Getting a British Passport for Your Child

This guide is for parents who have recently moved to the United Kingdom and want to get a first British passport for a child under 16. After reading it, you will know which application applies to your child, who has to make it, what the official guidance says about cost, validity and timing, and which questions the guidance leaves open.

• Start with nationality
• Choose the right application
• Who applies and whose details are needed
• Documents and supporting evidence
• Cost, validity and timing
• FAQ

Start with nationality

A child passport is a British passport, so the application only works for a child who holds British nationality. Many newcomer families find this the hardest part. The GOV.UK guidance on getting a passport for your child explains how to apply, but it does not explain who counts as British. It does not say whether being born in the UK is enough on its own, and it does not say how a parent’s own nationality or immigration status affects the child.

Because the guidance is silent on this, the passport office decides each case when it assesses the application. Families whose situation is not straightforward, for example where neither parent was British when the child was born, often want a clear answer before they pay a fee. For a specific question about a child’s nationality or immigration status, the right people to ask are an immigration adviser regulated by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) or a solicitor regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

The guidance also notes that different rules apply if you are applying from outside the UK. This article covers applications made from within the UK, which suits families who have already arrived.

Choose the right application

The official page sorts applicants by age and passport history. A child passport is for a child under 16. For a child who has never had a British passport, the routes are:

• Under 16 and never had a British passport: apply for a first child passport.
• Over 16, or turning 16 within 3 weeks, and never had a British passport: apply for a first adult passport instead.

The 3-week rule matters for teenagers. A child who will turn 16 within 3 weeks of applying goes through the adult process, not the child one. The page gives this cut-off but says nothing about how the adult application differs, so check the adult process separately if it applies.

The same page lists other routes for children who already hold a British passport: renewing it, replacing one that has been lost, stolen or damaged, and applying for a new passport when the child’s details have changed. These do not apply to a first application, but they are useful to know about once your child has a passport.

Who applies and whose details are needed

The guidance says that someone with parental responsibility for the child must apply. It does not define parental responsibility or explain how to prove it, and it does not say whether parental responsibility granted in another country is recognised. These points depend on the family’s circumstances, and the passport office decides how it treats the evidence provided.

You need to give both parents’ details when you apply. This applies even when only one parent makes the application. If you cannot give the other parent’s details, you need to say why. The page gives two examples of acceptable reasons:

• you are the only parent named on the birth certificate
• you adopted the child on your own

The page does not give a full list of acceptable reasons, and it does not say what happens after you give one. Separated parents, parents living in different countries, or families where the other parent cannot be contacted may want to understand how this works before applying. A solicitor (SRA) can explain the law on parental responsibility, and an OISC-regulated adviser can help where the question is linked to immigration status.

Documents and supporting evidence

The official page does not list the documents needed for a first child passport. It mentions the birth certificate only when explaining why you might not be able to give the other parent’s details. It does not say which documents prove a child’s nationality, whether originals or copies are needed, or whether documents in other languages must be translated.

The application itself sets out what the passport office needs, and the passport office decides whether the evidence is enough. Newly arrived families often hold birth, marriage or adoption records from more than one country, and some of these may be in another language. The guidance does not say how such records are treated, so the passport office is the authority on that question.

Since the page does not cover document requirements, this guide does not list any. Lists from unofficial sources may be out of date or may not fit your child’s case.

Cost, validity and timing

Fees

The guidance sets out two prices for a child passport:

• £66.50 to apply online
• £80 to apply with a paper form from the Post Office

The page does not give the fees for faster services. It also does not say how to pay or whether other costs may come up, such as postage or photographs.

Validity

A child passport is valid for 5 years. After that, the page directs families to the renewal route while the child is still under 16, and to the adult process once the child is over 16 or will be within 3 weeks.

Processing time

The guidance does not give a processing time. It tells applicants to check how long it will take to get a passport before they apply. For urgent cases, it points to two faster services: Online Premium and the 1 week Fast Track service. The page does not say who is eligible for these services or what they cost.

Travel plans

The guidance is direct on one point: do not book travel until you have a valid passport. Families planning a first trip home after moving to the UK may want to keep this in mind when timing their application, especially since the standard processing time is not stated on this page.

FAQ

How much does a first British child passport cost?

According to GOV.UK, a child passport costs £66.50 if you apply online and £80 if you apply with a paper form from the Post Office. The passport is valid for 5 years. The page does not give the prices for the Online Premium or 1 week Fast Track services, so those fees need to be checked separately.

Can one parent apply for a child passport without the other?

The guidance says that someone with parental responsibility must apply, and that both parents’ details must be given. If the other parent’s details cannot be provided, the applicant must explain why, for example because they are the only parent named on the birth certificate or adopted the child on their own. The page does not list every acceptable reason, and the passport office decides how each case is handled.

Which application applies to a child who is about to turn 16?

The child passport route is for children under 16. A child who is over 16, or will be within 3 weeks, and has never had a British passport goes through the first adult passport process. A child who already holds a British child passport and is over 16, or will be within 3 weeks, goes through the adult renewal or replacement process.

Is a child born in the UK automatically British?

The official page on child passports does not answer this question. It explains how to apply but does not set out the nationality rules or say whether birth in the UK is enough on its own. The passport office decides when it assesses the application. For a specific case, an OISC-regulated immigration adviser or an SRA-regulated solicitor can explain how the rules apply.

Official sources: gov.uk

Last verified: 10 November 2026 against the official pages linked above. Rules and fees change; the official page always wins.

This is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Immigration advice in the UK may only be given by advisers regulated by the OISC or by solicitors regulated by the SRA.