Complete guide to renewing a UK passport

Key takeaways

• Ensure your passport is valid for your trip, some countries require it to be valid for 3-6 months beyond your travel dates

• Online renewal costs £82.50 and requires a digital photo, payment by card, and your old passport

• By post renewal costs £93 and requires a paper application form, two photos, and payment by card or cheque

• You can pay £193.50 to have your passport ready within four hours or delivered within a week at the cost of £155 for adults and £126 for children

When should I renew my passport?

You aren’t allowed to travel out of the UK if you don’t have a valid passport so if yours has expired you’ll need to renew it.

You also need to make sure there is enough time left on the passport before it expires to allow you to make your trip and travel back to the UK. How much time you need depends on the country you’re visiting and there’s a full list of countries and time lengths on the Gov.uk website.

If you’re visiting France, for example, your passport must be valid for at least three months after the date you leave the country, while if you’re going to Bali you’ll need at least six months left on your passport.

You won’t be able to use a damaged passport either, so if yours is damaged, you will need to renew it.

Will any unused time be added to my new passport?

If you have any time left on your current passport while you apply for a new one, this is not added to the new passport.

When a new passport is issued, it is valid for an adult for a maximum of 10 years and nine months. A children’s passport is a maximum five years and up to nine months.

What do I need to renew my passport?

If you are renewing an old passport, you will need your old passport and any valid passports you have from different countries, for these you can send a colour photocopy of every page or you can send the physical book.

You will also need a photo of yourself even if you think your appearance has not changed. Your photo must have been taken in the last month, and your application will be delayed if your photos do not meet the rules.

How do I renew my passport?

You can renew your passport online, by post, or through an appointment at the passport office. Each service has a different cost and time frame for when you will receive your new passport.

Renewing your passport online

Most people can renew their passport online and it costs £82.50 to do it this way. You’ll need to provide a digital photo and pay with a credit or debit card. If you need to send supporting evidence, such as a birth certificate you will need to send this, along with your previous passport, to the passport office.

Renewing your passport by post

You can also renew your passport by post, to do this you will need to get a paper application form from a post office. You can also order the form by calling the Passport Adviceline on 0300 222 0000. The cost is £93 if you’re making a paper application and you’ll need to pay either with a debit or credit card or with a cheque made out to the ‘HM Passport Office’. You’ll also need two new and identical photos to include with your application.

How much does it cost to renew my passport?

If you make an online application it will cost £82.50. If you apply by post you’ll need to pay £93.

Can someone check my passport first?

The post office has both a ‘Paper Check and Send’ and a Digital Check and Send service, which costs £16, not including the cost of the photos. You can search for a nearby post office that offers the paper service on the Post Office website.

How long does it take to renew my passport?

It takes around three weeks to receive your new passport from the date you apply. In some cases, it can take longer than this, and if the passport office needs to conduct an interview with you before issuing your passport, it will tell you within around three weeks after applying.

What if I need my passport sooner?

There are two services you can use, with different costs:

• Online Premium: this is the fastest way to get a passport in the UK and it involves you

  applying online and making an appointment

  to visit your local passport office. After the appointment, you should receive your new passport within four hours. The earliest you can book the appointment is two days after you apply and the service costs £193.50. This service can only be used for renewing an adult passport.

• FastTrack: you will need to book an appointment at your local passport office, and then apply for the passport and pay online. Your new passport will then be sent to you by courier one week after the appointment. It costs £155 for an adult passport and £126 for a child’s passport.

If you need to travel abroad urgently and your passport isn’t valid, you may be able to apply for an emergency travel document. It is usually valid for the following scenarios:

• You’re a British national

• You’re outside of the UK

• You need to travel in the next six weeks

• You can’t renew or replace your passport in time to travel

• Your UK passport has been lost, stolen, damaged, or has recently expired

• You have had a valid UK passport in the last 10 years

What to do with your old passport?

When you renew your passport, you will need to send back your previous passport. You can include this with your application, if applying by post. If not, you can send it to the passport office.

Your previous passport will be returned to you, usually with the corner cut out to show it’s an expired passport.

What if I have an unexpired visa in my old passport?

You won’t need to apply for a new visa for a new passport, if your passport has expired but the visa is still valid. But you will need to make sure you keep the old passport as proof of your visa.

What should I do if I lose my passport?

If your passport is lost or stolen, you need to contact the passport office immediately to report it. You can do this online and you can also apply for a new passport at the same time. Reporting the lost passport ensures that no one else can use it fraudulently.

What changes have there been to British passports post Brexit?

There have been several changes to British passports after Brexit when the UK left the EU in 2020. These include the following:

• UK passports are now blue (they used to be maroon) but you can still use an older passport if it’s in date

• Since Brexit, UK travellers going to an EU country must have a passport that was issued less than 10 years before the date they arrive in the country, and it needs to be valid for at least three months after the date they plan to leave.

How do you renew a child’s passport?

You can renew a child’s passport online or with a paper application, and it works in a similar way to renewing an adult’s passport. You will need the child’s old passport, digital or printed photos, any valid passports from other countries, and any court orders relating to the child if they are in place. It costs £53.50 to renew a child’s passport online or £64 if you do it by post. If your child is under 12 they will also need someone to confirm their identity. The person can’t be a family member, they must have known the child for two years, and there is a list of who can complete this job on the Gov.uk website.