An overseas British passport application takes a bit longer than applying from within the UK as the passport office needs extra time to send your documents abroad.
With around 5.5 million Brits living outside of the UK, you are certainly not alone if you are an expat!
Here at MyBritishPassport, we assist UK expats with passport applications and renewals while living abroad.
MyBritishPassport offers simple, hassle-free online British Passport renewals for British citizens abroad. Our services include:
- Free advice from our team of British Passport experts
- Passport forms preparation & verification
- Safe & secure payments
- Delivery to your doorstep.
Her Majesty’s Passport Office is renowned for rejecting applications due to the tiniest inaccuracies. Our services exist in order to mitigate this risk, and ensure your application is processed without any delays.
We have put together this useful guide explaining everything you need to know about overseas British passport applications:
Documentation Required for British Passport renewals.
The following documents are required for s standard UK passport renewal.
- A completed application form. Click here for the UK passport renewal application form.
- A recent digital passport photo that meets Her Majesty’s Passport Office’s strict standards. You will be advised of the requirements once you have completed your application form and payment.
- Your current/ most recent British Passport
- Any other non-British passport relating to the applicant.
Other documents may be required on a case-by-case basis. You will be advised on what is required for your unique case once your application is in process.
Documentation Required for First-time Passport Applications.
The documentation you need for your UK passport application will depend on various factors:
- When you were born
- Whether or not you were born in the UK
- If you were adopted
If you were born before the 1st of January 1983, you will need to provide your full, original birth certificate (or adoption certificate).
Applicants born after this date will need to provide a full, original birth certificate, in addition to a parent’s full UK birth certificate (or their British passport at the time of your birth), or proof of your parents’ UK immigration status at the time of your birth.
If you were born outside of the UK, you should provide your naturalization/registration certificate, as well as the passport at the time you first came to live in the UK.
Depending on the nature of your application, you may also need to include your current passport, or proof of your parent/s’ UK nationality. This could be a naturalization, adoption or birth certificate.
Once you have collated all your documents, you will need to have digital passport photos taken. These can normally be done at a photographic store or pharmacy that understands the UK governments standards for passport photos, or you could take them yourself with a digital camera.
Not sure which documents would be relevant to your British passport application? Contact U.K.ABROAD here, and we will advise you on what documents you need.
Do I Need to Send in the Originals?
Yes, unfortunately you must send in the originals.
This means that you cannot send in:
- Photocopies
- “Certified” copies
- Laminated documents (however, if a laminated copy is all that you have then the passport office may accept this)
The passport office is used to handling original documents, and they fully understand how important they are to people.
They treat the documents with the utmost care and ensure that they are sent back to you in one piece.
What if my Documents go Missing in Transit?
This is a common concern amongst applicants who need to send in originals of some of their most important documents.
MyBritishPassport recommends using a reliable courier service for this purpose (we use and trust DHL).
This mitigates the risk of anything going missing in transit, and you can be confident that the documents will reach the passport office safely.
Once her Majesty’s Passport Office has perused your original documentation, they will send it back to you. This is normally in a separate package to the passport you’re applying for to give you additional peace of mind.
The passport office gives you the option of choosing your delivery method and, when working with MyBritishPassport, your documents will be sent back via courier.
When handled this way, it is almost certain that your important documents will not go missing, so you do not have anything to worry about!
What if I Don’t Have the Required Documentation?
At MyBritishPassport, we often receive queries from clients who no longer have their original birth certificates.
Some no longer have marriage or death certificates, and this is only a problem when you need to apply for a passport, or similar.
The good news is that you don’t have to battle with government departments to get another original: MyBritishPassport can do this on your behalf!
All you need to do is click here to complete a quick form, and we will take care of the rest! No fuss, no hassle – just a fast and efficient service.
What is the Next Step After I’ve Collated My Documents?
Once you have the required documents in your possession, you can complete the online passport application forms.
It is very important to do this carefully so as not to leave anything out and not to make any mistakes.
Her Majesty’s Passport Office is very particular about the way in which forms are filled out, and regularly rejects applications that do have the correct information.
It can be very stressful knowing that your application can easily be rejected, but MyBritishPassport can assist you with this process.
We will ensure that you have all the necessary documents, photos and certificates for your application, and we will thoroughly check your forms so that you can rest easy while your application is being considered.
