Guidance

Applying for a passport from outside the UK: supporting documents (group 1) (accessible)

Updated 6 May 2026

Group 1

Your application will be delayed if you do not include all your supporting documents. If we have to write to you for missing, or additional documents, you’ll need to send them to us within 6 weeks. If you do not, we will withdraw your application and you will not get a refund.

Renewal

Passport Type	2 recent identical photos	Current British Passport [1]	A full colour copy of any other uncancelled passports relating to you [2]	Full birth (civil and hospital) or adoption certificate [3]	Certificate of registration/ naturalisation	Parents’ documents	Grandparents’ documents	Change of name documents	Other requirements
Renew a British passport (with no changes)	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Check table D

First British passport (including where you hold an “Old Blue” hardback style passport)

Passport Type	2 recent identical photos	Current British Passport [1]	A full colour copy of any other uncancelled passports relating to you [2]	Full birth (civil and hospital) or adoption certificate [3]	Certificate of registration/ naturalisation	Parents’ documents	Grandparents’ documents	Change of name documents	Other requirements
Born or adopted before 1 January 1983 (not naturalised or registered)	Yes	No	Yes	Yes See table B if you were born or adopted outside of the UK	No	Yes See table B if you were born or adopted outside of the UK	No	Check table C	Check table D
Born or adopted 1 January 1983 to 30 June 2006 (not naturalised or registered)	Yes	No	Yes	Yes See table B if you were born or adopted outside of the UK	No	Yes See table A if you were born or adopted in the UK See table B if you were born or adopted outside of the UK	See table D	Check table C	Check table D
Born or adopted after 1 July 2006 (not naturalised or registered)	Yes	No	Yes	Yes See table B if you were born or adopted outside of the UK	No	Yes See table A if you were born or adopted in the UK See table B if you were born or adopted outside of the UK	See table D	Check table C	Check table D
When you have been naturalised or registered as British	Yes	No	Yes	Yes For child applications only	Yes	No	No	Check table C	Check table C

Lost and stolen

Passport Type	2 recent identical photos	Current British Passport [1]	A full colour copy of any other uncancelled passports relating to you [2]	Full birth (civil and hospital) or adoption certificate [3]	Certificate of registration/ naturalisation	Parents’ documents	Grandparents’ documents	Change of name documents	Other requirements
Lost or stolen replacement	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	Check table C	Check table D

Damaged

Passport Type	2 recent identical photos	Current British Passport [1]	A full colour copy of any other uncancelled passports relating to you [2]	Full birth (civil and hospital) or adoption certificate [3]	Certificate of registration/ naturalisation	Parents’ documents	Grandparents’ documents	Change of name documents	Other requirements
Damaged passport replacement	Yes	Yes Current damaged passport	Yes	No	No	No	No	Check table C	Check table D

Changes to a British passport

Passport Type	2 recent identical photos	Current British Passport [1]	A full colour copy of any other uncancelled passports relating to you [2]	Full birth (civil and hospital) or adoption certificate [3]	Certificate of registration/ naturalisation	Parents’ documents	Grandparents’ documents	Change of name documents	Other requirements
Name change	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Check table C	Check table D
Photo changes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Check table C	Check table D

Change from British overseas territories citizenship to British citizenship

Passport Type	2 recent identical photos	Current British Passport [1]	A full colour copy of any other uncancelled passports relating to you [2]	Full birth (civil and hospital) or adoption certificate [3]	Certificate of registration/ naturalisation	Parents’ documents	Grandparents’ documents	Change of name documents	Other requirements
Born before 1 January 1983	Yes	Yes Your current British overseas territories citizen passport	Yes	Yes	Yes Or birth or adoption certificate	No	No	Check table C	Check table D
Born between 1 January 1983 and 30 June 2006	Yes	Yes Your current British overseas territories citizen passport	Yes	Yes	Yes Or birth or adoption certificate	Yes Or certificate of registration or naturalisation as either a British overseas territory citizen or British Citizen	Yes	Check table C	Check table D
Born on or after 1 July 2006	Yes	Yes Your current British overseas territories citizen passport	Yes	Yes	Yes Or birth or adoption certificate	Yes Or certificate of registration or naturalisation as a British overseas territory citizen or British citizen	Yes	Check table C	Check table D
Registered or naturalised as a British overseas territories citizen before 21 May 2002	Yes	Yes Your current British overseas territories citizen passport	Yes	Yes	Yes Or birth or adoption certificate	Yes Or certificate of registration or naturalisation as a British overseas territory citizen	Yes	Check table C	Check table D

Other British national to British citizen

Passport Type	2 recent identical photos	Current British Passport [1]	A full colour copy of any other uncancelled passports relating to you [2]	Full birth (civil and hospital) or adoption certificate [3]	Certificate of registration/ naturalisation	Parents’ documents	Grandparents’ documents	Change of name documents	Other requirements
Other British national to British citizen	Yes	Yes Your current British national passport. For example, British overseas citizen	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Check table C	Check table D

Extension

Passport Type	2 recent identical photos	Current British Passport [1]	A full colour copy of any other uncancelled passports relating to you [2]	Full birth (civil and hospital) or adoption certificate [3]	Certificate of registration/ naturalisation	Parents’ documents	Grandparents’ documents	Change of name documents	Other requirements
Extension	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Check table C	Check table D

Notes

1. Current British passport: If you are in a country where you must apply in person, you must bring your current British passport with you when you apply, and also bring a full colour photocopy of the entire passport (every page including blank pages).

2. Uncancelled non-British passports. If you are in a country where you must apply: ▪ Online - please send us a colour photcopy of every page of your non-british including those that are blank (we retain the right to ask for the original passport and will let you know by email or post if we need you to send it to us) ▪ in person, you must bring your non-British passport with you when you apply, and also bring a full colour photocopy of the entire passport (every page including blank pages)

3. Full birth or adoption certificate: This must show both the child’s and parents’ details.

Table A: First British passport applicants born or adopted in the UK – parents’ or adoptive parents documents

For one of your parents, please provide evidence under either 1 or 2. We need to see:

1

• If you have not provided a British passport number for your parent with the application please provide their: full birth or adoption certificate (showing both the child’s and parents’ details) or certificate of registration or naturalisation (in the case of births or joint adoptions before 1983, the evidence must relate to the father); and
• if this is your father, also provide his marriage certificate to your mother (this does not apply for those born or adopted on or after 1 July 2006 or same-sex adoptions).

2

• non-British passport showing indefinite leave to remain at the time of your birth (this can be a current or expired passport); and
• if this is your father, also provide his marriage certificate to your mother (this does not apply for those born on or after 1 July 2006).

Table B: First British passport applicants born or adopted outside the UK – parents’ or adoptive parents documents

Please provide the following:

Born before 1 January 1983

• please provide your father’s marriage certificate to your mother; and
• if you have not supplied a British passport number for your father with the application, please also provide his full birth certificate (showing both the child’s and parents details) or naturalisation or registration certificate.
• if your father’s British nationality status is ‘by descent’ (i.e. your father was born outside of the UK and got his British nationality status through his father), please provide evidence to show he was in crown, designated or community (European Union) service at the time of your birth (see table D)

Born on or after 1 January 1983

• if you have not supplied their British passport number with the application, please provide one of your parents’: full birth certificate (showing both the child’s and parents’ details) or naturalisation or registration certificate; and
• if this is your father, please provide his marriage certificate to your mother (this does not apply for those born on or after 1 July 2006).
• if your father’s British nationality status is ‘by descent’ (i.e. your father was born outside of the UK and got his British nationality status through his father), please provide evidence to show he was in crown, designated or community (European Union) service at the time of your birth (see table D)

Applicants who were adopted abroad who do not have a naturalisation or registration certificate

• an adoption certificate (where the Hague Convention applies the certificate should clearly state that the adoption took place under the Hague Convention under Article 17 of the Convention on Intercountry Adoption); and
• if you have not supplied their British passport number with the application, please provide one adoptive parents’ birth certificate or naturalisation or registration certificate; and
• evidence of the adoptive parent’s habitual residence in the UK (or both adoptive parents in the case of joint adoption). Habitual residence is their normal home, the place where they have the strongest personal connections.

Table C: Change of name evidence

List A

Please provide one document from the following as evidence of your name in current use, dated within the last year:

• Tax record (for example, a letter from a tax authority)
• Educational record (for example, a school report)
• Employment record (for example, an official letter from your employer)
• Letter sent to you from a central, regional or local department
• Driving Licence
• National identity card or equivalent (or colour photocopy)
• Visa or residence permit (or colour photocopy)
• Medical/health card
• Voter’s card

List B

Please provide at least one of the following for each change of name that has taken place:

• Marriage certificate
• Civil partnership certificate
• Gender recognition certificate
• Enrolled deed poll
• Change of name deed signed in both your old and new names
• Certificate of naturalisation or registration
• Statutory declaration or affidavit signed in your new name
• Birth certificate (upon re-registration)
• Certificate from the Court of the Lord Lyon of Scotland
• Completed PD2 form for those about to marry or form a civil partnership (see www.gov.uk/changing-passport-information).

If you are going back to your maiden or unmarried name

We also need all of the following:

• A signed statement saying that you now use your maiden name for all purposes
• Your birth certificate and either:
  • A decree absolute showing both names or
  • A marriage certificate showing both names

If you are changing the spelling of your name slightly

If you are changing the spelling of your name slightly (for example, Bryan to Brian), changing the order in which your forenames appear in your passport or dropping a forename, you must provide either:

• One document from List A and one document from List B, or
• Two documents from List A

To change the name of a child on a passport

You must provide evidence that everyone who has parental responsibility for the child has given permission to change the child’s name. If this cannot be you must send a court order allowing the name change.

Table D: Other information

We may need more information for the following:

For First Time Applicants

If you are applying from a country that is not the country where you were born:

• The passport or travel document you used to enter the country from which you are applying and an explanation of why you are not applying in your country of birth. If you are in a country where you must apply:
  • online, we will accept a colour photocopy of every page of your non-British passport (including those that are blank) in place of the original document, but we retain the right to request the original document if needed
  • in person, you must bring your non-British passport with you when you apply, and also bring a full colour photocopy of the entire passport (every page including blank pages

If your parents were born on or after 1 January 1983

• evidence of your grandparents’ claim to British nationality by providing their passport number or UK birth or adoption certificates or naturalisation or registration; and
• and, in the case of grandfathers, the marriage certificate to your grandmother.
• this does not apply if you provided your parent’s British passport number or your parent’s British nationality is based on registration or naturalisation or your claim is based on your parents’ immigration status.

For Lost or Stolen replacement

If you are applying for a replacement at the same time as reporting it lost or stolen

• an LS01 form with your application. See the guidance at www.gov.uk/overseas-passports

For children

Where there is a court order in place:

• relating to their care or
• that provides or removes parental responsibility and rights or
• that limits the movement of the child from the country of residence

We may need:

• the court order.

The child is looked after by social services.

• a letter from the Director of Social Services (or equivalent) confirming that social services has parental responsibility for the child and include any relevant court order(s) to support this

The applicant does not have parental responsibility for the child who is the subject of the application.

Either:

• a statutory declaration explaining that you are acting in the place of a parent, explaining why and whether anyone with parental responsibility exists. You should include several pieces of documentary evidence which supports this, or
• if you are a testamentary guardian, documentary evidence explaining that you have been appointed a testamentary guardian of the child, including a copy of the will and death certificate
• confirm whether any other person holds parental responsibility and/or court orders are in place affecting the child. If court orders are in place, include these.

For adults when applying for

A British National (overseas) passport

• a colour photocopy of both sides of your Hong Kong permanent identity card

A British Protected Person passport.

• a signed letter confirming you have not become a citizen of the country of your birth at any time since your current passport was issued, nor gained any other nationality since 16th August 1978.

Or when

Your claim to British nationality is based on your parents’ crown or community service

• full details of your parent’s Crown or Community Service, providing supporting documents from their employer that supports those details.

You want to have your title shown in your passport

• we can add a limited number of titles to your British passport if you ask. Visit www.gov.uk/changing-passport-information for more information.

You are changing the gender on your passport.

• you can get more guidance at www.gov.uk/changing-passport-information

Unable to sign

A person who fills in the form on behalf of an applicant who cannot sign the declaration must provide a letter explaining the reason they have done so.

Extension

If your passport was restricted because you were unable to provide all the documents we need, please also send in the documents that were missing from your original application.