Child Passport UK 2026: First Application and Renewal

A UK child passport in 2026 costs £42.50 to apply for online or £53 by post and is valid for five years, not the ten years that applies to adults. Both parents with parental responsibility must consent, and the photo rules adapt for babies and very young children. This guide covers first applications, renewals when the previous child passport is expiring, consent requirements for separated parents, and the special rules around newborns and adopted children. It is informational only and does not constitute regulated immigration or family law advice. Verify all current rules with GOV.UK before applying.

Last reviewed: May 2026 · Sourced from GOV.UK

Who Counts as a "Child" for a UK Passport

A UK child passport is issued to anyone under 16 at the date of application. From the day of the 16th birthday, an adult passport is required. Children's passports are valid for five years from the date of issue, which means most children will renew their passport at least once before transitioning to an adult passport at 16.

British citizenship for a child depends on parentage and place of birth. A child born in the UK after 1 January 1983 is a British citizen if at least one parent was a British citizen or settled in the UK at the time of birth. Children born abroad to British parents are British by descent in most circumstances. Children adopted by British citizens through a recognised adoption process can register as British and then apply for a passport.

The "first-time" classification matters because first child applications require a countersignature, a full birth certificate naming both parents, and sometimes additional evidence of British nationality. A renewal of an existing child passport is a simpler process by default.

Children with split parental responsibility require careful handling of the consent question. The signed declaration on the application form must come from a person with parental responsibility under the Children Act 1989 or equivalent.

First Child Passport: Documents and Process

The first application for a child uses the GOV.UK Apply for a Passport service or paper form CHA from a Post Office Check and Send branch. The online fee is £42.50 and the postal fee is £53. The fee covers the same five-year passport regardless of route.

The required documents for a first child passport are: the child's full birth certificate (or registration of birth abroad if born outside the UK), the parents' supporting identity documents, a recent digital photograph that meets HMPO rules, and a countersignature from an eligible adult who has known the parent for at least two years.

HMPO's identity checks for first applications go further than for renewals. Birth certificates that name both parents are preferred. Where only one parent is named, additional evidence may be required to establish the second parent's identity or the absence of parental responsibility. Children born through surrogacy or adopted from abroad have additional documentary requirements that vary case by case.

Processing for first child passports typically runs four to six weeks. The premium services available to adults are not available for first-time child applications because of the identity verification involved.

Renewing a Child Passport

A child passport is valid for five years from issue, so renewals fall due roughly every five years until the child reaches 16. The renewal process mirrors the first application in most respects, but a countersignature is generally not required if the previous passport is being presented and the parents' details are unchanged.

The online fee for renewal is £42.50 and the postal fee is £53, the same as a first application. A new photograph is required for every renewal. Children's appearance changes rapidly, and HMPO will not issue a renewal using a recent existing photo from a previous passport.

HMPO targets three weeks for child renewals once a complete application is received. The HMPO Online Premium one-week service is available for child renewals at £155 if travel is imminent. The 1-Day Premium service at £200 is also available for child renewals at HMPO Customer Service Centres.

If parental circumstances have changed since the previous passport, for example one parent has died, divorced, or lost parental responsibility, supporting documents will be needed to update the consent record. A grant of probate, decree absolute, or court order may be relevant depending on the circumstances.

Parental Consent and Separated Parents

Every applicant for a child passport must have the consent of every person with parental responsibility. The signature on the application form represents that consent. The consent rule applies whether or not the parents live together and whether or not they are married or in a civil partnership.

Parental responsibility under the Children Act 1989 is held automatically by the child's mother. The father holds parental responsibility automatically if married to the mother at the time of birth, or if named on the birth certificate after 1 December 2003 (England and Wales), 4 May 2006 (Scotland), or 15 April 2002 (Northern Ireland). Parental responsibility can also be acquired through a parental responsibility order, agreement, or marriage to the mother after the birth.

If one parent refuses to consent, HMPO will not issue the passport. A parent in this position can apply to the family court for a Specific Issue Order under section 8 of the Children Act 1989 authorising the application. HMPO will issue the passport on production of the court order.

For children of separated parents, HMPO recommends the resident parent collect a clear written record of consent from the non-resident parent before submitting the application, to avoid delays if HMPO contacts both parents to verify consent.

Photo Rules for Babies and Young Children

HMPO's photo rules adapt for children under one and children under six, recognising that infants and toddlers cannot follow instructions for adult-style photos.

For babies under one, the photo can show the child with eyes closed (eyes open is preferred but not mandatory) and can be taken with the child lying on a plain white sheet, photographed from directly above. The child's head must not be supported by a parent's hand visible in the frame. The photo must show the full face with no toys, dummies, or other objects.

For children one to five, eyes must be open and the mouth must be closed. The child must be looking straight at the camera. A parent can hold the child if necessary, but the parent's hands and body must not appear in the photo. Plain background, plain expression, no hair across the face.

From age six upwards, the same rules apply as for adults: looking straight at the camera, mouth closed, plain expression, no glasses. High-street photo booths and pharmacy photo services are equipped to handle child photos. Digital photo apps that work with HMPO's online upload also support child mode for online applications.

Newborn, Adopted, and Surrogacy Cases

For newborn babies, the application can begin as soon as the birth has been registered and a full birth certificate has been issued. Most British births are registered within 42 days, and the certificate is usually available the same day or within a few days. The application can proceed once the certificate is in hand. There is no minimum age for a UK passport.

For adopted children, the documents required depend on whether the adoption was domestic or international. Domestic adoptions in the UK use the adoption certificate as the primary identity document. International adoptions require additional evidence of UK recognition of the adoption, which can include a Convention adoption order under the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption or a domestic adoption order made in the UK.

For children born through surrogacy, the legal parents at birth under UK law may differ from the genetic or intended parents. A parental order under section 54 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 transfers parental responsibility to the intended parents. The parental order is the primary document for the child's passport application in these cases.

These complex cases benefit from advice from an OISC-registered adviser or family solicitor before the passport application is submitted. HMPO will not provide legal advice on the underlying parentage question.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is a UK child passport valid?

A UK child passport is valid for five years from the date of issue, compared with ten years for adults. The shorter validity reflects how rapidly children's appearance changes. Once the child reaches 16, the child passport remains valid until its printed expiry date, but the next renewal must be made on the adult application form. Most travel destinations apply the six-month rule, so renewal is advisable when fewer than six to nine months of validity remain.

Do both parents have to sign the application?

Anyone with parental responsibility must consent to the application. In a two-parent family where both parents have parental responsibility, both must consent. The signature on the form represents consent. HMPO may contact the non-applying parent to verify consent. If one parent refuses or cannot be located, the resident parent can apply to the family court for a Specific Issue Order authorising the application without the second consent.

How much does a child passport cost in 2026?

A UK child passport costs £42.50 to apply for online and £53 by post in 2026. The Online Premium one-week service is £155 and the 1-Day Premium service is £200, both available for child renewals only. First-time child applications cannot use the premium tiers because of the identity verification involved. Fees are the same regardless of the child's age, from newborn through to 15.

What photo is needed for a baby's passport?

Babies under one can be photographed lying on a plain white sheet from directly above, with no hands or supports visible. Eyes open is preferred but eyes closed is acceptable for very young infants. Mouth must be closed, with no dummies, toys, or other people in the frame. From age one upward, eyes must be open and the child must be looking at the camera. High-street photo booths handle child photos for a fee of £5 to £10.

Can a UK child passport be renewed early?

Yes. A child passport can be renewed at any point before expiry. Renewal does not add the remaining validity onto the new passport. A passport with three months remaining and renewed today produces a new five-year passport, with the three months effectively lost. For most parents, renewing when six to nine months of validity remain is the right balance between using available validity and avoiding travel issues caused by the six-month rule.

What documents are needed for a child passport application?

For a first application, HMPO requires the child's full birth certificate naming both parents, the parents' supporting identity, a recent compliant photograph, and a countersignature from an eligible professional contact who has known the parent for at least two years. For renewals, the existing passport and a new photograph are usually sufficient. Adopted children, surrogacy births, and changes in parental responsibility need additional supporting documents specific to the family circumstances.

Primary Sources

• GOV.UK Apply for a first child passport: HMPO first-application service
• GOV.UK Renew a child passport: HMPO renewal service
• GOV.UK Photos for passports: child-specific photo rules
• GOV.UK Passport fees: 2026 fee schedule including child rates
• GOV.UK Parental rights and responsibilities under the Children Act 1989
• Children Act 1989 section 8: Specific Issue Orders for passport disputes