Getting your first adult passport

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1. Who can apply

You can apply for a first adult passport if all of the following apply:

  • you鈥檙e a British national
  • you鈥檙e aged 16 or over (or will be in 3 weeks)
  • you鈥檝e never had a UK passport before

You must also apply if your last UK passport was issued before 1 January 1994.

You can use your child passport until it expires, even if you鈥檙e over 18.

An adult passport is valid for 10 years.

How long it takes

Check how long it will take to get a passport before you apply.

If you need a passport to travel urgently for medical treatment or because a friend or family member is seriously ill or has died, call the Passport Adviceline.

Do not book travel until you get your passport.

Ways to apply

If you鈥檙e in the UK, you can either:

There鈥檚 a different way to apply if you鈥檙e overseas.

If you have a non-British passport

If you have dual citizenship (鈥榙ual nationality鈥�) and have a non-British passport, the name and gender on your non-British passport must match the name and gender you want on your British passport.

If they鈥檙e different, change the details on your non-British passport before you apply for a new British passport.

2. What documents you need to apply

You must send original documents. Photocopies are not accepted.

If you do not have your original certificates (for example, your birth certificate), you need to get an official copy.

If your documents are not in English or Welsh, you need to send a certified translation.

You can send laminated documents if that鈥檚 the only format they are issued in.

You were born or adopted in the UK

What documents you need depend on when you were born.

Before 1 January 1983

You鈥檒l need your full birth certificate or adoption certificate.

On or after 1 January 1983

You鈥檒l need your full birth certificate or adoption certificate and either:

  • your mother鈥檚 or father鈥檚 full UK birth certificate, or the Home Office certificate of registration or naturalisation, or a British passport belonging to one of your parents that was valid when you were born, or a British passport number for either parent

  • evidence of one of your parents鈥� immigration status in the UK at the time of your birth, for example a foreign passport belonging to one of your parents that was valid when you were born

If you send documents relating to your father, you must also send your parents鈥� marriage certificate.

You were born outside the UK

What documents you need depend on your circumstances.

You have a certificate of naturalisation or registration

You鈥檒l need both:

  • your naturalisation or registration certificate
  • the passport you used to come into the UK or the foreign passport you鈥檙e included on

Citizen of a British overseas territory and born before 1 January 1983

You鈥檒l need all of the following:

  • your birth certificate
  • your current passport
  • the passport you used to come into the UK or the foreign passport you鈥檙e included on

Born before 1 January 1983 and your father was born in the UK

You鈥檒l need all of the following:

  • your full birth certificate showing your parents鈥� details
  • your father鈥檚 birth certificate
  • your parents鈥� marriage certificate
  • the passport you used to come into the UK or foreign passport you鈥檙e included on

Born on or after 1 January 1983

You鈥檒l need all of the following:

  • your full birth certificate showing your parents鈥� details
  • the passport you used to come into the UK or any foreign passport that you鈥檙e included on
  • evidence of one parent鈥檚 British nationality, for example their UK birth or adoption, naturalisation or registration certificate

If these documents relate to your father, you must include the marriage certificate showing when he married your mother.

Your circumstances are different

If your circumstances are not listed, read the guidance booklet to find out what documents you鈥檒l need. If you apply online you鈥檒l be told what documents you need as part of your application.

How your documents will be sent back

The supporting documents will be returned separately from your passport. How you get them depends on the delivery option you choose when you fill in your application.

3. Apply online

To apply online you鈥檒l need:

  • a digital photo of you (or a device that takes digital photos and someone to take your photo)
  • someone who can confirm your identity
  • supporting documents
  • a credit or debit card

It costs 拢88.50.

Start your application

Apply and pay for your passport online.

This service is also available .

Ask someone to confirm your identity

After you鈥檝e paid and submitted your application, you鈥檒l need to ask someone to confirm your identity.

Let the person know that they鈥檒l receive an email from HM Passport Office telling them what to do. They鈥檒l confirm your identity online - they do not need to sign a printed photo.

Find out who can confirm your identity and what they need to do.

Send your documents

After the person you asked has confirmed your identity, you鈥檒l receive an email explaining what documents you need to send and where to send them.

After you apply, you may be asked to attend an interview.

4. Apply with a paper form

To apply with a paper form you鈥檒l need:

It costs 拢100. The booklet that comes with the form explains how to pay.

It takes longer to apply by post than online.

Fill in your application form

You can get a paper application form from either:

Fill in sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 9. Your countersignatory will need to fill in section 10.

Read the booklet that comes with the form if you need help with your application.

Get a countersignatory

You need to get someone else to confirm your identity (a 鈥榗ountersignatory鈥�). They鈥檒l need to:

  • fill in section 10 of your form
  • sign and date one of your photos

Find out who can be a countersignatory and what they need to do.

Gather your documents and send your application

You need to send all of the following:

  • your filled-in application form
  • your supporting documents
  • your 2 passport photos (one of them signed and dated by your countersignatory)

To send in your form, documents and photos, you can either:

After you apply, you may be asked to attend an interview.

5. After you apply

Passport interviews

After you apply, you may need to be interviewed to confirm your identity.

If you need an interview, you鈥檒l be contacted after your application has been processed to book it. Video interviews are taking place online.

Getting your new passport and supporting documents

You鈥檒l receive your new passport by courier or recorded delivery.

The supporting documents will be returned separately from your passport. How you get them depends on the delivery option you choose when you fill in your application.