Website of the UK government

Who can renew their passport

You can apply to renew your passport if you still have your last passport and:

• it was a standard UK adult ten-year passport or a UK five-year child's passport issued before you were 16
• it is undamaged
• you do not need to change your name or national status

You cannot renew your passport if:

• you were previously included as a child on someone else's passport

In this case you will need to apply for a first adult passport.

• Applying for your first adult passport

If you are changing your name

If you want your new passport to show a different name to your current passport, you should read the information in 'About name changes and passports'.

• About changes to names and personal details on passports

Non-UK residents and those temporarily outside the UK

If you do not live in the UK, you can apply in person to renew your passport while visiting the UK.

IPS cannot accept applications from overseas. If you would like to renew your British Passport while outside the UK, you will need to contact your local embassy, high commission or consulate.

• Passport applications and renewals if you are abroad or live outside the UK

Extending a limited passport

If IPS issued your old passport for a restricted period (one year or less), you should call the Passport Adviceline 0300 222 0000 for more information before applying.

You will not be able to use the Premium one-day service, as this is not available for passport extensions.

When you should apply

You do not have to wait until your old passport expires to apply to renew it. If there is any time left on your old passport, IPS will add it to your new passport, up to  maximum of nine months. You can renew your passport whenever you wish, but IPS cannot carry over more than nine months from your old passport to your new one.

Whenever you renew, you need to pay the full fee and cannot get a refund for any time left on your old passport.

IPS strongly recommends that you do not book any travel before your new passport arrives.

Standard applications

IPS tries to process applications in around three weeks from the time they arrive at a Passport Office. This does not include postage time, and applications can take longer at busy times of the year.

IPS recommends you use the Check & Send service offered by certain Post Office branches. For more information, and to find your nearest Post Office branch offering this service, follow the link below.

• The Post Office Check & Send service

Urgent applications

If you need to renew your passport within two weeks, you should use the IPS Fast Track one-week service or the Premium one-day service. These services are by appointment only. To use them, you will need to call the Passport Adviceline 0300 222 0000 to make an appointment at a Regional Passport Office.

For more detailed information see 'Urgent passport applications'.

Please note that the Premium one-day service is not available for extensions to a passport.

• Urgent passport applications

• Checking the progress of your passport application

Next steps - renewing an adult passport

To get an application form, check the fee and find out what supporting documents you need to provide, follow the link below.

• The application form, fee and supporting documents for renewing an adult passport

Making a note of the application barcode number

Make sure you make a note of the application barcode number before sending it to IPS. You will need this if you want to make enquiries about your application or track its progress.

• Checking the progress of your passport application

Useful contacts

• Foreign Office Travel Advice

• Identity and Passport Service (IPS)