Applying for a UK passport is one of the most common dealings people have with the government, whether it is a first passport for a teenager, a renewal before a holiday, a replacement for a lost passport, or a child's first travel document. Most applications are now made online, and HM Passport Office says most standard applications are completed within three weeks. This guide explains who can apply, how to apply online, what it costs in 2026, what documents and photos you need, and what to do if you need a passport urgently.

Fees and rules change, so always check the official GOV.UK pages before you pay. The figures in this guide are the fees in force since 8 April 2026, published by HM Passport Office.

Who can apply for a UK passport?

You can apply for a first adult passport if you are a British national, aged 16 or over, or within three weeks of turning 16, and you have never held a UK passport. A different route applies if you are applying from outside the UK, and different rules apply if you are not a British national, so check GOV.UK for your own circumstances.

Children under 16 need a child passport, which lasts five years. An adult passport lasts ten years. If your passport has expired, you renew it in the same way as a first application, and the fee is the same. You can also apply to replace a passport that has been lost, stolen or damaged, or to change the personal details on it, for example after a change of name.

There is one group who do not pay at all. If you are a British national and you were born on or before 2 September 1929, you can get or renew a British passport free of charge. You can also use the Post Office Check and Send service for free and get free secure delivery, although you must still pay if you need a passport urgently or want a 54-page frequent traveller passport.

How to apply online, step by step

Applying online is the cheapest and usually the quickest way to get a passport. You apply through GOV.UK, where you will be asked a series of questions to work out which service you are eligible for. You will need a digital photo, a debit or credit card to pay, and the details of someone who can confirm your identity if one is needed.

For a first adult passport, you will need your birth certificate or other proof of British nationality, and any other documents GOV.UK asks for, depending on your circumstances. You will be told exactly which documents to send, and where to send them, once you have applied online. Your supporting documents are sent back free of charge by normal second class post, and it usually costs an extra £5 if you want them returned by secure delivery.

For a renewal, the process is simpler. You will need your old passport, and you may not need to send any other documents unless GOV.UK asks for them. If you are applying for a child passport, or your appearance has changed significantly, you may need a countersignatory — someone who has known you for at least two years, is not a relative, and can confirm your identity. GOV.UK explains who can act as a countersignatory, and the person will be contacted as part of the application.

Once you have submitted the application and paid, you can track its progress online. HM Passport Office will contact you if it needs more information, so it is important to answer promptly. The Home Office reported that in 2025, where no further information was required, 99.7% of standard applications from the UK were processed within three weeks, but you should still apply in good time before you travel.

Your passport photo

Your digital photo must meet strict rules, and a photo that does not meet them is one of the most common reasons for delay. The photo must have been taken within the last month, show your face clearly against a plain, light-coloured background, and must not be edited with filters. You must face forward, look straight at the camera, and keep a neutral expression with your mouth closed and your eyes open.

You can take the photo yourself, or get a digital code from a photo booth or a photo shop app. GOV.UK has an online photo checker that will tell you if your photo meets the rules before you submit it. If you are applying by paper form, you need printed photos instead, and the same rules apply. Children, including babies, also need a photo that meets the rules, and GOV.UK publishes separate guidance for photographing young children.

How much does a UK passport cost in 2026?

Passport fees rose on 8 April 2026, under the Immigration, Nationality and Passports (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2026. The standard fees for applications made from inside the UK are:

• Adult (16 and over), standard 34-page passport, online: £102
• Adult (16 and over), standard 34-page passport, paper form: £115.50
• Adult (16 and over), 54-page frequent traveller passport, online: £116
• Adult (16 and over), 54-page frequent traveller passport, paper form: £129.50
• Child (under 16), standard 34-page passport, online: £66.50
• Child (under 16), standard 34-page passport, paper form: £80
• Child (under 16), 54-page frequent traveller passport, online: £80.50
• Child (under 16), 54-page frequent traveller passport, paper form: £94
• Passport for people born on or before 2 September 1929: free

Applying online saves £13.50 on every adult and child passport compared with a paper form. The fee is the same whether this is your first passport, a renewal or a replacement. You can pay by debit or credit card online. If you apply by post, you can also pay by cheque or postal order, made payable to HM Passport Office, with the application barcode numbers written on the back.

You cannot get a refund if you cancel your application or if it turns out you are not entitled to a passport, so it is worth checking that you are eligible before you pay. If you apply from another country, you will pay a different fee, and all overseas applications must be made online.

The Post Office also offers a Check and Send service, where staff check your application and photo before it is sent. You pay extra for this service, and it can be useful if you are unsure about the photo rules or the documents you need to send.

How long does a passport take?

HM Passport Office says most standard applications are completed within three weeks, and the Home Office reported that in 2025, where no further information was required, 99.7% of standard applications from the UK were processed within three weeks. That is a useful guide, but it is not a guarantee. Applications take longer if information is missing, if documents need to be checked, or if an interview is needed.

First adult passports usually take the longest, because HM Passport Office must confirm your identity and nationality, and it may invite you for an interview. Renewals are normally quicker. The safest approach is to apply at least a month before you need to travel, and longer if you are applying for a first passport or during a busy period such as the run-up to school holidays.

Do not book travel until your new passport arrives, and do not pay for an urgent passport if you have already applied and are still waiting. GOV.UK warns that you will not get your passport sooner and will be charged a £34.50 admin fee for each additional application.

Getting a passport urgently

If the standard service will take too long, you can pay to get a passport urgently, but only in certain circumstances. There are two urgent services, and both require an appointment at a passport office, which you book online.

The 1 day premium service is the fastest option. The earliest you can get an appointment is two days after you apply. You hand in your old passport at your appointment, and your new passport is ready to collect from the passport office four hours after your appointment. It costs £239.50, or £253.50 for a 54-page frequent traveller passport. You can only use this service to renew an adult passport.

The 1 week fast track service is available more widely. The earliest you can get an appointment is the next day after you apply, and your new passport will be delivered by courier one week after your appointment. You can use it to renew a passport, change personal details such as your name, place of birth or gender, replace a lost, stolen or damaged passport, or get a child passport. It costs £192 for an adult passport, or £206 for a 54-page frequent traveller passport, and £156.50 for a child passport, or £170.50 for a 54-page frequent traveller passport.

Neither urgent service is available for a first adult passport. If you are applying for your first adult passport, the standard service is the only route, so you need to allow proper time for it. You also cannot use the urgent service if you are outside the UK. In that case, apply for an emergency travel document instead. If you need to travel urgently for medical treatment, on government business, or because a friend or family member is seriously ill or has died, call the Passport Adviceline rather than using the online urgent service.

Appointments last up to ten minutes, and you can book up to three weeks in advance. You can ask someone else to go to your appointment for you, but they will need your application reference number, which starts with “PEX”, and, for the one day premium service, your old passport, a signed and dated letter naming them and giving them permission to collect the new passport, and their own ID. Changing an appointment is free if it is more than 48 hours away. If it is less than 48 hours away, you will need to cancel and book again, and you may be charged a £34.50 admin fee. If you miss your appointment, you will not get a refund and will have to book and pay again.

Lost, stolen or damaged passports

If your passport is lost or stolen, report it to HM Passport Office as soon as possible, so that it cannot be used by someone else. You can report it online, and you should also report a theft to the police. Once a passport has been reported lost or stolen, it cannot be used again, even if you find it later.

You can then apply for a replacement, either through the standard service or, if you are eligible, through the one week fast track service. A replacement costs the same as a renewal. If your passport is damaged, for example if the cover is coming away, pages are torn, or the chip is damaged, you should apply for a replacement rather than travelling with it, because a damaged passport may not be accepted at the border.

Common mistakes to avoid

The most common mistakes are simple ones: a photo that does not meet the rules, the wrong documents, or an application made too late. Check the photo rules before you take your picture, use the GOV.UK photo checker, and read the list of documents you are asked to send. If you are asked for original documents, send the originals, not photocopies, and keep a note of what you sent and when.

Be careful about unofficial websites that charge extra to process a passport application. The official service is on GOV.UK, and you should only apply through the official route. Third-party sites may charge a fee on top of the official passport fee, and they cannot get your passport any faster.

Finally, check the expiry date and the rules of the country you are visiting. Many countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months after your date of arrival, and some require blank pages for stamps. A passport that is valid for travel to one country may not be valid for another, so check the travel advice for your destination before you book.

This guide is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Fees and rules can change, so confirm the current figures on GOV.UK before you pay.