How to Apply for a UK Passport: The Complete 2026 Guide

To apply for a UK passport, complete the online application at GOV.UK, upload a digital photo that meets HM Passport Office's rules, pay the fee by debit or credit card, and post any required supporting documents. A standard adult application — first passport or renewal — typically takes around three weeks from the date HM Passport Office receives your documents, provided everything is in order.

This guide is general information about how the UK passport application process works. It is not legal advice. If your situation is complex — particularly around British nationality, parental consent or a name-change document chain — it is worth taking advice specific to your circumstances.

At a glance

• Who can apply: British nationals, including British citizens, British overseas territories citizens and other British nationality categories entitled to a UK passport.
• Standard fee — adult (16 and over), online application from the UK: £102 (correct from 8 April 2026 — always check GOV.UK for the current fee).
• Standard fee — adult, paper form from the UK: £115.50 (correct from 8 April 2026).
• Standard fee — child (under 16), online application from the UK: £66.50 (correct from 8 April 2026).
• Standard fee — child, paper form from the UK: £80 (correct from 8 April 2026).
• Processing time: around three weeks from receipt of your documents for a standard application — check GOV.UK for the current figure before you apply.
• Where to apply: online via GOV.UK, or by paper form available from a Post Office.
• Urgent routes: 1-week Fast Track (appointment at a passport office, guaranteed seven-day service) and 1-day Premium (appointment, four hours — adult renewals only). See GOV.UK urgent passport services for current fees.
• Governing authority: HM Passport Office (an executive agency of the Home Office).

Am I eligible for a UK passport?

You can hold a UK passport if you are a British national. The main category is British citizen, but there are others — including British overseas territories citizen, British national (overseas), British overseas citizen and British subject. Not all of these categories automatically give the right to a UK passport. If you are uncertain which category applies to you, that is a nationality question rather than a passport question, and it is worth resolving it before you pay a fee.

The GOV.UK British passport eligibility checker is a useful starting point.

Documents you need — by application type

What you send to HM Passport Office depends on which type of application you are making.

First adult passport

• Your full birth certificate (long form, showing parents' details).
• Evidence of a parent's British nationality if your claim to citizenship runs through a parent — for example, a parent's UK birth certificate, naturalisation or registration certificate. If the nationality link runs through your father and your parents were married, you will usually also need their marriage certificate.
• If you became British by naturalisation or registration yourself, your certificate of naturalisation or registration.
• A countersignatory (see below).

Original documents are required — photocopies are not accepted. If your documents are not in English or Welsh, you need a certified translation.

Passport renewal (same appearance)

• Your current or most recent British passport.
• You normally do not need a countersignatory if you can be recognised from your existing passport photo.

Passport renewal (appearance has changed)

• Your current or most recent British passport.
• A countersignatory, because HM Passport Office needs someone to confirm your identity in person.

Replacement (lost, stolen or damaged)

• Treated more like a first application: you will need a countersignatory and may be asked for additional identity documents.
• Report a lost or stolen passport to the police and to HM Passport Office as soon as possible.

Passport photo requirements

Photo errors are one of the most common causes of delay. The rules are strict, and the online service checks your photo automatically — but it is still worth getting them right before you upload.

For online applications:

• Digital photo taken within the last month.
• In colour and in focus.
• Taken against a plain light grey or cream background, with no objects or other people in shot.
• Face the camera straight on; plain expression, mouth closed.
• Do not wear glasses unless you must do so for medical reasons. If you must wear glasses, the frames must not cover your eyes, and there must be no glare, reflection or shadow.
• The image of your face from crown to chin must be between 29mm and 34mm (the service checks proportions for you).

For paper applications:

• Two identical printed colour photos, 45mm high x 35mm wide.
• Both taken within the last month.
• One must be countersigned on the back if a countersignatory is required.

See the GOV.UK passport photo rules for the full specification, including relaxed rules for babies and young children.

Relaxed rules for young children: Children under six do not need to look directly at the camera or keep a neutral expression. Babies under one month old do not need their eyes open.

Countersignatory rules — who can sign and when

A countersignatory is someone who vouches for your identity when HM Passport Office cannot verify it from an existing passport, or when no existing passport exists.

When you need a countersignatory:

• First adult passport.
• First child passport (any age).
• Renewal for a child aged 11 or under.
• Renewal for a child aged 12 to 15 where the child cannot be recognised from their current passport photo.
• Any adult renewal where the applicant cannot be recognised from their existing passport.
• Replacement of a lost, stolen or damaged passport.

Who can act as a countersignatory:

• Must have known the applicant personally for at least two years.
• Must be able to identify the applicant — a friend, neighbour or colleague, not merely a professional contact.
• Must hold a current British, Irish, EU, US or Commonwealth passport.
• Must work in (or be retired from) a recognised profession, or be a person of good standing in their community.
• Must not be related to the applicant by birth or marriage, in a relationship with the applicant, or living at the same address.

For paper applications, the countersignatory writes on the back of one photo: "I certify that this is a true likeness of [full name]", adds their signature, the date and their passport number.

For online applications, some applicants can instead use the confirm identity online route — the service will tell you if this applies to you.

The full list of accepted countersignatory occupations is published on GOV.UK.

How to complete your application, step by step

1. Start the GOV.UK online service. Go to apply for a UK passport and select whether you are applying for yourself or a child, and the type of application (first passport, renewal, replacement or update).
2. Enter your personal details. Give your full name, date and place of birth, and current address. Answer the nationality questions carefully — errors here are a frequent cause of delay.
3. Upload your photo. Enter the code from a photo booth or shop, or take a photo on your device with someone helping you. The system checks it against the rules and flags problems immediately.
4. Arrange a countersignatory if needed. If your application type requires one, sort this out early. Chasing a signature at the last minute is one of the most common self-inflicted delays.
5. Pay the fee. Pay online by debit or credit card. The fee is not refunded if you cancel, if you turn out not to be entitled, or if you voluntarily withdraw your application.
6. Post your supporting documents. The service generates a checklist and a return address. Post originals tracked or by special delivery — documents that go missing in the post cause significant delays. HM Passport Office returns supporting documents by second-class post unless you pay for secure delivery.

Paper form applications follow the same sequence but require you to collect the form from a Post Office, complete it by hand and post it together with your photos and documents.

Fees in full (from 8 April 2026)

All fees are subject to change — always verify at GOV.UK passport fees before you apply.

| Application type | Online | Paper form | |---|---|---| | Adult (16+), applying from the UK | £102 | £115.50 | | Child (under 16), applying from the UK | £66.50 | £80 | | Adult, applying from overseas | £116.50 | £130 | | Child, applying from overseas | £75.50 | £89 | | 1-day Premium service (adult renewal only, UK, appointment required) | £239.50 | — | | 1-week Fast Track service (UK, appointment required) | Check GOV.UK | — |

The standard fee covers a 34-page passport. A 54-page frequent-traveller passport costs more — check GOV.UK for the current amount.

No refunds: The fee is non-refundable if you withdraw your application, are found not to be entitled, or submit documents that turn out to be invalid. Pay only once you are confident your application is ready.

Processing times and what to do if you need a passport urgently

Standard service: HM Passport Office aims to process standard applications in around three weeks from receipt of documents. This is not a guarantee, and times are longer during peak periods (typically March to July). Check the current processing time on GOV.UK before you apply.

1-week Fast Track service: A guaranteed seven-day service (excluding Sundays and bank holidays) for applicants who need a passport sooner. You book and attend an appointment at one of HM Passport Office's regional offices. Your passport is delivered to you by courier. See GOV.UK — 1-week Fast Track for current fees and to find your nearest appointment location.

1-day Premium service: A guaranteed four-hour service, available for adult renewals only (not first passports, child passports or replacements). You attend an appointment at a passport office and collect your passport the same day. The current fee is £239.50 for a standard 34-page passport — confirm at GOV.UK — Online Premium service.

Compassionate and urgent-travel cases: HM Passport Office can consider urgent cases involving bereavement, life-threatening illness or essential government travel via the Passport Adviceline.

The non-negotiable rule: Do not book non-refundable travel until your valid passport is in your hand. A processing delay is not a ground for a refund from an airline or tour operator.

Tracking your application

Once your application is in the system you can track it using the GOV.UK passport tracking service. This shows where your application is in the process and confirms when your passport has been dispatched.

Name changes and the document chain

If your name has changed since your last passport — or since the name on your birth certificate — you need to supply an unbroken sequence of documents tracing every change from one name to the next. HM Passport Office calls this the document chain, and a missing link is one of the most common reasons an application is returned.

Common supporting documents:

• Marriage or civil partnership: marriage or civil partnership certificate.
• Divorce — reverting to previous name: your decree absolute or final order (or, from April 2022, final order for civil partnerships), plus the earlier document showing the name you are reverting to.
• Change by deed poll: the deed poll document itself. An enrolled deed poll (enrolled through the Royal Courts of Justice) is the strongest form of evidence, but a statutory deed poll is also accepted.
• Change by statutory declaration: the signed and witnessed declaration.
• Child's name change: usually requires written agreement from everyone with parental responsibility, plus the relevant certificate or deed.

For everything about updating the name or address on a passport, see our guide on changing your passport name or address.

Child passport applications

Every child needs their own passport — they cannot travel on a parent's or guardian's document.

• Validity: five years (versus ten years for adults).
• When countersigning is required: all first applications; all renewals for children aged 11 or under; renewals for children aged 12–15 only if they cannot be recognised from their current passport photo.
• Who signs the form: a parent or person with parental responsibility signs the application for a child under 16. A child aged 12–15 also signs the form themselves.
• Parental consent: where more than one person holds parental responsibility, HM Passport Office may require evidence of consent from all of them. This is a frequent complication in separated-parent situations.
• Photo rules: relaxed for young children (see photo requirements section above).

For the full document list, consent rules and a worked example, see our child passport guide.

Applying from outside the UK

British nationals living overseas apply through the overseas passport service on GOV.UK. Key differences:

• Fees are higher than UK equivalents (see the fee table above).
• Processing times are typically longer than for UK applications.
• Countersignatory passport requirements: a countersignatory holding a British or Irish passport generally results in a faster process. EU, US and Commonwealth passports are also accepted, but may add processing time.
• Applications are submitted through the same GOV.UK online service in most countries; a small number of countries use a different route — check GOV.UK for your specific location.

Worked example: Emma renewing her passport

This is a fictional example to illustrate the process.

Emma is 34 and her ten-year passport expires in November 2026. She applies online in June, pays £102 by card, uploads a digital photo taken against her cream kitchen wall that morning, and posts her old passport by tracked mail. She reads on GOV.UK that the current standard processing time is approximately three weeks — so she expects her new passport by early July if all goes smoothly. She does not book a non-refundable flight until the new passport is in her hand.

Because this is a straightforward renewal and Emma can be recognised from her existing passport, she does not need a countersignatory. Her only task now is to check her tracking number and wait.

The most common reasons an application is delayed or returned

Knowing these in advance costs nothing:

1. Photo fails the rules — wrong background, shadows, expression, or dimensions. The online service catches most errors, but it is worth reviewing the GOV.UK photo rules before uploading.
2. Broken document chain — a name-change application where one or more linking documents is missing.
3. Countersignatory does not meet the requirements — wrong passport type, has not known the applicant long enough, or is excluded by the relationship rules.
4. Nationality questions answered incorrectly — particularly where a claim to British citizenship runs through a grandparent or involves a period of naturalisation.
5. Missing or illegible originals — photocopies are not accepted; non-English documents need a certified translation.
6. Supporting documents lost in the post — always use tracked or special delivery for original birth certificates, marriage certificates and passports.

Where to get official help

• GOV.UK — apply or renew a UK passport — the starting point for all applications.
• GOV.UK passport fees — current fee schedule.
• GOV.UK — get a passport urgently — Fast Track and Premium appointments.
• HM Passport Office Passport Adviceline — for queries about an existing application or urgent cases.

This guide reflects the passport application process as at June 2026. Government fees and processing times change — always verify current figures on GOV.UK before you apply. This page is general information, not legal advice.