Terms and conditions
By applying for a passport you agree to these terms and conditions.
You confirm that you or the applicant:
- are a British national and haven’t lost or given up your national status
- aren’t breaking the terms of a court order by making this application
- don’t owe any money to the UK government for repatriation costs, for example when the government pays to get you home from abroad
- understand by voluntarily applying for a UK passport you may lose citizenship of another country
- will tell HM Passport Office if you were born through surrogacy
If this is an application for a child passport, you confirm that you:
- have parental responsibility
- will send any court orders relating to the child’s residence, contact or removal from the UK
We may ask for more information before we can continue with your application.
Your new photo
Your new photo must look like you and must not have been altered in any way. It must have been taken in the last month.
Photos that pass our online checks may still be unsuitable for your new passport. We may ask for a different digital or paper photo.
Your new passport
When you get your new passport you must sign it with black ballpoint pen. You can’t use it until you do.
If you can’t sign your name, provide an explanation before you pay. Your passport will show ‘the holder is not required to sign’.
Passport fee
Payments are managed by a company called Worldpay. They are responsible for the availability of their service.
Applying with Post Office Digital Check & Send
Payments are managed by the Post Office. You’ll need to pay for the passport application, together with the Post Office fee in the Post Office branch where you apply.
Lost, stolen or damaged passports
You confirm that you or the applicant will:
- contact HM Passport Office immediately if the old passport is lost, stolen or damaged after you’ve applied
- return a lost passport to a UK passport office if it comes into your possession
Applying with the standard service
Cancellation and refunds
You won’t get a refund if:
- your application is delayed because we need to make extra checks
- we haven’t received your old passport or documents within 90 days of submitting your application
- we withdraw your application because we haven’t received all the information we’ve asked for
- you cancel your application or you’re not entitled to a passport
You can cancel your application at any time but you’ll need to do it in writing. Contact us to find out what you need to do.
Applying with the 1 week Fast Track or 1 day Premium service
Changes and cancellations
To change or cancel your collection appointment, contact us. But if your appointment is less than 48 hours away:
- you won’t be able to change it
- a £30 administration charge will be taken from your refund of the fee if you cancel it
Refunds
Any refunds will be credited to the original payment card in 10 working days.
1 day Premium service
Your application will be rejected and you will get a full refund if:
- you tell us more than 48 hours before your appointment that you have lost, stolen or damaged your passport since you made your application
Your application will be rejected and a £30 administration charge will be taken from your refund if:
- you don’t tell us that you’ve lost, stolen or damaged your passport since you made your application, or you notify us within 48 hours of your appointment
- you’ve already submitted a passport application
- you are 16 or older and have never had a British passport
- your passport has less validity than normal (adults 16 or older normally have a 10 year passport, children 15 or younger normally have a 5 year passport)
- you’re applying on behalf of someone who can’t make their own decisions
- you’re renewing a diplomatic or Official passport
You won’t get a refund if:
- your old passport has previously been reported as lost or stolen and has been cancelled
- you’ve changed your name since your last passport
- your application is delayed because we need to make extra checks
- we move you to a different service and your application takes longer, for example you’re moved from 1 day Premium to 1 week Fast Track
- we withdraw your application because we haven’t received all the information we’ve asked for
- you’re not entitled to a passport
- you miss your appointment - you’ll have to apply and pay again
1 week Fast Track service
Your application will be rejected and a £30 administration charge will be taken from your refund if:
- you’ve already submitted a passport application
- you are 16 or older and have never had a British passport
Your application will be downgraded to the standard service and you will be eligible for a refund of the difference between the 1 day Fast Track and standard fee if:
- you’re applying for a first child passport under Treaty Rights
- your claim to British nationality is based on your parents’ crown or community service
You won’t get a refund if:
- your application is delayed because we need to make extra checks
- we move you to a different service and your application takes longer, for example you’re moved from 1 week Fast Track to standard
- we withdraw your application because we haven’t received all the information we’ve asked for
- you’re not entitled to a passport
- you miss your appointment - you’ll have to apply and pay again
The appointment
You must bring any documents we’ve asked for with you – your appointment will be rescheduled if you don’t.
You can send someone else to your appointment for you. If they are collecting your new passport, they’ll need to bring:
- your old passport
- a signed and dated letter from you, confirming their full name and giving them permission to collect your passport
- proof of their identity, for example a driving licence or passport