UK Passport Renewal Checklist — What to Prepare
Renewing an adult UK passport is mostly done online now: the fee is £102 online (£115.50 if you use a paper form), you must be 16 or over, and the photo is a digital file with its own strict rules. Work through the stages below and tick each line. Verified against gov.uk, September 2026 — see renew an adult passport and photos for passports for the authoritative word.
Stage A — Check you can use this route
- ☐ You are 16 or over (or will turn 16 within 3 weeks) — a child passport has its own route.
- ☐ You are renewing from inside the UK. If you are overseas, use the separate overseas passports service instead.
- ☐ You still hold the passport being renewed. If it was lost or stolen, this is a replacement, not a renewal — a different path (and you must report it).
- ☐ You have decided whether you need speed: standard, or a paid faster service (Stage D).
Stage B — Prepare what you need
- ☐ Your current passport — it is part of the application and is cancelled once the new one is issued.
- ☐ A digital photo that meets the rules in Stage E (you do not have to use a studio).
- ☐ A card to pay — £102 for the online application.
- ☐ Your personal details matching the old passport: name, date of birth, place of birth, nationality.
- ☐ A contact email and phone number for updates.
Stage C — Apply online and hand over the old passport
- ☐ Complete the renewal on gov.uk and pay £102 online as part of the application.
- ☐ Follow the instructions to send in your current passport when asked — use a tracked service and keep the receipt.
- ☐ Save your application reference number so you can track the application.
Fees and routes: £102 online, £115.50 if you apply with a paper form. Paying the paper rate is not a shortcut — online is both cheaper and faster in practice.
Stage D — Timeline and faster options
- ☐ Check the current HM Passport Office service standards for realistic waiting times before you plan travel.
- ☐ If you need it sooner, see get a passport urgently — the paid options include an Online Premium service and a 1-week Fast Track.
- ☐ Do not book travel until the new passport is in your hand. gov.uk is explicit: the new passport will not carry the same number as the old one, so tickets bought against the old number can become a problem.
- ☐ Know how it arrives: by courier or Royal Mail (delivery, collection or a card asking you to collect). The delivery notice deliberately does not say "passport" on it.
Stage E — The photo rules (the usual cause of delay)
An online application needs a digital photo, and gov.uk warns plainly that a non-compliant photo will delay your application. The rules, as published:
- ☐ A new photo — you must take a fresh one even if you have not changed. A re-used photo is rejected.
- ☐ Taken within the last month.
- ☐ At least 600 × 750 pixels, and a file between 50 KB and 10 MB.
- ☐ Colour, sharp focus, unaltered — not edited or changed by computer software.
- ☐ Plain, light-coloured background with a clear contrast against your face; nothing else (no other people, no objects) in the frame.
- ☐ Face the camera straight on, mouth closed, with a plain expression and both eyes open and visible.
- ☐ Hair clear of the eyes and forehead; no head covering unless worn for religious or medical reasons; your face uncovered.
- ☐ If you upload your own shot, do not crop it yourself — the application crops it for you.
A photo-booth or shop photo is often smoother for online applications: at many booths you get a photo code that plugs straight into the application, and gov.uk notes booth and shop photos tend to go through more readily than selfies. For the rules behind the rules, see the photo validity guide and the top rejection reasons; to check a file before you upload, use the passport photo checker. The print format for a UK passport is covered on the UK passport photo page.
The three things that most often hold an application up
- A non-compliant photo — older than a month, under 600 × 750 px, outside 50 KB–10 MB, edited, wrong background, or wearing a head covering without a religious/medical reason. gov.uk says outright this delays the application.
- The old passport not sent as instructed — a renewal must hand over the current passport; not sending it (or sending it the wrong way) stalls the file.
- Using the wrong route or fee — mixing the online (£102) and paper (£115.50) paths, or using the child/overseas entry point, means starting again.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to renew a UK passport?
£102 if you apply online and £115.50 if you use a paper form. The online route is cheaper and is the normal way to renew an adult UK passport.
Do I need a new photo if my appearance has not changed?
Yes. For an online application you must use a new digital photo, and it must have been taken within the last month — reusing the photo from your old passport is not allowed.
What are the UK digital passport photo requirements?
At least 600 × 750 pixels and between 50 KB and 10 MB, in colour and in sharp focus, unaltered by computer software, on a plain light-coloured background with nothing else in the frame. Face the camera straight on with a plain expression and your mouth closed, eyes open and visible, hair clear of your eyes and forehead, and no head covering unless worn for religious or medical reasons.
Can I renew my UK passport faster?
Yes, for a fee. HM Passport Office offers urgent services including an Online Premium service and a 1-week Fast Track — see gov.uk's "get a passport urgently". Plan travel only after the new passport is in hand.
How long does a UK passport renewal take?
Check HM Passport Office's current service standards for the realistic wait. Do not book travel until the new passport arrives, because the new passport will not have the same number as the old one.
Can I renew a UK passport from abroad?
Not on this route. Renewing from outside the UK uses a separate overseas passports service, which has its own process and fees.
Fees, processing times and the photo rules above were verified against gov.uk on 25 September 2026; costs and service standards change, so re-check the linked gov.uk pages before you apply. Every country's checklist lives on the visa checklists hub, and the photo formats are on the size chart.