Guidance

Paper Post Office Limited Check and Send: how a customer applies

Published 28 August 2025

Version 6.0

About: Paper Post Office Limited Check and Send: how a customer applies

This guidance tells His Majesty’s Passport Office staff about the Post Office Limited Check and Send service for paper applications and explains:

• how customers can apply
• who can apply
• what services are available to customers and what information they must tell us
• what documents customers must send us and how we will return them

Contacts

If you have any questions about the guidance and your line manager or senior caseworker cannot help you or you think that the guidance has factual errors then email Guidance team.

If you notice any formatting errors in this guidance (broken links, spelling mistakes and so on) or have any comments about the layout or navigability of the guidance then you can email Guidance team.

Publication

Below is information on when this version of the guidance was published:

• version 6.0
• published for Home Office staff on 25 April 2023

Changes from last version of this guidance

This guidance has been updated with minor formatting changes.

Post Office Check and Send service: who can apply

This page tells His Majesty’s Passport Office staff about the Post Office Limited (POL) Check and Send service for paper applications. This explains how customers must apply and how the passport application service type is chosen.

The Post Office Limited (POL) Check and Send service is available at some Post Offices for an extra fee.

The Post Office will check the customer has:

• filled in the right sections of the paper form
• the right supporting documents (including photos)
• paid the right fee

The Post Office will send the customer’s application to HM Passport Office by Special Delivery.

Who can apply using POL

Any customer living in the UK can apply for a standard service level application using the Post Office Limited (POL) Check and Send service and must complete a paper application form. Customers must not use POL, if they:

• need a faster service (for example, a Premium or Fast track service)
• want to apply in Welsh (they must apply by post)
• want to apply for a collective passport
• want to apply for a diplomatic or official passport

How a customer can apply

Customers must take their completed paper application form, documents and photos to any participating Post Office branch.

The Post Office clerk will:

• check that the application form has been correctly completed
• check that photos meet the standard
• check the customer has provided the correct documents
• take payment for the application and additional fee for the Check and Send service
• send the application, documents and photos (by Special Delivery) to the correct HM Passport Office application processing centre

How the service type is chosen

The post office clerk will check that the customer has selected the correct service type in section 1 of the application form.  

You, the examiner, must change the service type and case note it on the system, if the customer has chosen the wrong one (for example, if the customer has asked for a renewal but their passport has damage beyond normal wear and tear and you must change the service type to replacement).

Post Office Ltd Check and Send service: how a customer can apply

This section tells HM Passport Office staff about how a Post Office Ltd Check and Send (POL) service application is completed and sent to us. This section explains the steps POL take to support a customer’s passport application, including which sections a customer must complete depending on their application type.

Post Office staff will:

• not examine the application to confirm the customer’s nationality, identity or consent
• follow a checklist that tells them:
  • what sections of the form the customer must complete
  • what documents the customer must provide
• check that the customer’s photo meets the standards (against a checklist)

Checking the customer’s personal details

The post office clerk will check (section 2 of the application form) that the customer has included their:

• full name
• previous names (if they have any)
• date of birth
• place of birth
• country of birth
• gender (the sex marker shown on the passport)

How customers give us their photo

The post office clerk will check that the customer has provided 2 paper photos (including 1 countersigned, if needed).

Customer’s contact details

The Post Office clerk will make sure the customer has provided their home address (section 2 of the application form). If the customer’s address is too long they can write their full address, either on:

• section 8 of the paper form
• a separate piece of paper (which must be signed and dated)

The Post Office will recommend that the customer provides their email address and a contact number (if they have not already given one on the application form) but these are optional.

If the customer provides an alternative address

Customers must give an alternative address (if they have one). The Post Office clerk will tell customer, they can:

• add the information on section 8 of the form
• include a signed letter with the details
• provide evidence of their alternative address.

When customers hold multiple British passports

If a customer is applying to renew their passport, the Post Office clerk will check they have filled in section 3 of the paper form. Customers must also write the passport numbers of any other British passports they hold and in section 3. All customers must fill in 3A, 3B and 3C (if needed).

If the customer wants to renew an additional passport, they must provide us with evidence to show why they need one (for example, a letter from their employer).

When the customer holds a foreign passport

The Post Office clerk will ask the customer if they hold any foreign passports and check that they’ve added these details to section 3 of the paper form. Customers must tell us about any other passports they hold. They will do this by filling in section 3 of the paper application form.

All customers must fill in section 3A, 3B and 3C (if needed).

If the customer’s passport is lost or stolen

If the customer is applying to replace their lost or stolen passport, they must complete section 3C. The Post Office clerk will check that the customer has completed the details in section 3C.

Customers must give as much information as possible about their missing passport. Section 3C will ask the customer for:

• the lost (or stolen) passport number
• where the passport was issued
• the customer’s surname (at the time the passport was issued)
• the customer’s first and middle names
• how the passport was lost or why it is not available
• date of loss
• place of loss

If the customer’s passport is damaged

The post office clerk will check the customer’s passport for damage. If there is any damage to the passport, the Post Office clerk will check the customer has:

• selected ‘replacement’ in section 1 of the application form
• write a reason for the damage (on section 8 of the application form) or write the reason for damage on a separate piece of paper and sign and date the letter

You (the examiner) must check the customer’s passport for damage, when you receive it.

When you need the details of a customer’s parents

The Post Office clerk will check that the customer has provided their parents’ details on section 4 of the application form (if needed).

Customers must provide their parents’ details by filling in section 4 of the paper application form, when the intended passport holder, is either:

• under 16
• applying for their first adult passport
• applying to replace a passport that has been lost, stolen or damaged

When you need details of a customer’s grandparents

Customers must provide their grandparents’ details by adding them to section 8 of the application form (or on a separate piece of paper). We need details of a customer’s grandparents, when both their parents were born, either:

• on or after 1 January 1983
• outside the UK

The post office clerk will check that the customer has provided their grandparents details (if needed).

When a customer has a naturalisation or registration certificate

If a customer is applying for their first British passport and have become a British citizen through naturalisation or registration, they must give us their naturalisation or registration certificate details (section 5 of the paper application form).

The Post Office clerk will check that the customer has given us their naturalisation or registration certificate details. 

How we capture signatures

How we capture a child’s signature (12 to15 years)

If a child (the intended passport holder) is 12 to 15 years old or will turn 12 within the next 3 weeks, they must sign the application (inside the box) on section 6 on the paper application form.

The customer (the person consenting to the application, for example, the child’s mother) must sign section 9 of the form.

The Post Office clerk will check that the child has signed the application (if needed).

How we capture the intended passport holder’s signature

The Post Office clerk will check that the customer has signed and dated the paper application form (section 9).

How the customer completes the declaration

Customers must sign the declaration (section 9 of the application) that lists what they are declaring.

The Post Office clerk will make sure the customer has signed section 9 of the paper form.

Referees

Customers must only provide a paper referee (countersignature) for paper applications. It is not possible to include a digital referee on a paper application.

How and when to provide a paper referee (countersignature)

The Post Office clerk will consult their checklist to make sure a paper referee (countersignature) has filled in section 10 of the application form.

How customers and referees give us extra information

Additional information from the customer

If a customer provides additional information, the Post Office clerk will check they have provided it correctly.

Customers must provide additional information on section 8 of the paper form (or on a separate piece of paper). If the customer provides information on a separate piece of paper, they must sign and date the paper.

Additional information from the paper referee (countersignature)

The paper form does not ask the paper referee (countersignature) to provide additional information.

If a paper referee (countersignature) includes additional information, they must do so on a separate piece of paper, that they must sign and date. The Post Office clerk will check that the paper referee (countersignature) has done it correctly.

What documents the customer must send and where to send them

Customers must read the guidance booklet, which will tell them what documents they need to send.

The Post Office clerk will check the customer’s application to make sure the customer has included the correct documents.

How the Post Office clerk will send a customer’s application

The Post Office clerk will send the customer’s application and supporting documents to HM Passport Office using Special Delivery post.

The clerk will send batches of applications and supporting documents by Special Delivery, along with a list of all the applications in the batch. Sopra Steria Ltd (SSL) will confirm receipt of the applications when they have received them.

The Post Office clerk will give the customer a receipt (with an application number) so customers can track their application.

How we return a customer’s documents

We will return the customer’s documents when we have completed all the checks on the application.

We will return the documents to the customer by secure delivery (for a fee) or by Royal Mail second class post.