HM Passport Office
Issues and renews UK passports and runs the General Register Office for England and Wales.
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Get a British passport for your child
Children under 16 get a child passport, valid for 5 years. Someone with parental responsibility applies, and the child must have British nationality.
Official links
| Official source | Applies to |
|---|---|
| GOV.UK: get a passport for your child www.gov.uk/get-a-child-passport | Whole UK |
| GOV.UK: apply for a first child passport www.gov.uk/get-a-child-passport/first-child-passport | Whole UK |
Who handles it
Step by step
- Check which application you need: first child passport, renewal, or replacement if lost, stolen or damaged.
- Apply online with a digital photo of your child, giving both parents' details (or explaining why you cannot).
- Ask someone to confirm your child's identity online after you submit the application.
- Send the original documents you are asked for. Children aged 12 to 15 also sign the application.
What you need
- A digital photo of your child (or printed photos if you apply by post).
- The child's full birth or adoption certificate, with the parents' details.
- Proof the child is British, for example a parent's British passport details or birth certificate, or a registration certificate.
- Any other valid passports the child holds and any court orders about parental responsibility.
Common mistakes
- Sending photocopies or certified copies: only originals or official copies of certificates are accepted.
- A name on the application that does not match the birth certificate without a deed poll, consent from everyone with parental responsibility and proof the new name is in use.
- Booking travel before the passport arrives.