applicant to hold an ID Product. E.g. “Are you entitled to receive the products and services that you are eligible and applying for?” In essence there many reasons that despite meeting the Eligibility criteria an Applicant is not allowed to receive the product they applied for e.g. they have a Travel Restriction Order
EO Executive Officer
EPA1/2 Electronic Passport Application 1/2 Online application form which HMPO prints and sends to applicant for signing. It is then returned with photos.
EPM Enterprise Project Management This is a server used to enable Microsoft project to collaboratively be used across multiple projects and Portfolios. Enables real time planning and reporting across different geographical locations
EPMO EDL (CSC) Electronic Project Management Office Electronic Document Library, Site used to store project related material.
EPP Early Proposition Programme
EQAF Examiners Quality Assurance Framework/Personal Performance Reporting A reporting system that uses feeds from applications processing into a data mart.
EQC Examiner Quality Consultant
ERD Entity Relationship Diagram
EFG Efficiency reform group A group working in partnership with HM Treasury and government departments to deliver efficiencies, savings and reforms on behalf of UK taxpayers
ESB Enterprise Service Bus Cross organisation messaging service
ETD Emergency Travel Document. The UK Emergency Travel Document (ETD) is an eight page travel identity document in a passport format
ETSI European Telecommunications Standards Institute Standard for managing PKI infrastructure
EU European Union
Evergreen The system or service being kept up to date with the latest software, patches and fixes
EX Examiner Abbreviation used by examiners
Exchange Service - Standard Term used by DDS project Fully managed email service - includes Mailbox, Calendaring, and Scheduling, Contacts and Task Management capability. Provides 5 GB of storage per user
Exchange Service- Premium Term used by DDS project As Exchange Service - Standard but with Archiving capability. Provides 15GB of storage per user
F Father Abbreviation used by examiners
F&A Finance & Accommodation
FABMT Financial Analysis Business Modelling Team
FAC Full Adoption Certificate Abbreviation used by examiners
FAP For all purposes Abbreviation used by examiners
Facial Recognition Provides automated facial recognition using biometric algorithms
FAQ Frequently Asked Question
FB Father Born Abbreviation used by examiners
FBC Full Birth Certificate Abbreviation used by examiners
FBC Full Business Case
FCO Foreign and Commonwealth Office
FCO Firecrest Wide Area Network A global Wide Area network connecting FC0 posts to the mainland UK essentially an accredited gateway to uncleared staff
FCOS FCO Services A Trading Fund of the FCO that acts as the supplier that supports Passport Applications for the Foreign Office
FDT Flexible Delivery Teams 12 sites – our staff deliver interviewing services from a 3rd party premises - provided either by another Government Department, a Local Authority or a Private commercial provider
FEAST Fraud and Error Assessment Tool Background checking system used by HMRC for screening tax credit applications - it applies a set of dynamic risk criteria to every tax credit claim
FEC Full Economic Cost
FEDIS Front End Document Issuing System Used by FCO to collect biographic data and biometrics. Sends application data to HMPO for processing.
FESP Front End Service Provider
FFBC Forces Full Birth Certificate Abbreviation used by examiners
File Holding Storage facility within each UK APC managed by HMPO staff for Applications that have been processed by Steria and are awaiting examination.
First Users Term used by DDS project The user sample who will receive the new desktop in advance of main rollout
FIU Fraud Intelligence Unit
Flexible Interview teams Staff deliver interviewing services from a 3rd party premises - provided either by another Government Department, a Local Authority or a private commercial provider
FM Facilities Management
FM Finance Model
FMI Fraud Main Index
FOG Fraudulently Obtained Genuine Genuine passport obtained falsely by fraudulent application
FOIA Freedom of Information Act
FOSB Front Office and Second Biometric
FOSP Front Office Services Programme
Fraud MI A case management system used by the fraud teams to investigate suspicious applications
FRE Facial Recognition Engine Part of Facial Recognition solution
FRS Flexible Reporting System (aka BOXI)
FRS Also known as FR Facial Recognition System
FRW Facial Recognition Workflow Part of Facial Recognition solution
FTA First Time Adult (Application) Abbreviation used by examiners to identify an adult's first application for a passport
FTC First Time Child (Application) Abbreviation used by examiners to identify a child's first application for a passport
FTE Full Time Equivalent
FTP File Transfer Protocol
Fujitsu Fraud Screen A set of rules and analytics checks to assess application risk and error
FURPS Functionality Usability Reliability Performance Supportability
FV Fully Valid Abbreviation used by examiners
FW Framework
FYI For Your Information
G/GOW Glasgow
GCF GSI Convergence Framework
GCHQ Government Communications HQ Intelligence and security organisation, working to keep Britain safe and secure in the challenging environment of modern communications.
GDS Government Data Standard
GDS Government Digital Service
GEN SECT General Section
GGPCDS Government Gateway Payment Card Data Security A facility offered by the Department of Work and Pensions to support central and local government bodies that wish to process payments from citizens using the Internet. Note that GGPCDS supersedes GGPE
GGPE Government Gateway Payment Engine A facility offered by the Department of Work and Pensions to support central and local government bodies that wish to process payments from citizens using the Internet. Superseded by GGPCDS
GIB Group Investment Board
GIPSY Gibraltar and Islands Passport Issuing System The passport application processing system used by the Crown Dependencies and Gibraltar
GLA Glasgow
Gov.uk Website giving the public access to essential government services from one location
GPE Government Payment Engine Provides the capability to allow Customers to make monetary payments in support of submitted Applications to the AMS
GRINSY General Register Office Information System Full information about registration districts, appointments and approved premises
GRO General Register Office There are 3 GROs in the United Kingdom - one for England & Wales, one for Scotland (GROS) and a third for Northern Ireland (GRONI). Each organisation is responsible for registering a record of and holding a central copy of all births, deaths, marriages, civil partnershHMPO or adoptions as well as approved amendments to birth records due to approved gender recognition cases in their respective areas.
GSI Government Secure Intranet A secure intranet that allows exchange of emails and data between government departments
HCFBC High Commission Full Birth Certificate Abbreviation used by examiners
HEO Higher Executive Officer
High Level Requirements A high level statement which is derived from an organisation’s strategy or stakeholder need. These statements define the scope of the project. See also DLR - Detailed Level Requirements
HLD High Level Design (Sometimes referred to as Macro or Logical Design) Describes the outline or overview design which gives an end to end view of what a project will deliver
HMF Her Majesty's Forces
HMPO Her Majesty's Passport Office
HO Home Office
HODSS Home Office Digital Shared Services
HOIB Home Office Investment Board (previously GIB)
HOIT Home Office IT (obsolete, now HOT)
HOM Heads of Missions
HOT Home Office Technology
HoP Head of Profession
HR Human Resources
HSM Hardware Security Modules
HTML Hypertext Mark-Up Language
IA Impact Assessment
IA Information Assurance
IA Internal Audit
IA71 Immigration Act 1971 Abbreviation used by examiners
IABS Immigration and Asylum Biometric System This is the replacement for IAFS and came out of what was initially the NBIS part of the NIS
IAD Iterative Application Development
IAFS Immigration and Asylum Fingerprint System Biometrics used by UKBA
IAM Identity Access Management Process used to manage access to HMPO systems
iBase Intelligence database Intelligence database used by Fraud Operations in Glasgow to find and match details on passport applications
ICAO International Civil Aviation Organisation
ICAO 9303 The Internation Standard used for chipped passports or other documents
ICD Interface Control Document
ICFN ID Card Foreign National Replaced by BRP
ICH Integrated Call Handling Used by the HMPO Customer Contact Centre to answer questions relating to application status
ID Identity
IDA Identity Assurance A service that is used to support enrolment, product issuing and verification, matching biographical information to confirm identity.
IDAF Identity Authentication Framework
IDAR Identity Authentication Rating
Identity The collective set of characteristics (Biographics and Biometrics) by which a Product Holder/intended Product Holder is uniquely known.
Identity Assurance Service Providers Government and commercial organisations that hold personal information used to verify an identity
Identity Management Identity management is central to the Home Office purpose of protecting personal identity and encompasses a number of organisations. The Identity Management Standards Policy Group was set up to help establish trusted and efficient identity management services in the UK through the development and cross-government agreement of a comprehensive set of standards encompassing all aspects of identity management
IDIS The passport application processing system used by some of the BOTs
IDSC International Data Sharing Capability
IEC Interview and Enrolment Centre
IGS Information Gathering Service
ILE Indefinite Leave to Enter Abbreviation used by examiners
ILR Indefinite Leave to Remain Abbreviation used by examiners
IND Immigration & Nationality Directorate
Integration Test Bringing multoplie systems together to test they work in conjunction with each other and deliver end to end functionality
Interview Offices A network of offices across the UK set up to provide interview services for first time adult applications. Superseded by Customer Service Centres and Flexible Interview teams
IOD Interim Operational Developments
IOM International Organisation for Migration
ION Interview Office Network
IP Interview Process Abbreviation used by examiners
IPR Intellectual Property Rights
IPS Identity and Passport Service. Now HMPO
IPT Immigration Platform Technologies
ISFT Invitation to Submit Final Tender
ISO International Standards Organisation
ISOP Invitation to Submit Outline Proposal
ISP Internet Service Provider
ISSD Issued Abbreviation used by examiners
ITCMP IT Continuity Management Plan
Iterations/Releases/Builds Interchangeable terms which are used to describe a collection of functionality that is compiled together into a single package of work.
ITIL Information Technology Infrastructure Library. Best Practice IT Management guidelines
ITMT IT Crisis Management Team
IT Ops IT Operations Replaced ITSG
ITPD Invitation to Participate in Dialogue
ITSCM IT Service Continuity Management
ITSG IT Services Group Now IT Ops = IT Operations
ITSHC IT Security Health Check
ITSM IT Service Management
itSMF IT Service Management Forum
IVR Interactive Voice Response
Java A programming language A computer language developed by Sun which can be run within a browser on any type of computer
JDK Java Development Kit
KEDB Known Error Database
KEK Key Encryption Key
KPI Key Performance Indicator
KPO Key Performance Objective
KSCMT Key Supplier Contract Management Team
L&D Learning and Development
LAB Legal Advice Bureau
LAN Local Area Network Short distance local network carrying traffic specific to a location
LDAP Light-weight Directory Access Protocol
LDAPS Light-weight Directory Access Protocol over SSL
LDIF LDAP Data Interchange Format
LDS Logial Data Structure
LDS Local Data Service
LET Letter Abbreviation used by examiners
LIS Lost & Stolen Import System The application used to import Lost and Stolen data to the HMPO systems and databases
LLD Low Level Design
LMIS Laminate Management Information System
LOS Line of Service
LPR Local print room
LPS Local print service
LRS Local Registration Service (England & Wales)
LSR Lost, Stolen and Recovered (passports)
LSTR Lost and Stolen telephone reporting
LTE Leave to Enter the UK Abbreviation used by examiners
LTM Logical Technology Model
LTR Leave to Remain Abbreviation used by examiners
LUN Lost Unresolved
M204 Statistical database owned by ONS, used by GRO (provision for access expires early 2014)
M Mother Abbreviation used by examiners
MAC Media Access Control The MAC address is used to identify the PC on a network, and is a unique number
M&CE Maintenance & Customer Enquiry
ManTech US based supplier of support and maintenance services for RON
MB Mother Born Abbreviation used by examiners
MC Marriage Certificate Abbreviation used by examiners
MCC Main Computer Centre MI and CVD storage location - Chadderton
MCE Maintenance and Customer Enquiry
MGF Maternal Grandfather Abbreviation used by examiners
MGM Maternal Grandmother Abbreviation used by examiners
MI Main Index The store of historical passport and application data. Main Index holds copies of images and scanned supporting documents for pasport applications
MI Management Information
MIDIS Multiple Identity Document Issuing System Operating system introduced to support the new Local Print service because the current ROPE cannot handle randomly numbered passports
MNA Mergers and Acquisitions
MoR Management of Risk
MOU Memorandum of Understanding
MPA Major Projects Authority
MPLS Multi Protocol Label Switching
MRP Machine Readable Passport
MRTD Machine Readable Travel Document
MRZ Machine Readable Zone. A machine readable zone is used by an optical scanning device to interpret data printed on a passport and the MRZ code is used to access the information stored electronically on the chip
MSP Microsoft Project A Microsoft tool which enable Project Managers to Plan estimate and forecast project delivery. HMPO currently use MSP2003 and MSP2007
MTBF Mean Time Between Failures
MTBSI Mean Time Between Service Incidents
MTRS Mean Time to Restore Service
MTTR Mean Time to Repair
N/A Not applicable
NAO National Audit Office
NAT CERT Naturalisation Certificate Abbreviation used by examiners
Nationality The Applicant meets the citizenship and Nationality criteria set out in legislation.
Naturalisation The acquisition of citizenship or nationality by someone who previously was not a citizen or national of that country.
NBIS National Biometric Identity Service
NCMT National Crisis Management Team
NCST National Customer Service Team
NGCC Next Generation Contact Centre BT hosted Automated Call Distribution (ACD) platform
NGP Next Generation Passport
NGW Next Generation Workplace Used to describe the new solution e.g. NGW Desktop
NHS National Health Service
NIAS National Identity Assurance Service This was the transitional name for the NBIS programme after the change of government and reduction in scope of the NIS. It later became IABS
NINO National Insurance Number
NIR National Identity Register
NIRNO National Identity Register Number
NIS National Identity Scheme A programme to deliver identity cards for critical workers, non EU migrants and, voluntarily, UK citizens. It would also have supported the National Identity Register.
NISAM National Identity Scheme Access Manager Interface between 3rd parties and NIR
NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology (US) This is the body that defines many of the standards and procedures used worldwide, for example, in the context of biometric data, data exchange, and systems that handle such data.
NNCRB No Name Certificate Registry of Birth Abbreviation used by examiners
NO Number
Non Functional Test Testing aspects of systems that are not directly related to the operational tasks they will use but are more generic such as performance, load, security, fallback testing.
NPP New Passport Production
NPV Net Present Value
NT No Trace Abbreviation used by examiners
OAM Oracle Access Manager
OAT Operational Acceptance Test
OBS Observation Abbreviation used by examiners
OCF Orchestration and Collation Function Provides a single point for orchestrating and routing print personalisation requests to Passport printing services. It receives and translates passport data into a suitable format for encryption and decryption.
OCFN Overseas Counter Fraud Network
OCF PKI Orchestration and Collation Function Public Key Infastructure TBC - internal HMPO application.
OCM Operational Change Manager
OCR Optical Character Recognition Software that captures written/printed characters and converts them into digital format
ODC Sevenoaks Data Centre
ODS Operational Data Store The Operational Data Store records business events for the purposes of operational reporting
OGC Office of Government Commerce
OGD Other Government Department
OGD Data Sources Other Government Department data sources Used for verifying an individual's identity such as DWP and UKBA
OID Oracle Internet Directory
OIM Oracle Identity Manager
OIP Outline Implementation Plan
OJEU Official Journal of the European Union Used when giving notice of intention to re-tender a contract
OLA Operational Level Agreement
OLC Online Channel. A service to enable applicants to apply for a passport using the internet
OmniBase OmniBase is a system that provides external access to restricted passport data, application data and some work-in-progress information held on Main Index and CVD. The Omnibase system is used by PVS and a number of external government agencies including FCO and DVLA to support their business operations.
Online Portal Provides capabilities for External Customers to access AMS services in order to create Applications and submit them to the AMS, and to check the status of current applications. The Online Portal will also provide application information required by the Call Centre
ONS Office for National Statistics Passport applications are checked against data from ONS to identify fraud
OPEX Operational Expenditure
OPIP Overseas Passport Integration Programme
OPMU Overseas Passport Management Unit
OPSI Office of Public Sector Information
OPT Operability and Performance Testing
ORIG Original Abbreviation used by examiners
OT Organisational Transformation
OT Method OT Method is a single integrated set of standards and guidance that enables OT Projects and OT Management activities to be performed in a consistent and efficient way while also enabling projects to be flexible by adapting the standard process in a structured way.
OTBD Otherwise Than By Descent Abbreviation used by examiners
OVD Oracle Virtual Directory
Overseas Territories 14 Commonwealth and other countries, with a connection to the UK, that used to be known as Dependent Territories.
• Anguilla
• Bermuda
• British Antarctic Territory \\• British Indian Ocean Territory
• British Virgin Islands
• Cayman Islands
• Falkland Islands
• Gibraltar
• Montserrat
• Pitcairn Islands
• South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
• St Helena and its dependencies
• Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
• the Turks and Caicos Islands.
See BOT
P&D Production & Delivery
PA Passive Authentication Test by the reader using relevant public key to verifydigital signatures on chip
PACS Passport Agency Complaints System Used to support customer complaints and customer queries outside of the application process
PACE Password Authentication Communication Establishment More secure successor to BAC
PACE Police and Criminal Evidence Act
PAF Passport Application Form
PAF Postal Address Finder/Post Office Address File
PASS Passport Application Support System The legacy passport application processing system prior to AMS
PASSes Passport Application Support System Electronic Support
PBA Pattern of Business Activity
PC Service Term used by DDS project The device will run a full Windows 7 client operating system. This will be needed for users who use a laptop off line or exceptionally who use an application that cannot run on VDI Desktop
PCS Public & Commercial Services Union for Civil Servants PO1 to G6, see also FDA
PD Programme Director. Where the SRO does not have capacity or technical knowledge to undertake the day to day direction of the programme the Programme Director can share some of the responsibilities of the SRO role but accountability for the programme remains with the SRO.
PDD Project Definition Document
PDE Portfolio Delivery Executive
PDF Portable Document Format
PDP Policy Decision Point
PEO Public Enquiry Office (within BIA)
PEP Policy Enforcement Point
PET Peterborough
PFI Pass for Issue Abbreviation used by examiners
PFS Prerequisite for Success
PGA Pan Government Accreditor
PGF Parental Grandfather Abbreviation used by examiners
PGM Parental Grandmother Abbreviation used by examiners
PH Pigeon Hole Abbreviation used by examiners
Photo QA Provides quality verification of photographs accompanying passport applications
PIA Privacy Impact Assessment
PIA Passport Import Application
PIC Portfolio Investment Committee A committee which approves major projects within the Home Office
PID Project Initiation Document. It defines the business context for a project and clarifies objectives, scope, deliverables, timescale, budget, authorities and available resources.
PIMIS Passport Issuing Management Information System Predecessor to PASS
PIN Personal Identification Number
PIN Prior Information Notice
PIP Personal Identity Process Provides information from a commercial credit checking data provider (Equifax) that can be used as part of the background checking service to confirm an applicant's identity
PIR Post Implementation Review. Focuses on the delivered product and looks at issues such as: have the requirements been met, how was the project conducted, were benefits realised and are there lessons to be learned? Normally takes place within six months after project closure.
PKD Public Key Directory Secure website managed by ICAO, Contries publish their signing keys, CRL's & ML's for open public access
PKI Public Key Infrastructure The infrastructure used to sign the data on the chip of passports, passport variants and other travel documents. The personal data placed on the chip of an ePassport is digitally signed. This is a cryptographic technique that is used to provide assurance that the data on the chip is authentic. By inspecting the digital signature, it is possible to determine with certainty that:
- the personal data on the chip was placed there by the issuing state
- the personal data has not been altered subsequently
PKI is also a separate capability used for signing data to ensure the provenance and integrity of data. Technology used for digital signature on a passport. Security solution based on public key (Asymmetric)
Key Pair Matching Private/Public keys generated together
Private Key In relation to public key encryption algorithm, one of the 2 keys in the key pair retained by the issuer
Public Key In the key pair, the key which is published openly to allow others to authenticate signed data
Rollover Country level key (CSCA or CVCA) is replaced by its successor
Root Key The Key that an issuer uses to establish that everything else he issues can be trusted
PMO Project Management Office
PMR Performance Management Report
PNC Police National Computer
PO Purchase Order
PO1 Passport Officer Grade 1 Operational support staff grade, including local print operators, messengers and examination support.
PO2 Passport Officer Grade 2 Formerly a junior passport examination grade, dealing only with straightforward renewals. Only a handful remain in niche roles.
PO3 Passport Officer Grade 3 Primary operational staffing grade, including all passport examiners, counter examiners and customer contact staff.
POB Place of Birth Abbreviation used by examiners
POCL Post Office Counters Ltd.
POL Post Office Limited Formally POCL
POLDAT Process Organisation Location Data Application Technology
PP Protection Profile Properties of the Chip needed to ensure it's secure
PPC Passport Production Centre Also known as an Application Processing Centre (APC). Most common when referring to FCO facilities overseas before the passport application processing was repatriated to the UK in 2013.
PPM Project Management Profession
PPPP Passport Processing and Production Portfolio Department within OT
PPR Personal Performance Reports Also known as Performance & Development Report (PDR).
PPT Passport
PQ Parliamentary Question
PQQ Pre-Qualification Questionnaire A term from procurement.
PREV Previous Abbreviation used by examiners
PROF QUALS Professional Qualifications Abbreviation used by examiners
Protected Characteristics Protected Characteristics The Equality Act 2010 provides specific protection for people who have what are termed protected characteristics. These are: Age, Disability, Sex (previously referred to as gender), Race, Sexual Orientation, Gender Reassignment, Religion or Belief, Marriage and Civil Partnership, Pregnancy and Maternity
PRS PIP Request System Now defunct, collated data from equifax to aid with background checking for interview profiles.
PSA Projected Service Availability
PSN Public Sector Network Planned replacement for GSI, the Government Secure Intranet
PSNA Public Services Network Authority
PSNSP Public Services Network Service Provider
PSO Project Support Office
PST Peterborough Searching Team PST hold the microfilm and paper archives of passport applications, primarily records from FCO posts overseas.
PTM Physical Technology Model What computers and network infastructure do we have and where is it physically?
PTO Please Take Over Abbreviation used by examiners
PVS Passport Validation Service Allows approved organisations to contact HMPO to check the validity of a passport and the identity of the holder. This service provides assurance of the passport's validity and helps prevent the use of lost, stolen or counterfeit passports. Since its introduction in July 2006, PVS has been widely used across the financial and legal services industries. In 2007/2008 PVS saved its clients over £4m in prevented fraud. Initially run by a team in Peterborough the contact centre work was taken over by Teleperformance in 2008.
QA Quality Assurance
QAS Quick Address Service Provides validation of postal addresses
Q-Matic Counter Booking & Queue Management system used by the Regional Offices to manage counter appointments and queue management.
QMS Quality Management System
QREL Quality Review Error List A document used to formally review documents/products and list errors, comments etc prior to returning it to the author for further comment.
Quality Gate Point of assessment, often between key stages of a project where progress, quality and readiness to move on are assessed.
QUALS Qualifications Abbreviation used by examiners
R/W Read With
RAB Release Authority Board Now defunct, CAM process replaces this.
RAD Rapid Application Development Like Agile a project methodology providing a more rapid, customer focused release approach.
RAG Red: Amber: Green Type of report where traffic light colours are used to prioritise actions / risks. Can also use Black when things are really bad.
RAID Risks, Assumptions, Issues and Dependencies Each project will normally have a log to register these and mitigating actions
RALON Risk and Liaison Network (UKBA) overseas network of UK Border Force staff providing advice to carriers and others on whether travellers are likely to be accepted into the UK.
RAS Remote Access System Typically refers to the remote access for AdminIT in common use. Although can include that for other systems too.
RBAC Role Based Access Control An approach whereby access privileges on a system are grouped into roles and users are attached to roles. This provides a convenient mechanism to manage their privileges – as privileges are not directly linked with users but rather the roles assigned to them.
RBI Risk Based Interview
RCA Root Cause Analysis
RCF Requirements Control Framework
RD CHQS Return to Drawer Cheques
RECD Received Abbreviation used by examiners
Red Owl A tool used by Steria the HMPO BPO provider to manage their activities
REF Reference
REG CERT Registration Certificate Abbreviation used by examiners
REG POST Registered Post Abbreviation used by examiners
Releases/Iterations/Builds Interchangeable terms which are used to describe a collection of functionality that is compiled together into a single package of work.
REQD Requested/Required Abbreviation used by examiners
RETD Retained Abbreviation used by examiners
REV M/N Reverted to Maiden Name Abbreviation used by examiners
RF Reserve Facility
RFC Request for Change IT ops technical change request
RFW Requests For Work
RI Restricted Identity
RLAN Restricted LAN
RM Royal Mail Abbreviation used by examiners
RMADS Risk Management and Accreditation Document Set
RMP Requirements Management Plan
RNOL Registration / Naturalisation Online
ROA Right of Abode Abbreviation used by examiners
ROI Return On Investment
ROLO Registration OnLine Ordering
ROM Rough Order of Magnitude
RON Registration Online Database used by registrars in England and Wales to register life events
ROPE Regional Office Printing Equipment
RP Replacement/Replaced Abbreviation used by examiners
RPO Recovery Point Objective
RPPC Regional Passport Production Centre
RPSS Registration Projects and Shared Services
RQ Return Query Abbreviation used by examiners
RT Regression Test
RTD Returned Abbreviation used by examiners
RTM Requirements Traceability Matrix
RTO Recovery Time Objective
RTP Request to Purchase
RUK Right of Re-admission to the UK Abbreviation used by examiners
RV Restricted Validity Abbreviation used by examiners
RVP Restricted Validity Passport
S&LEA Security & Law Enforcement Agency
S/C Subject to Control
SAC Supplementary Access Control
SAC Service Acceptance Criteria
SACM Service Asset and Configuration Management
SAG System Administration Guides
SAG Scheme Architecture Group
SAML Security Assertion Mark-up Language
SAR Subject Access Request. Term used for requests from individuals to view any data pertaining to them (or those they are legally responsible for), which is held by the Agency, in accordance with the Data Protection Act.
SBA Sovereign Base Area Abbreviation used by examiners
SBC Short Birth Certificate Abbreviation used by examiners
SBDD Software Boundary Definition Document
SBS Siemens Business Services
SC Security Check. Second level of clearance allowing access to “Secret” files. See also CT and DV
SCD Supplier and Contract Database
Schengen Information System A secure governmental database system used by several European countries for the purpose of maintaining and distributing information related to border security and law enforcement.
SCM Service Capacity Management
SCR Special Case Record
SCS Service Capability Statements
SCS Senior Civil Servant
SDL Solution Design Lab
SECT Section Abbreviation used by examiners
Self Service Term used by DDS project A model where users utilise a portal to answer questions, request software and gain insights into their IT landscape.
SEO Senior Executive Officer
SF Stop Files Abbreviation used by examiners
SFA Service Failure Analysis
SIA Security Industry Authority Government Authority that manages the licensing of the private security industry as set out in the Private Security Industry Act 2001. The licence criteria includes specific training qualifications and criminality checks. The existing process allows applicants to provide passport as proof of ID. This is verified using PVS to validate the UK passport details provided by applicants.
SID Service Interface Description Defines the services provided by a in terms of the interfaces provided.
SIEM Security Information & Event Management
SIP Service Improvement Plan
SIS Schengen Information System
SIS Siemens IT Solutions & Services Abbreviation used by examiners
SIT System Integration Test
SKMS Service Knowledge Management System
SLA Service Level Agreement
SLC Student Loans Company SLC provides loans to students. To help verify the identity of applicants for loans the SLC connects to Omnibase to validate the UK passport details provided by applicants. The interface allows SLC to search IPS passport records from its own systems using the passport number. PVS returns the details of the identified passport including a notification of whether or not the passport has been reported lost or stolen and whether or not it appears on stop files.
SLC access to Omnibase is via the DVLA autoresponse system-to-system interface via GSI.
SLM Service Level Management
SLO Security Liaison Officer
SLP Service Level Package
SLR Service Level Requirement
SMART Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely (Time Framed). A mnemonic used to ensure objectives are clearly defined.
SME Subject Matter Expert
SMO Service Maintenance Objective
SMS Secure Mail Services Manages and provides the secure delivery of passports to customers. It interfaces to the Contact Centre so that the delivery status of a passport can be ascertained. The company is now the DX group but the SMS name is still used internally to avoid confusion with another service used by HMPO
SMT Senior Management Team
SOA Service Orientated Architecture A modular approach to design where applications are broken down into a series of distinct functionality and developed separately
SOAP Simple Object Access Protocol A protocol specification for exchanging structured information in the implementation of Web Services in computer networks.
SoC Separation of Concerns
SOE Standard Operating Environment
SOP Standard Operating Procedures
SOR Statement of requirements
SOW Statement of Work
SPBM Service Planning Business Modelling Team Defunct. Re-named as the Operational Design Group (ODG) in 2008 and then the majority of the functions have been re-organized into the Business Design Authority (BDA) as of 2014.
SPEC DEV Special Delivery Abbreviation used by examiners
SPI Service Provider Interface
Split Send Refers to new and renewal passport applications. FTAs dealt with by the local post, Renewals forwarded to the RPPC
SPM Service Portfolio Management
SPO Service Provisioning Optimisation
SPOC Single Point of Contact
SPOF Single Point of Failure
SQL Structured Query Language. Generally pronounced “Sequel” and is a special-purpose programming language designed for managing data held in a relational database management system.
SRO Senior Responsible Officer The individual responsible for ensuring that a project or programme of change meets its objectives and delivers the projected benefits.
SSIT Supplier System Integration Test
SSL Secure Socket Layer A commonly-used protocol for managing the security of a message transmission on the Internet. SSL has recently been succeeded by Transport Layer Security (TLS), which is based on SSL.
SSO Single Sign-On An authentication process in a client/server relationship where the user, or client, can enter one of set of credentials and have access to more than one application or access to a number of resources within an enterprise. Single sign-on takes away the need for the user to enter further authentications when switching from one application to another or to other Service Providers.
SSS Shared Signing Service
SSU Standalone System Upgrade
STAT DEC Statutory Declaration Abbreviation used by examiners
Status Updates Stores information about the status of applications to facilitate online status checks
Stop File File relating to an individual or identity against which passport applications are checked to detect fraud
SUPP DOC Supporting Document Abbreviation used by examiners
SWOT Analysis Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats. A technique used to summarise external pressures and internal capability to respond to them
SyOPS Security Operating Procedures
TA Terminal Authentication
TAS Tiered Application System
TCE Transforming Customer Experience The name given to the programme previously known as the A&E programme. This is now complete with the delivery of AMS.
TCO Total Cost of Ownership
TCP Transmission Control Protocol
TCU Total Cost of Utilisation
TDT Transformation Deployment Tool CSC’s tool for managing user requirement, solution, approval and migration scheduling on DDS project
TEB Telephone Enquiry Bureau Abbreviation used by examiners
TEL Telephone
Teleperformance Call centre company that handles passport applications
TFER Transfer Abbreviation used by examiners
TIART There Is a Risk That
TLS Transport Layer Security
TNA Training Needs Analysis
TO Technical Observation
TOE Target of Evaluation
TOGAF The Open Group Architecture Framework
TOM Target Operating Model
ToR Terms of Reference
TPCS Third Party Counter Service
TQM Total Quality Management
TUPE Transfer of Undertakings, Protection of Employment
UAT User Acceptance Test
UC Underpinning Contract
UCM Universal Content Management Oracle application to allow HMPO to update customer facing content on OLC.
UI User Interface
UKBA United Kingdom Borders Agency
UKPA UK Payments Administration Ltd UK Payments Administration Ltd is not itself a membership body but the service company providing people, facilities and expertise to the UK payments industry
UKV&I UK Visas & Immigration
Unit Test Testing carried out by developers which tests only the specific pieces of code they've developed in isolation
UP User Profile
Use Case A use case is a list of steps, typically defining interactions between a role (known in Unified Modeling Language (UML) as an “actor”) and a system, to achieve a goal. The actor can be a human or an external system
VAC Visa Application Centre
VBF Vital Business Function
VDI Premium Virtual Desktop Interface Premium The desktop is a hosted virtual image initially allocated from a shared pool and then assigned to a user and so can be customised. Profile settings and added applications persist at logoff. Users can install applications themselves
VDI Standard Virtual Desktop Interface Standard The desktop is a hosted virtual image allocated from a shared pool. When finished the resource returns to the pool.
VFM Value for Money
VIP Very Important Person
VIS Video Interview Service 29 sites – our staff deliver interviewing services from a Host office (Glasgow) via a video link provided on partner organisation premises
VIZ Visible Zone The data which is on the visible zone of the travel document
VOI Value on Investment
WAN Wide Area Network Long distance, high capacity network that carries traffic across the business
Watch List Provides the capabilities to look up and maintain data sets that define individuals that warrant further investigation
Watch List UI Provides a user interface to enable Fraud staff to update and manage Watch Lists.
Waterfall A traditional, serial approach to Design, Build and Test.
WDN Withdrawn Abbreviation used by examiners
Webgate Oracle Policy Agent for web based systems
WIP Work In Progress
WOR Work Order Request
XML EXtensible Markup Language XML was designed to transport and store data. HTML was designed to display data