How to Get a First British Passport for a Child Under 16

Who is a first child passport for?

A first child passport is the correct application when a child is under 16, has never had a British passport and has British nationality.

A child passport is normally valid for 5 years. If the child already has or previously had a British passport, use the appropriate renewal or replacement process instead.

If the applicant is over 16, or will turn 16 within 3 weeks and has never held a British passport, follow the first adult British passport process.

Who can apply for the child's passport?

Someone with parental responsibility must apply. HM Passport Office asks for both parents' details because they are relevant to nationality, identity and parental responsibility checks.

If you cannot provide the other parent's details, explain why in the application. GOV.UK gives examples such as being the only parent named on the birth certificate or having adopted the child alone.

Parental responsibility rules depend on the family's circumstances. A birth or adoptive parent may have parental responsibility, while it can also arise through a parental responsibility agreement or court order. If that is relevant to your family, see how a parental responsibility agreement works in England and Wales.

How much does a first child passport cost in 2026?

For applications made from within the UK, the standard fees effective from 8 April 2026 are:

• £66.50 for an online child passport application;
• £80 for a paper child passport application.

The passport fee pays for processing the application and is not a guarantee that a passport will be issued. Applications from outside the UK have different fees and procedures.

Supporting documents are normally returned by ordinary post. GOV.UK states that you can pay an additional £5 for secure delivery of those documents.

How does the online application work?

The online route is available for first child passport applications made from within the UK. You need:

• a digital passport photo of the child, or a device capable of taking the photo;
• the required supporting documents; and
• a credit or debit card.

Complete and pay for the application online. HM Passport Office then tells you what supporting documents must be sent for your child's circumstances.

After submitting and paying, you also need to nominate an eligible person to confirm your child's identity. HM Passport Office emails that person with instructions for completing the confirmation online.

Can you apply for a first child passport by post?

Yes. You can get a paper passport form from a Post Office that offers Passport Check and Send or ask the Passport Adviceline to send you a form.

For a first child passport, GOV.UK instructs paper applicants to complete sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 9. A child aged 12 to 15 must sign section 6. The countersignatory completes section 10 and certifies one of the child's photographs.

You can post the form, photographs and documents in the supplied envelope, or use Passport Check and Send where available.

What documents do you need?

The exact evidence depends on how the child acquired British nationality and on the family's circumstances. Online applicants receive personalised instructions after applying.

For a paper first child application, GOV.UK lists:

• 2 new passport photos of the child;
• the child's full birth or adoption certificate showing the parents' details;
• evidence that the child has British nationality, such as a British registration certificate, relevant parent's passport details or relevant parent's birth certificate;
• any valid passports from another country belonging to the child; and
• any court orders concerning the child, including orders dealing with parental responsibility or residence arrangements.

Depending on how the child's nationality is established, HM Passport Office can require additional evidence about a parent or another generation. Follow the document instructions generated for the individual application rather than assuming every family needs the same evidence.

Do passport documents have to be originals?

Yes. HM Passport Office states that you must send original documents or official copies of certificates. Ordinary photocopies are not accepted, even if they have been certified.

Do not send laminated documents. If a document is not in English or Welsh, send a certified translation together with the original.

Why does HM Passport Office need nationality evidence?

A passport does not itself create British nationality. HM Passport Office must be satisfied that the child already has British nationality before issuing a British passport.

The evidence required therefore depends on facts such as where and when the child was born, the nationality and immigration status of the parents, adoption, registration as a British citizen or other circumstances affecting nationality.

Do not assume that birth in the UK automatically makes every child British. Provide the evidence requested for the child's actual nationality route.

Who can confirm your child's identity?

A first child passport requires identity confirmation. For an online application, the person you nominate receives an email from HM Passport Office and completes the confirmation online.

For the standard online identity-confirmation process, the person must:

• be 18 or over;
• live in the UK;
• hold a current UK or Irish passport;
• have known the adult making the child's application for at least 2 years;
• know that adult personally as a friend, neighbour or colleague, rather than only professionally; and
• work in, or be retired from, a recognised profession.

They cannot be related to the applicant by birth or marriage, be in a relationship with them or live with them. HM Passport Office also excludes certain employees involved in passport, citizenship or right-of-abode work.

For a child application, the person confirming identity must also be able to answer questions that help HM Passport Office confirm that the adult applying has parental responsibility.

What information does the identity confirmer need?

For a child application, HM Passport Office says the confirmer should know the child's place of birth and the parents' names and years of birth. They will also answer questions about how they know the person making the application.

For a digital application, they check the child's digital passport photo online. They do not need to sign a printed photograph.

What are the passport photo rules for children?

The child's photograph must be a recent, clear and unaltered likeness against a plain light-coloured background. The child must be alone in the picture, with no other people or objects visible.

There are practical allowances for young children:

• children under 6 do not have to look directly at the camera or have a plain expression;
• babies under 1 do not have to have their eyes open;
• a baby's head can be supported, but the supporting hand must not appear in the photograph; and
• babies must not be holding toys or using dummies.

For digital photos, the image must also meet HM Passport Office's technical quality and size requirements.

What if the child's name differs from the birth certificate?

If the passport name will not match the child's birth certificate because the child's name has changed, GOV.UK requires:

• a signed and dated letter from everyone with parental responsibility confirming the name change and agreeing to the child receiving a passport;
• a deed poll; and
• at least one piece of evidence showing the new name in use, such as an NHS, Child Benefit or school record.

If you still need to formalise a child's name change and the England and Wales rules are relevant, the guide to changing a legal name by deed poll explains that separate process.

What if there is a court order about the child?

Send relevant court orders concerning the child, including orders that describe parental responsibility or residence arrangements. HM Passport Office checks whether the person consenting to the passport has authority to do so and whether any order restricts the child's movement or affects consent.

If HM Passport Office cannot establish parental responsibility from the information provided, it can request further evidence such as a full birth or adoption certificate, marriage or civil partnership evidence, a court order granting parental responsibility, or appropriate consent from a person who has parental responsibility.

What if the child was adopted?

Special nationality evidence can apply to adopted children. For a child adopted in the UK, GOV.UK states that the child can get a British passport if either adoptive parent is British and was habitually resident in the UK when the child was adopted.

HM Passport Office requires the child's adoption certificate showing the British parent's details, together with specified evidence of that parent's British status. Different rules can apply to overseas adoptions, so use the requirements for the child's specific adoption circumstances.

How long does a first child passport take?

HM Passport Office currently advises customers to expect a standard UK passport application within around 3 weeks. In its 2026 fee announcement, the government reported that 99.7% of standard UK applications in 2025 that needed no further information were processed within 3 weeks.

A first passport can take longer if HM Passport Office needs additional documents, information or checks. Apply in good time and respond promptly to any request.

Do not book travel until the child has a valid passport.

What happens after HM Passport Office approves the application?

The new passport is delivered by courier or Royal Mail. Depending on the delivery, it may be posted through the letterbox, handed to someone at home, or a card or letter may be left explaining how to receive it.

Supporting documents are returned separately. Normal post is standard, or you can choose the paid secure-return option when available on the application.

You can track the passport application while it is being processed.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying for a British passport before confirming the child has British nationality.
• Having someone without parental responsibility make or consent to the application without the required evidence.
• Leaving out the other parent's details without explaining why they cannot be provided.
• Sending photocopies instead of original documents or official certificate copies.
• Sending laminated documents.
• Forgetting a certified translation for evidence that is not in English or Welsh.
• Using a photo that does not meet the child passport photo rules.
• Choosing an identity confirmer who does not meet HM Passport Office requirements.
• Forgetting the child's signature where the child is aged 12 to 15.
• Failing to send relevant court orders or foreign passports belonging to the child.
• Booking travel before the passport has actually arrived.

First child passport checklist

• Child is under 16 and has British nationality.
• Adult applying has parental responsibility.
• Both parents' details are ready, or an explanation is available for missing details.
• Correct child passport photo is ready.
• British nationality and supporting documents are ready.
• Relevant foreign passports and court orders are included where applicable.
• Eligible identity confirmer or paper countersignatory has been arranged.
• Current application fee is ready.
• Child aged 12 to 15 completes the required signature.
• No travel is booked until the valid passport arrives.