British Passport Applications (HMPO)

First and renewal British passport applications through HMPO: eligibility, adult and child fees, countersignatures, dual nationality and lost or stolen passports.

Wesbridge Associates is an IAA-regulated UK immigration law firm. Our advisers support individuals, families and UK sponsors with skilled worker visas, sponsor licences, family routes, settlement (ILR), British citizenship, appeals and compliance — combining experienced legal advice with AI-powered self-service tools.

Reviewed by Wesbridge Associates' IAA-regulated immigration advisers. Last updated: July 2026.

A British passport is the travel document issued to British citizens by His Majesty's Passport Office (HMPO). Being a British citizen and holding a British passport are two different things: citizenship is a legal status, the passport is proof of it. Most Wesbridge Associates clients apply for a first British passport immediately after naturalising or registering as British, or replace a lost, stolen or expired passport while living abroad.

How it works

First-time adult applicants apply online through GOV.UK and post their naturalisation or registration certificate, plus a countersigned digital photo and any previous foreign passport, to HMPO. The certificate is returned separately once the passport is issued. Standard processing is around 3 weeks from receipt of documents; the 1-week Fast Track and 1-day Premium services are available at HMPO customer service centres for eligible renewals and child applications but not for first adult passports. Overseas applicants use the same online form and post documents to the HMPO overseas processing hub — timescales are longer, typically 6 to 10 weeks.

Fees and validity

Current fees (2025) are £94.50 online / £107 by paper for a standard adult 34-page passport, £106 online / £120 by paper for a 50-page frequent-traveller passport, and £61.50 online / £74 by paper for a child passport. Adult passports are valid for 10 years, child passports for 5 years. Since 2018 the Home Office no longer carries over unused months from a previous passport.

Common problems we handle

Discrepancies between the name on your naturalisation certificate and your birth or marriage documents (resolved by deed poll or enrolled change of name), delays where HMPO requests a face-to-face interview for first-time adult applicants, replacement of passports lost or stolen abroad (emergency travel document via the nearest British consulate), and dual-national children where one parent's consent is disputed under the Hague Convention.

Frequently asked questions

How soon after naturalising can I apply for a British passport?

You can apply as soon as you have attended your citizenship ceremony and received your naturalisation certificate — usually within 3 months of the Home Office decision. You cannot apply on the strength of the decision letter alone.

Can I hold a British passport and another nationality?

Yes. The UK permits dual and multiple nationality. Some other countries (for example, India, China and some Gulf states) do not, and may require you to renounce that citizenship when you naturalise as British — check the other country's rules before applying.

My British passport is lost abroad — what do I do?

Report it lost online via GOV.UK (this cancels the passport to prevent misuse) and contact the nearest British embassy, high commission or consulate for an Emergency Travel Document if you need to travel before a replacement can be issued. A full replacement passport can also be applied for from overseas but takes longer.

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