Lloyds Bank customers are the first in the UK to be able to support their bank account application using the chip in their passport, in the latest innovation for their app.

The new high-tech feature speeds up the process of applying, by pre-populating key data fields including name, title, date of birth, gender and country of birth. As well as a slicker experience for customers, it also reduces the risk of errors which can cause delas.

The app utilises Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to scan a chip embedded within the passport, similar to how contactless payments are made (e.g., Apple Pay). While the use of NFC technology has become common, especially since the launch of contactless payments, Lloyds Banking Group is amongst the first to leverage this technology for ID verification within UK banking.

Surina Somal, Head of Product, Packaged Bank Accounts & Transformation at Lloyds Bank said: “Unlocking technology is key in making it easier to bank with us. Using existing technology within passports, customers can open and complete their bank account application on their phone. It's the first of many updates we are making to our banking apps over the next few months, to give our customers the best possible experience.”