Children under 16 years old

You can usually apply for a passport for your child if:

• they’re under 16
• you legally have ‘parental responsibility’ for them

You automatically have parental responsibility if you:

• are the child’s mother
• are the child’s father and are married to the child’s mother
• were married to the child’s mother when the child was born (or, in Scotland, when the mother became pregnant)
• have adopted the child (alone, or jointly)

Read more information about parental responsibility if your situation is more complex or you jointly registered the birth of your child.

Cost

It costs £46 to get a child passport online or by post, or £54.75 using the Post Office Passport Check and Send service.

Children nearly or over 16 years old

Your child must apply for a 10-year adult passport if they’ll be 16 within the next few weeks or they’re already over 16. They can apply without getting parental consent.

Fostering, surrogacy and assisted reproduction

There are special rules if:

• you’ve adopted a child
• you’re fostering a child
• the child was born through assisted reproduction or surrogacy

To get a child passport, your child must be under 16 and one of the following:

• a British citizen
• a British overseas territories citizen
• a British overseas citizen

You can get more information on eligibility for a British passport.

If your child is eligible, apply online or get an application form.

It takes 3 weeks to get your child's first passport - use a different service if you need the passport more urgently. Don't book travel until you have a valid passport.

Documents you must send

You must send supporting documents with your application form that prove:

• your child’s identity
• they’re eligible for a British passport

You must send original documents - photocopies won't be accepted.

The documents you must send depend on your child’s circumstances - check the guidance notes for the passport application form.

How your documents will be sent back

Your documents will be sent back through the normal post.

You can pay an extra £3 to get your supporting documents sent back to you via secure delivery when your application has been processed.

Choose this service on your application if you want to use it.

If your child is under 16, you can renew or replace a damaged passport up to 9 months before the current one runs out.

Up to 9 months of the time left on the passport will be added to the new one.

You must use the standard application process to renew or replace your child’s passport.

It will take 3 weeks to get the passport - use a different service if you need the passport more urgently. Don't book travel until you have a valid passport.

Changing a child’s name on a passport

Contact the Passport Adviceline if you want to change the name in your child’s passport.

Passport Adviceline
Online enquiry form
Telephone: 0300 222 0000
Textphone: 0300 222 0222
Text Relay: 18001 0300 222 0000
Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, 9am to 5:30pm
Find out about call charges

You can:

• apply online
• request an application form online
• get a form from a Post Office that offers the Passport Check and Send service
• contact the Passport Adviceline and get them to post you a form

Passport Adviceline
Online enquiry form
Telephone: 0300 222 0000
Textphone: 0300 222 0222
Text Relay: 18001 0300 222 0000
Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, 9am to 5:30pm
Find out about call charges

Help filling in the form

The form comes with guidance notes to help you fill it in.

What you’ll need

Signatures

The application form must be signed by:

• an adult with parental responsibility for the child
• someone who can confirm the adult has parental responsibility for the child (called a ‘countersignature’)
• your child (if they're aged between 12 and 15)

If your child can't sign the form, you must include a covering letter with the application that explains why.

Check who can sign to prove you have parental responsibility for the child and what they have to do.

Photos

Follow the rules about passport photos - your application may be delayed if the photos are rejected.

The person who signs the application (‘countersigns’) must also sign the back of 1 photo, confirming it’s a good likeness of the child.

Check who can countersign photos and what they have to do.

Send the application form

You can:

• post your application (include your child’s existing passport, if they have one) to Her Majesty’s Passport Office using the pre-addressed envelope that comes with the form
• use the Post Office Passport Check and Send service

What happens next

Her Majesty’s Passport Office will check your application.

Your new passport will be sent to you either by courier or Royal Mail Recorded Delivery. The postman or courier will then do one of the following:

• hand your passport to you if you’re at home
• deliver your passport with the rest of your post
• leave you a card or send you a letter to tell you where to collect your passport or how to arrange redelivery

The ‘missed delivery’ card or letter won’t say that the package contains your passport.

You can login and track your passport application straight away if you apply online.

You can start tracking your passport application 3 weeks after you apply if you apply by post.

You send specific documents if you’re applying for a passport for a child you’ve adopted.

You must send original documents - photocopies or certified documents will be rejected.

If your child was adopted in the UK

Your child can get a British passport if either adoptive parent is British and was usually living in the UK (‘habitually resident’) when the child was adopted.

You must send your child’s adoption certificate showing the British parent’s details.

You must also send 1 of the following:

• the British passport details for either parent
• UK birth certificate for either parent
• Home Office certificate of registration or naturalisation for either parent
• the passport that was valid at the time of the child’s birth for either parent

If your child was adopted overseas

Adopted before 1 June 2003

Your child doesn’t automatically qualify for a British passport - even if one of the parents is a British citizen.

Depending on the country the adoption took place in, the adoption may be recognised for parental responsibility purposes, but not for nationality purposes. Contact the Passport Adviceline for help before you apply.

Passport Adviceline
Online enquiry form
Telephone: 0300 222 0000
Textphone: 0300 222 0222
Text Relay: 18001 0300 222 0000
Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, 9am to 5:30pm
Find out about call charges

Adopted on or after 1 June 2003

Your child can get a British passport if either parent is British and the British parent was usually living (‘habitually resident’) in the UK when the child was adopted.

Only adoptions conducted under the Hague Convention are recognised. You must send the child’s full Hague Convention adoption certificate showing the parents’ details.

You must also send evidence of the British parent’s nationality status, eg a British passport issued before the date of adoption (you can just provide the passport number at section 4 of the application form).

If they don’t have a British passport, there are other documents you can send.

You must contact the Passport Adviceline if you want a passport for a child who’s in care. This includes a child you’re fostering.

Passport Adviceline
Online enquiry form
Telephone: 0300 222 0000
Textphone: 0300 222 0222
Text Relay: 18001 0300 222 0000
Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, 9am to 5:30pm
Find out about call charges

There are special rules about your child's nationality if they were born through assisted reproduction.

You will need to provide proof:

• that your child has a claim to British nationality
• that you have the parental responsibility to apply for a passport on their behalf
• of the identity of you and your child

Read the guidance on how to apply and what documents you need based on your circumstances.

Same-sex parents

You’ll need to provide:

• the child's full birth certificate showing both parents' details
• evidence of the British parent's nationality status (eg passport details or other original documents you can send if they don't have a British passport)

You should also send any of the following that apply:

• the parental order (if you have one)
• proof of marriage or civil partnership (if this is relevant to your application)
• evidence of treatment, eg a letter from the clinic where it took place

Get help

Contact the Passport Adviceline if you need help or your circumstances are more complicated.

Passport Adviceline
Online enquiry form
Telephone: 0300 222 0000
Textphone: 0300 222 0222
Text Relay: 18001 0300 222 0000
Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, 9am to 5:30pm
Find out about call charges

Find out more about surrogacy arrangements overseas.