Having an adult passport is extremely essential in facilitating ease of travel across different countries, either for work or pressure. Individuals wishing to go anywhere outside the U.K cannot leave home without a passport. Moreover, a passport can be serve such other purposes as a primary ID incase one loses their driver’s license. For one to be eligible for application of a first adult passport, they must be aged 16 or above and be either of the following:
- A British citizen
- A British subject
- A British citizen in overseas territories
- A British protected person
- A British national residing overseas
It usually takes approximately 6 weeks for one to acquire first adult passport in the UK. One must however send original document proving their identity as part of the application. The documents to be sent will necessarily be determined by an individual’s specific circumstances. For instance, individuals born or adopted in the U.K before January 1983 are required to supply their birth or adoption certificate and either of the following:
- Either of their parent’s UK birth certificate, either of their parent’s British passport and Home Office certificate of naturalisation/registration.
- Evidence of their either of their parent’s immigration status in the UK at the time of birth of the applicant.
For individuals who were born outside the UK, they must send their certificate of naturalisation or registration, as well as the passport they used to come into the UK. On the other hand, the citizens of a British overseas territory who were born before January 1983 must send the passport they used to come into the UK, their current passport and their birth certificate.
Moreover, UK citizens born before January 1983, whose father as born in the UK must send the passport they used to come into the UK and the following:
- Their full birth certificate evidencing their parents’ details
- Their father’s birth certificate
- Their parent’s marriage certificate
Finally, for the individuals who were born on or after 1st January 1983, they must provide their birth certificates showing their parents’ details and the passport they used to come into the UK. They must also send evidence of either of their parent’s British nationality. Original copies of the above stated documents must be supplied; photocopies or certified copies are not acceptable.
A standard first adult passport or renewal costs 72.50 Euros or 82.25 Euros if the applicant applies through the Post Office’s Passport Check and Send service. It takes approximately 3 weeks to get the passport. One may however opt to use a different service like the BritishPassportsUK in the event that they urgently require a UK adult passport. They charge 128 Euros for a 32 page passport and 137 Euros for a 44 Page passport.
After the application process, the applicants are summoned through writing by Her Majesty’s Passport Office for an interview. During this interview taking about 30 minutes, the applicants are required to give facts about themselves. Subsequently, their passport is sent either by courier or Royal Mail Recorded Delivery.
