How much does renewing a UK passport cost and how long does the process take?
UK passport renewal fees will get more expensive from April, rising above £100 for the first time. Here’s everything you need to know.
If your UK passport expires in the near future, you might want to get your renewal application in as soon as possible. In just a few days, it could cost you £102 to get a new one.
UK passport renewal costs have risen every year since 2023, and this year is no exception. The government recently announced that application fees will rise by 8% from 8 April – and this time, it’s set to cross the £100 for the first time.
It makes UK passports one of the most expensive in Europe. In comparison, French passports cost €86 (or £74), while in Spain, it’s just €30 (or £26).
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An out-of-date passport, or not having enough time left on your passport, could leave you grounded, and a last-minute replacement can cost as much as £240. So it’s worth checking whether you’re covered for the duration of your trip.
Moreover, if you’re a British dual citizen travelling to the UK, you may not be able to enter the country with your foreign passport if you don’t have a crucial paid document.
What are the UK passport renewal rules for EU travel?
Some British holidaymakers have recently been caught out by new rules that made their passports invalid for EU travel.
Before Brexit, UK nationals travelling to the EU could carry up to nine months from an old passport onto a new one. It meant a passport could have been used for up to 10 years and nine months.
Since January 2021, the rules have changed. The EU now sees UK nationals as “third country” citizens. As a result, EU countries no longer accept passports issued 10 years before the date of travel, i.e., the nine-month window has been eliminated.
Under the new rules, if you wish to travel to any country in the EU, your UK passport must:
- Not have been issued more than 10 years before the date of travel.
- Be valid for at least three months after your planned return date to the UK.
This means that if you’re entering France on 3 May 2026 and returning to the UK on 5 May 2026, your passport must have been issued after 3 May 2016 and be valid until 5 August 2026.
These rules apply in all 27 countries in the EU and Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein, which are part of the European Economic Area (EEA). The only exception to this rule is Ireland, as it is part of the Common Travel Area.
Another change to travel rules since Brexit is that you can now only stay in the Schengen area for up to 90 days within a six-month period (the Schengen area encompasses 29 European countries). Before Brexit, you could stay for as long as you wished.
You can check the GOV.UK website for more information about travelling to the EU and Schengen area, and entry requirements for each country.
How much does it cost to renew a UK passport?
On 8 April 2025, the cost of renewing a UK passport will go up by 8%. This means that it will cost £102 to renew an adult's (16+) UK passport if you apply online. It will be £66.50 for a child.
This does not include additional expenses you may face, such as the cost of a passport photo or postage for documents.
This rise means that UK passport renewal is now more than seven times more expensive than renewing a UK driving licence, which costs £14.
Here is a breakdown of the passport renewal costs now, versus how much you’ll pay from 8 April.
Passport type | Online fees now | Online fees from 8 April 2026 | Postal fees now | Postal fees from 8 April 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Adult (16 and over) standard 34-page passport | £94.50 | £102 | £107 | £115.50 |
Child (under 16) standard 34-page passport | £61.50 | £66.50 | £74 | £80 |
Passport for people born on or before 2 September 1929 | Free | Free | Free | Free |
Adult (16 and over) overseas UK passport | £108 | £116.50 | £120.50 | £130 |
Child (under 16) overseas UK passport | £70 | £75.50 | £82.50 | £89 |
It costs more if you apply for a UK passport from another country, or if you need a passport urgently.
How to renew a UK passport
You can renew your UK passport online or by going to a Post Office with a Check and Send service. To do this, you will need your old passport and any valid passports from a different country.
If you’re filling out an online application, you will need to upload a digital photo. For paper applications, you need two recent (identical) printed photos of yourself. You can pay by either debit or credit card, or by a cheque to HM Passport Office.
The rules are slightly different if you are replacing a lost, stolen or damaged passport, or if you are getting a passport for your child.
How long does UK passport renewal take?
You will typically receive your passport within three weeks, but it can take longer during busy periods, if you are applying from another country or if you need to be interviewed.
If you need a passport urgently, you can pay and book an appointment at a passport office. There are two types of urgent services available:
- 1 day premium service: £222 for adults, £189 for children.
- 1 week fast track service: £178 for an adult, and £145 for a child.
Note: You can’t apply for an urgent service if it’s your first adult passport or if you live outside the UK. If the latter is the case, then you can apply for an emergency travel document instead.
For more information, check the HM Passport Office website, or call the helpline at 0300 222 0000 between 8am-8pm GMT Monday to Friday.
How to pay for your UK passport
Depending on how you apply, you can either pay by using a debit or credit card, by cash, or by cheque or postal order. We have the details below:
Application type | Debit or credit card accepted | Cheque or postal order | Cash |
Using the Post Office Passport Check and Send service | Yes | Postal order payable to ‘Post Office Ltd’ Cheques not accepted | Yes |
By post | Yes - complete the form in the application pack | Cheque or postal order payable to ‘HM Passport Office’ | No |
Online | Yes | No | No |
Source: GOV.UK
What to do if you lose your passport abroad
In the event that you lose your passport in a foreign country, the first thing you should do is report it missing on the UK government website. You can then apply for an emergency travel document, which costs £125.
Hannah Mayfield, money expert at price comparison site PayingTooMuch, says: “Travel insurance can help make sure you're not out of pocket if anything unexpected happens on your holiday. It's important to note that travel insurance typically covers specific scenarios, so it's essential to understand the terms of your policy.
“A comprehensive travel insurance policy and potentially the additional costs of needing to stay for longer or changing your return dates, ensuring that an unexpected mishap doesn’t turn into a costly ordeal.”
Read more on whether travel insurance is worth getting and some activities that may not be covered. We also look at the best cards for travel abroad in a separate guide.
What are the UK passport renewal rules for EU travel?
Some British holidaymakers have recently been caught out by new rules that made their passports invalid for EU travel.
Before Brexit, UK nationals travelling to the EU could carry up to nine months from an old passport onto a new one. It meant a passport could have been used for up to 10 years and nine months.
Since January 2021, the rules have changed. The EU now sees UK nationals as “third country” citizens. As a result, EU countries no longer accept passports issued 10 years before the date of travel, i.e., the nine-month window has been eliminated.
Under the new rules, if you wish to travel to any country in the EU, your UK passport must:
- Not have been issued more than 10 years before the date of travel.
- Be valid for at least three months after your planned return date to the UK.
This means that if you’re entering France on 3 May 2026 and returning to the UK on 5 May 2026, your passport must have been issued after 3 May 2016 and be valid until 5 August 2026.
These rules apply in all 27 countries in the EU and Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein, which are part of the European Economic Area (EEA). The only exception to this rule is Ireland, as it is part of the Common Travel Area.
Another change to travel rules since Brexit is that you can now only stay in the Schengen area for up to 90 days within a six-month period (the Schengen area encompasses 29 European countries). Before Brexit, you could stay for as long as you wished.
You can check the GOV.UK website for more information about travelling to the EU and Schengen area, and entry requirements for each country.
Do dual nationals need to apply for UK passport renewal?
Before 25 February 2026, British and Irish citizens who hold dual nationality with certain countries could enter the UK using their foreign passports.
However, that’s not the case anymore. New Home Office rules mean dual citizens will not be able to travel to Britain if they don’t have a Certificate of Entitlement alongside their foreign passport.
The Certificate of Entitlement costs £589, and you can apply on the GOV.UK website. You’ll get a decision within eight weeks of your application.
The rules don’t affect dual nationality Brits who have their UK passport, but you need to make sure that your passport is valid to use for travel.
