Renewing a UK Passport online
Update 23rd OCTOBER 2018
With thanks to: Janet Davis, who posted this:
There is a new trial on-line system, which I just tried and it worked well. The steps are:
1. Take a photo and upload it. The system automatically crops it and asks you if it’s acceptable. If you don’t like the photo it lets you do it again.
2. Complete the form online and pay the fee.
3. Post your old passport to the Passport Office. (I suggest express international post)
My new passport was sent to me within six working days including the time to send the old passport by express post.
— OLDER —-
Renewing a British Passport online from Australia should take about 4 weeks from when it’s received by Her Majesty’s Passport Office in the UK., but it can take longer if more information is needed or your application hasn’t been filled out correctly. HM Passport Office have advised that the standard passport processing times are about four weeks for renewals, six for new passports or replacements for lost and stolen ones.
Apply at: www.gov.uk
You will need a debit or credit card to use the Online service.
The standard price of an adult passport renewal is £72.50 or £46 for a Child Passport, but you will pay a different fee if you apply for a passport from another country
The following is the quoted price for renewing a UK passport while in Australia.
Cost of UK Passport Renewal with the courier fee of £19.86 included
£105.86 Adult standard 32-page passport (2018)
£115.86 Adult jumbo 48-page passport (2018)
You must apply and pay for your passport online.
Before you start you will need:
your current passport
2 identical new photos of you (or your child, if it’s a child passport application)
any other current passports issued by other countries
a MasterCard, Visa, Visa Electron, Visa Debit or Maestro (UK Domestic) card. (Maestro International cards aren’t accepted)
Your application should take 4 weeks from when it’s received by Her Majesty’s Passport Office in the UK.
You will need to print, sign and post your declaration form at the end.
After Printing the Application, you can get Australia Post to assist in checking, and sending the documents to the UK passport office (auspost.com.au/…/british-passports)
I have not done this myself, but feel that the wording; ONLINE, is not that accurate. Â We seem to have to fill in the form online, then print it out, sign it and finally post it.
One question in the Application relates to the Issuing Authority of the Passport.
Most British people will tick the first option (UKPA, UKPS, IPS or HMPO) but some, maybe Hong Kong and Gibraltar passports etc, will need to tick “Other”.
HMPO is the HM Passport Office, and is the sole issuer of UK passports.
IPS was the Identity and Passport Service from 2006 to 2013. (The Identity and Passport Service was renamed HM Passport Office on 13 May 2013)
UKPS was the United Kingdom Passport Service (A previous name before HM Passport Office)
UKPA was the UK Passport Agency (A previous name before HM Passport Office)
Originally Published on:Â 1 Sep 2017
I had a digital photo taken at the post office yesterday, how do i go about sending it with a renewal form?
It looks like that will only work with the online application.
Complete the online form and upload your photo. Then post the old Passport to them.
See the earlier comment by Janet Davis.
There is a new trial on-line system, which I just tried and it worked well. The steps are:
1. Take a photo and upload it. The system automatically crops it and asks you if it’s acceptable. If you don’t like the photo it lets you do it again.
2. Complete the form online and pay the fee.
3. Post your old passport to the Passport Office. (I suggest express international post)
My new passport was sent to me within six working days including the time to send the old passport by express post.
That does sound so much better… and easier.
I will edit the page to show this.
I’ve just used this new “on-line” service and I must say, it worked very well. I recommend it. The tracking worked well at every stage.
From Sydney:
On 21st January 2019 I completed the online form and then posted my Old Passport by Express International Post.
On 28th January 2019 it was received by HMPO
On 1st February it was approved & processed
On 7th February I received it via DHL
In summary:
Total of 17 days
Transit AU to UK – 7 days
Transit UK to AU – 6 days
I have just received notification my passport has been sent (I am in Sydney) do you receive a tracking email? It says I will need to sign for the passport and I need the passport quite urgently for travel (I damaged my last one so has been unfortunate timing) and I don’t want to miss receiving it and have the annoyance of having to try and re-book delivery.
Thanks
I read that DHL provide the service of delivering passports overseas.
Did your notification have any detail of this?
With a tracking number you can check it yourself at one of these:
https://www.logistics.dhl/au-en/home/tracking.html
http://www.dhl.com.au/en/express/tracking.html
https://www.dhl.co.uk/en/express/tracking.html
Recently I have been getting early morning text messages for some deliveries that I get on that day. Although these were from Australia post. I would assume that DSHL might do something similar.
Some couriers in Australia also send out emails, eg:
StarTrack (courier service) at 8:53am sent this: Your parcel no: xxxxxx from xxxxxxx will be delivered before close of business today.