Change Your Passport Name in the UK: The Complete 2026 Guide

At a glance

• A UK passport does not display your home address. Moving house is not a reason to replace your passport — it is one of the most common misconceptions about passport updates.
• Name changes do require a new passport if you want to travel under your new name. You are not editing the existing booklet; HMPO issues a new one and cancels the old.
• Evidence depends on why you are changing your name: original marriage/civil partnership certificate for marriage; marriage certificate plus a signed statement for divorce; deed poll or statutory declaration for other changes; specific supporting documents for gender transitions.
• Originals only: HMPO does not accept photocopies of certificates.
• Current fees (from 8 April 2026): online adult application £102; paper application £115.50. Check gov.uk/passport-fees for the current figures before you apply.
• Pre-wedding route: you can apply for a passport in your married name up to three months before the ceremony using the PD2 form — but you cannot use it until after the wedding.
• Do not book travel until the new passport is in your hand. Once your current passport is sent in with the application, you cannot travel abroad.

First: the address myth

Searching for "change of address on passport" is understandable — your address changes and your first instinct is to update your documents. But a UK passport does not show your residential address anywhere on it. The personal details page contains your photograph, full name, nationality, date of birth, sex, place of birth, and passport validity dates. Your home address is not printed on the document or stored on the chip in any way that is visible or accessible.

The address you provide on an application form is used only so HMPO knows where to send the finished passport and any correspondence. It does not appear in the issued document.

If you have moved house, you do not need a new passport. Update your DVLA driving licence and your electoral registration, but there is no passport action required until your existing passport expires or another genuine reason to replace it arises.

When you do need to replace your passport

You need a new passport if:

• Your name has changed — for example after marriage, civil partnership, divorce, deed poll, or a court order — and you want to travel under the new name.
• Your recorded gender no longer matches how you live and how your documents should read.
• Your appearance has changed significantly and you can no longer be recognised from the photo in your current passport.
• Your passport has expired, been lost or stolen, or is damaged.

You do not need to replace it solely because you have moved house.

If you are renewing anyway — for example because it is about to expire — you can combine the renewal with a name change in a single application. This is almost always more efficient than paying for two separate applications.

Name change after marriage or civil partnership

What you need

To change your passport to your married or civil partnership name, you will need:

• Your original marriage or civil partnership certificate. HMPO does not accept photocopies. The certificate must show the link between your old name and your new name clearly.
• Your current passport, which will be cancelled and returned to you once the new one is issued.
• A completed passport application, submitted online via the GOV.UK digital service or on paper using a form collected from a Post Office.

If you married abroad, HMPO may request additional documents. Check gov.uk/changing-passport-information/name-marriage-and-civil-partnership for the current list.

What name you can use

After marriage or civil partnership you may take your spouse's or civil partner's surname, keep your own name, or create a double-barrelled combination of both. A deed poll is not needed to take a partner's surname — the marriage certificate is sufficient evidence on its own.

Applying before the ceremony: the PD2 route

If you are marrying or entering a civil partnership and want to travel in your new name immediately after the ceremony — on a honeymoon, for example — you can apply for a passport in your new name up to three months before the date of the ceremony.

This is done using the PD2 form ('Passports for newly weds and civil partners'), which must be signed by the religious minister or registrar who will conduct the ceremony. The completed PD2 goes in with your standard passport application and supporting documents.

The passport produced is post-dated to the date of the ceremony. You cannot use it for travel until after the wedding or civil partnership has taken place. Note also that some countries will not issue visas against a post-dated passport — check with the relevant embassy or consulate if a visa is needed for your honeymoon destination.

Because your current passport is submitted with the application, you will not be able to travel abroad in the meantime. Plan accordingly.

The official PD2 form is available at gov.uk/government/publications/passports-for-newly-weds-and-civil-partners.

Name change after divorce or returning to a previous surname

Why the decree absolute is not enough on its own

It is a common mistake to assume that sending a decree absolute (or final order) is sufficient evidence to change a passport back to a previous name. It is not.

Divorce documents issued in England and Wales since 1971 do not show the link between your current (married) name and the previous name you are returning to. HMPO cannot establish from the divorce document alone that the applicant named in it is the same person as the applicant in the previous name.

What you actually need

To return to a previous surname, you will generally need to provide:

1. Your original marriage or civil partnership certificate, showing both your previous name and your married name — this establishes the link.
2. A signed statement from you confirming that you have returned to your previous name for all purposes.
3. Evidence that you are now using the previous name — for example a recent bank statement, utility bill, or letter from a government body.

Alternatively, a deed poll formally enrolling your previous name can be used in place of the above. If you no longer have your marriage certificate (they are surrendered to the court during divorce proceedings and only returned on request), you can obtain an official copy from the General Register Office.

Check gov.uk/changing-passport-information/divorce-or-returning-to-a-previous-surname for the current requirements.

Name change by deed poll or statutory declaration

If your name change is not connected to marriage, civil partnership or divorce — a forename change, a complete new name, or any other reason — HMPO accepts a deed poll (enrolled or unenrolled) or a statutory declaration as evidence.

The document must show the clear link between the old name and the new name, and you will need to provide evidence that you are now using the new name consistently (payslips, bank letters, correspondence from official bodies). As with all name-change applications, originals are required and your current passport must be sent in.

The GOV.UK guidance on names that do not match official documents is at gov.uk/changing-passport-information/names-dont-match-official-documents.

Changing gender details on a passport

If you want your passport to reflect your acquired gender, you can apply for a replacement. HMPO's key question is not whether you hold a Gender Recognition Certificate but whether you have permanently adopted a new gender identity.

A Gender Recognition Certificate is accepted as evidence, but it is not the only route. HMPO also accepts other documentation that supports a permanent change. The process is handled sensitively.

The personal details page of a passport records sex as M or F in line with ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) standards — the same standards used by passports worldwide. Your selection will appear as M or F; it does not have to match your birth certificate.

Your old passport is cancelled and returned in the usual way. Full current guidance is at gov.uk/changing-passport-information/gender.

How to apply

Online

Most applicants use the GOV.UK digital service at gov.uk/apply-renew-passport. The online journey walks you through the questions, lets you upload a digital photograph, and allows you to pay by card. Supporting documents (your current passport and original certificates) are posted separately to HMPO after you submit the online form.

By post

You can collect a paper application form from a Post Office and apply entirely on paper. You will need printed passport photographs meeting HMPO's strict requirements. Paper applications cost more than online applications (£115.50 versus £102 as of April 2026 — check gov.uk/passport-fees for current fees).

Post Office Check and Send

The Post Office offers a Check and Send service at an additional fee. A Post Office counter assistant checks that your application form is complete and your photographs meet the requirements, then sends everything to HMPO by Special Delivery. This does not speed up processing — it is a checking service, not an expedited one — but it reduces the risk of rejection for avoidable errors.

When a countersignatory is needed

A countersignatory (someone who signs your photo and form to confirm your identity) is required in certain circumstances, including applications for a first adult passport in a new name and some replacement applications. Name-change renewals where the existing passport photo still resembles you may not require a countersignatory, but check the GOV.UK guidance for your specific situation. Guidance on who can countersign is at gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications.

Fees (from 8 April 2026)

| Application type | Fee | |---|---| | Standard online (UK, adult) | £102 | | Standard paper/postal (UK, adult) | £115.50 | | Standard online (UK, child) | £66.50 | | Standard paper/postal (UK, child) | £80 |

These fees apply to name-change applications in the same way as any other renewal — there is no separate charge for updating your name. Always verify the current fee at gov.uk/passport-fees before you apply, as fees are set by statutory instrument and may change.

What happens to your old passport

Your existing passport is submitted with the application. Once HMPO has issued the new passport, the old booklet is cancelled — usually by clipping a corner — and returned to you separately from the new document. This can take a few days after the new passport arrives.

Keep the cancelled passport. It contains any visas and entry stamps that may be useful evidence of your travel history for future visa applications or immigration queries.

What to do if travel is coming up

A name-change application means your current passport leaves your possession. If you have booked travel, think carefully before applying:

• If your trip is more than around three months away, submitting the name-change application now is generally sensible, but check current processing times on GOV.UK — they vary significantly through the year.
• If your trip is imminent, you may be better off travelling on your existing passport in your previous name (making sure your ticket matches) and applying for the name change afterwards.
• If you are a newly-wed travelling immediately after the ceremony, the PD2 pre-wedding route described above allows you to arrive at the honeymoon destination with a passport already in your married name.

Do not book non-refundable international travel on the assumption that a new passport will arrive by a specific date. Processing times are not guaranteed.

This guide provides general information about how UK passport name changes work in England and Wales. It is not a substitute for legal advice on your specific circumstances. Information was verified against GOV.UK guidance current as at June 2026 and is subject to change.

Last reviewed: June 2026 · Next review due: June 2027 or on regulatory change.