Child Passport Checklist (UK) — Documents to Prepare
You apply for a child passport if your child is under 16. It costs £66.50 to apply online and £80 with a paper form from the Post Office, and a child passport is valid for 5 years. Someone with parental responsibility must apply, and you must give both parents' details. Verified against GOV.UK and the passport fee page, September 2026 — see Get a passport for your child for the authoritative word.
Stage A — Who applies
- ☐ Someone with parental responsibility for the child must apply for the passport.
- ☐ You must give both parents' details. If you cannot provide the other parent's details, you must say why — for example, you are the only parent named on the birth certificate, or you adopted the child on your own.
Stage B — Which application
- ☐ Child under 16, never had a British passport → apply for a first child passport.
- ☐ Child under 16 with a British passport → renew.
- ☐ Lost or stolen → apply to replace; damaged → apply to replace; details changed → apply for a new passport.
- ☐ Child over 16 (or will be within 3 weeks) → follow the adult route instead.
Stage C — Fees
- ☐ Child passport: £66.50 online, or £80 with a paper form from the Post Office.
- ☐ Valid for 5 years.
- ☐ There are different rules if you apply from outside the UK.
Stage D — Applying
- ☐ Online: you need a digital photo of your child (or a device that takes one), supporting documents, and a credit or debit card.
- ☐ Identity confirmation: after you pay and submit, ask someone to confirm your child's identity online. HM Passport Office emails them what to do — they do not need to sign a printed photo.
- ☐ By post (£80): get a paper form from a Post Office that offers Passport Check and Send, or contact the Passport Adviceline to have one posted to you.
- ☐ Form sections: fill in sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 9. Your child signs section 6 if they are 12 or over. A countersignatory fills in section 10 and certifies your child's photo.
- ☐ Signing: someone with parental responsibility must sign the form; if your child is 12 to 15, they must sign it too.
Stage E — Supporting documents
The overview confirms you must give both parents' details and confirm identity; the supporting-document list itself sits on the application pages and on the form booklet. Prepare the usual proof for a first child passport — and check the current form and booklet that comes with the form for the definitive list for your case, because the exact requirements can depend on your circumstances (for example private fostering, adoption, or only one parent named).
Get it right the first time
- Give both parents' details — or explain in writing why you cannot.
- Section 6 is easy to miss — a child 12 or over must sign it.
- Plan the identity confirmation — it happens after you pay, and it is online, not a printed signature.
- Overseas is different — the UK rules do not apply if you apply from outside the UK.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a UK child passport cost?
£66.50 to apply online, or £80 with a paper form from the Post Office.
How long is a child passport valid?
5 years.
Who can apply for a child passport?
Someone with parental responsibility for the child. You must also give both parents' details, or explain why you cannot provide the other parent's details.
Does my child have to sign the form?
If your child is 12 or over, they must sign section 6 of the form. A person with parental responsibility must sign the form as well.
Does a countersignatory sign the photo?
On a paper application, a countersignatory fills in section 10 and certifies your child's photo. On an online application, someone instead confirms your child's identity online after you have paid.
Is applying from overseas the same?
No — there are different rules if you apply from outside the UK.
Related: for an adult renewal see the UK passport renewal checklist, and for a name change see the checklists hub. Use the passport photo checker for the child's photo, and the print sheet if you print at home.