Renewing your UK passport is an essential process that you need to do every ten years to ensure that you can travel without any issues. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of renewing your passport online, including how long it takes and the cost involved. We’ll also introduce you to Smartphone iD, a service that can help you get your new passport faster.
Last update : 3/30/2024
How to Renew Your UK Passport Online?
To complete your passport renewal online (adult), follow these steps:
- Go to the official website of the UK Passport Office and select the start now
- Choose that you had a passport before.
- Upload a valid digital passport photo or enter a digital photo code if you have one that meets the passport photo requirements.
- Fill out the online application form with your personal details, including your current passport details, your contact information…
- If necessary, you will be asked to send in your current passport and other supporting documents.
- Review your application to make sure all the information is correct, and submit it.
- Choose how your old passport and any extra documents are sent back to you (Secure delivery (£5 extra) or Standard post (free),they ’ll send your new passport by secure delivery at no extra cost.
- Pay the online passport renewal fee using a debit or credit card.
- You will receive an email confirming your application has been received and providing further instructions.
- You will receive your new passport by mail within a few weeks.
Note: If you are renewing a child’s passport, you will need to complete a different application process.
The Requirements When Applying Online
If you are living in the UK, you can renew your passport in two ways: with a paper form by post or online.
By submitting your form online, you will save £ 9.50 and pay only £75.50. What is more, the online application is less time consuming.
To apply online you’ll need:
- a digital photo of you
- supporting documents
- a credit or debit card
- someone who can confirm your identity
Valid digital passport photo
In order to use your passport for traveling, your digital photo has to comply also with the ICAO’s (International Civil Aviation Organization) standards. Photo booths cannot 100% guarantee that your photo will be valid and professional photographer’s ask for a fair fee for their services. One of 3 most common application decline reasons is invalid photo.
By using our app, you can be 100% assured that it will be accepted by the UK government and conveniently come to your mail box in digital format.
Supporting documents
You must send documents in original format to the Passport office and they will be sent back separately from your passport. If you don’t have the original copy, you need to get a certified copy, and if your document is not in English, you must get a certified translation. Here is more information about the type of documents you should send depending on your situation: https://www.gov.uk/apply-first-adult-passport/what-documents-you-need-to-apply
Who can confirm your identity?
After you’ve paid and submitted your application, you’ll need to ask someone to confirm your identity. You should inform this person that an email will be sent by the HM Passport Office with instructions how to confirm you identity ( photo signing is not needed). It should take about 10 minutes.
But before choosing that person, keep in mind that this person must know you as a neighbor, friend or work colleague and work in a “recognized field” of work. Equally bare in your mind that your life partner cannot be the person confirming your identity. Learn more details about the person’s requirements here.
It might be useful to consult this guidance booklet before submitting your application as it contains valuable information of how to avoid common mistakes that delay the process.
How Long Does It Take to Renew Your UK Passport?
The processing time for renewing a UK passport may vary depending on the time of year and how busy the passport office is, but typically takes three weeks. However, if you need urgent processing, you can use the urgent service for an additional fee and have your application processed in one day.
Note:
If you need your passport urgently, you can use our service to submit a valid digital passport photo taken with your smartphone, which can speed up your application process.
Cost to Renew Your Passport Online
The cost to renew your passport is currently £88.50 for adults and £57.50 for children. This includes the cost of the digital passport photo. If you choose to use Smartphone iD’s service, you can get an inexpensive digital passport photo with a digital code, which can save you money.
How Smartphone iD Can Help You renew Your Passport Fast
Smartphone iD can help you get your new passport faster. With our app, you can get an approved UK digital passport photo that meets the HMPO requirements. The photo is checked by a team of experts and an AI system to ensure that it meets all the necessary criteria. This means that your passport application is less likely to be rejected, and you can get your new passport faster.
One of the benefits of using Smartphone iD is that you can get a digital photo code for to complete your online application which can save you time & money and make the overall renewal process easier and less stressful.
The app is designed to simplify the process of getting a digital passport photo that meets the UK government’s requirements, which can be a confusing and time-consuming task.
Conclusion
Renewing your passport is a breeze, and with a cheap and approved digital passport photo taken with our app, it can be even easier. Whether you choose to renew online or by paper application, make sure to follow the steps carefully and double-check your information to avoid any delays or complications.
