What it really costs
| Passport | Online | Paper form |
|---|
| Adult (16+) standard 34-page | £102 | £115.50 |
| Adult 54-page frequent traveller | £116 | £129.50 |
| Child (under 16) standard 34-page | £66.50 | £80 |
| Child 54-page frequent traveller | £80.50 | £94 |
| Born on or before 2 September 1929 | FREE | FREE |
- No refunds if you cancel or aren't entitled to a passport.
- Supporting documents come back free by second-class post; secure delivery usually costs an extra £5.
- Urgent options — the 1-week Fast Track and same-day Premium services cost significantly more and need an appointment: book only at gov.uk/get-a-passport-urgently.
The copycat-website trap
Sites that look official charge a "service fee" on top of the real cost for submitting the same GOV.UK application — often £40+ for nothing.
Always type gov.uk directly. The only widely useful paid help is the Post Office's official
Check and Send service, and that's optional. Already paid a copycat? Try your card provider and see
our ripped-off guide.
The 10-year rule that catches EU travellers
Since Brexit, your UK passport must meet two tests on the day you travel to the EU/Schengen area:
- Issued less than 10 years before the day you enter — check the issue date, not just the expiry. Older passports were sometimes issued with extra months carried over from the previous one; those extra months don't count for EU entry.
- Valid for at least 3 months beyond the day you intend to leave the Schengen area.
Check both dates tonight, not at the airport
Airlines check this at the gate and will refuse boarding — travel insurance generally won't cover it. If your passport was issued more than 9 years ago and an EU trip is coming, renew now.
How to renew — the official way
- Go to gov.uk/apply-renew-passport (typed directly). First adult passport or replacing a lost one? You may need a countersignatory — the online service tells you.
- Take a digital photo against a plain light background — a phone photo taken by someone else is fine; the service checks it instantly.
- Pay by card (£102 adult online) and post your old passport to the address given at the end of the application.
- Renewing for a child: remember child passports last 5 years, not 10 — they expire faster than most parents expect.
Do this now
Find every passport in the house and check two dates on each: expiry, and for EU trips, the issue date (must be under 10 years old on the day you enter). Child passports are the ones that sneak up.
Renew only at gov.uk/apply-renew-passport — HM Passport Office advice line 0300 222 0000 if you're stuck.
How long it takes
Standard applications usually take around 3 weeks, but HM Passport Office advises allowing up to 10 weeks — especially in spring and early summer when everyone renews at once. Don't book travel until the new passport arrives. If you're caught short, the official Fast Track (about a week) and Premium (same-day collection) services exist, at a significantly higher fee, with appointments at regional passport offices — book through GOV.UK only, as third-party "appointment finders" charge extra for the same slots.