Renew a British passport: prepare the supporting documents
For a standard adult British passport renewal from within the UK, prepare your old passport and the required evidence for any other valid passports you hold. Choose the online or paper route, then follow the application’s document-return instructions.
Check the adult renewal overview before collecting paperwork. This guide concerns applying from within the UK. Overseas applications, changes to personal details and lost or damaged passports have separate instructions.
Choose the route before making copies
| Route | What to prepare |
|---|---|
| Online renewal | Old passport, digital photograph and payment card |
| Paper renewal | Official application pack and two new identical printed photographs |
| Another valid nationality passport | The physical passport or colour copies of every page, including blanks, as instructed |
The renewal page also explains how to handle a previous passport containing an unexpired visa. Do not discard it while organising the replacement.
Assemble the application
- Check the destination’s entry requirements against the passport’s expiry date.
- Follow the renewal route that matches your circumstances. Obtain the paper pack through an official route if applying on paper.
- Prepare the required photo in the format for that route. A passport scan is not the application portrait.
- Complete the application, then follow its instructions for sending the old passport and any additional evidence.
- Retain the reference and dispatch details before posting documents.
Keep originals and personal copies distinct
Make any reference copies before sending documents away. Keep all page edges and text readable, and label a personal copy by document and date rather than placing the passport number in its filename.
If you use PDF conversion to organise permitted personal reference scans, its output is an image-based copy. It does not create a certified document or replace the originals required for renewal. Keep the application photo and the passport-page scans in separate files to avoid attaching the wrong image.
The new passport has a different number. Update your stored reference after it arrives and follow the official advice about making travel bookings. For copy storage, see keeping UK documents safely on your phone.
Questions about British passport renewal
Is this the process for a lost passport?
No. GOV.UK provides a separate lost, stolen or damaged passport route. Select that route before assembling documents.
Must blank pages of another valid passport be copied?
The standard renewal guidance asks for a colour copy of every page, including blank pages, or the physical passport. Follow your application’s instructions.
Does a PDF of my old passport replace the passport?
No. A personal PDF helps with reference and organisation. Supply the old passport and other evidence in the required form.