UK child passport application
British children have the same right as adults to hold a passport as proof of identity and a travel document, but the application process differs. In this article, we explain how to apply for a UK passport for a child, what you need, and how to make the process easier.
Table of contents
- Ways to apply for your child's passport in the UK
- Have someone confirm your child's identity
- UK child passport photo requirements
- Get photos for UK child passports online
Ways to apply for your child's passport in the UK
You can apply for a child's passport online through GOV.UK's child passport service or by post. The child passport route is for children under 16; someone with parental responsibility must make the application.
Apply online
Complete the application, upload a digital photo and pay by credit or debit card. A standard child passport application made from within the UK costs £66.50 online.
You will then be told which supporting documents to send and where to send them. Applying online does not mean uploading scans of all your documents: send the originals or official copies of certificates requested by HM Passport Office, not ordinary or certified photocopies. Follow the checklist issued for your child's application.
Apply by post
Get a paper application form from a Post Office that offers Passport Check and Send, or ask the Passport Adviceline to send you one. The standard postal application fee is £80; Check and Send has a separate service charge.
For a first child passport, complete sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 9. For a renewal, complete sections 1, 2, 3, 4 and 9, plus any other sections relevant to your circumstances. The parent or other person with parental responsibility signs section 9. A child aged 12 to 15 also signs section 6. When a countersignature is needed, an eligible countersignatory completes section 10 and certifies one of the child's two photos.
Send the form, photos and supporting documents in the pre-printed envelope supplied with the form, or take them to a participating Post Office for Check and Send.
Have someone confirm your child's identity
A first child passport application needs someone to confirm the child's identity. For an online child passport renewal, this is required when the child is under 12. Postal renewals need a countersignature if the child is under 12, or if an older child cannot be recognised from their existing passport photo.
For an online application, the person confirming the child's identity must:
- Be aged 18 or over;
- Live in the UK;
- Hold a current UK or Irish passport;
- Have known the adult making the application for at least two years;
- Know that adult personally as a friend, neighbour or colleague, not only through a professional relationship;
- Work in, or be retired from, a recognised profession, such as a teacher, nurse, accountant or solicitor.
They cannot be related to you by birth or marriage, be your partner or live at your address. HM Passport Office staff and UKVI staff working on citizenship or right-of-abode applications are excluded. A doctor can only confirm your identity if they know you well personally. These are the official online identity-confirmation rules.
After you submit and pay for the application, HM Passport Office emails the person you nominate. They confirm the child's identity online; they do not sign a printed photograph.
For a postal application, the countersignatory must:
- Have known the adult signing the form for at least two years and be able to identify them;
- Be a person of good standing in the community, or work in or be retired from a recognised profession;
- Live in the UK and hold a current British or Irish passport if the application is made in the UK;
- Not be related to you, be your partner or live at the same address.
For applications made outside the UK, the countersignatory can hold a current British, Irish, other EU, US or Commonwealth passport. If they use a US, Commonwealth or non-British or non-Irish EU passport, include a colour photocopy of its photo page. This overseas rule does not replace the British-or-Irish passport requirement for applications made in the UK.
Documents required to apply for a child's UK passport
The online service gives you a document checklist for your application. For a first child passport application by post, you will normally need:
- Two identical photos of your child that meet the requirements;
- The child's full birth or adoption certificate, including the parents' details;
- Evidence of British nationality, such as a British registration certificate, a parent's passport details or a parent's birth certificate, as appropriate;
- Any valid foreign passports held by the child;
- Any relevant court orders, for example those concerning parental responsibility or living arrangements.
Renewals have a different checklist: send the child's old passport and any relevant court orders. For a valid foreign passport held by the child, the renewal guidance allows either the passport itself or colour photocopies of every page, including blank pages. Follow the instructions issued for your application rather than using the first-passport checklist for a renewal.
UK child passport photo requirements
Postal applications need printed photos; online applications need a digital photo. The formats differ, but many of the rules about appearance and image quality are the same. HM Passport Office's photo standards cover both formats, including how upload warnings and children's age exceptions are assessed.
Printed photo requirements
- Submit two identical colour photos, each 35 mm wide and 45 mm high;
- The standard head-height measurement, from the crown to the chin, is 29 to 34 mm;
- Use a plain cream or light grey background;
- Print to a professional standard on plain white photographic paper, without a border;
- Keep both sides free of creases, tears and marks, except for the certification on the back of one photo when required.
Digital photo requirements
- The image must be at least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels high;
- The file must be at least 50 KB and no larger than 10 MB.
An automatic photo warning is not a final rejection. Read the reason given and compare it with the age exceptions below. For example, babies under one do not need to have their eyes open. If a warning concerns a permitted exception and the service offers the option, you can submit the photo with an explanation for examiner review. HM Passport Office makes the final decision; submitting an explanation does not guarantee acceptance. If the image is blurred or your child's face is obscured, choose another photo rather than relying on an exception.
Check the image edges for white, grey or black bars at the top, bottom or sides. These strips are not acceptable in digital passport photos. Since 8 December 2025, HM Passport Office no longer accepts the former child-photo exception for a white strip along the bottom, even if it does not cover the child's face. Supply a photo without these edge bars.
General baby passport photo requirements
- The photo must have been taken within the last month;
- The background must be plain and light-coloured;
- The child must stand out clearly against the background;
- Avoid glasses unless the child needs to wear them. Frames must not cover the eyes, and there must be no glare or shadows on the lenses. Sunglasses and tinted lenses are not permitted;
- Head coverings are allowed for religious or medical reasons, but the child's full face must remain visible;
- The photo must be sharp and in focus, with balanced lighting and natural colour;
- There must be no shadows on the face or behind the head;
- Red-eye is not acceptable;
- The child must be alone in the picture, without toys or a dummy;
- Children under six do not have to look directly at the camera or have a neutral expression;
- Babies under one do not have to have their eyes open;
- Older children must look straight at the camera with a neutral expression, their mouth closed and their eyes open.
Here is an example:
Get a photo for a UK child's passport application online
Taking a passport photo of a baby can be difficult enough without trying to get the size, crop and background right at the same time. With Visafoto, you can take the photo at home, at a time that suits your child, and prepare the file without a trip to a studio.
For a newborn or wriggly baby, take several shots rather than trying to get everything right on the first attempt. You could take 20 to 60 photos during a short, comfortable session, then choose the clearest suitable frame. This is a practical suggestion, not an official requirement. If your baby blinks or turns away, you can check the other shots before starting again. Remember that UK rules allow babies under one to have their eyes closed, so you do not need to keep waking a sleeping newborn just for the photo.
Upload your chosen photo and select the UK child passport format. Visafoto adjusts the size and framing, can replace the background, and improves lighting, contrast and resolution. You do not need professional equipment or a finished passport-photo backdrop for the source image.
Take the photo with a smartphone or camera. Keep your child's face clearly visible and leave space around their head and shoulders. For more practical advice, read our guide to taking a baby passport photo at home.
Here is an example of a source photo:
Choose the output for your application: a digital file for an online application, or a printable template for the required 35 × 45 mm photos if you are applying by post.
Here are examples of the results:
For an older child, preparing the photo in advance means one less task when you are ready to apply. Take the photo at home, prepare it through Visafoto, then either upload the digital file or have the template printed at a photo lab. For postal applications, print at the paper size shown on the template without resizing it, and check that each finished photo measures 35 × 45 mm. Prepare two identical prints and arrange the countersignature if required before posting the application or visiting a Post Office for Check and Send. See our guide to printing passport-sized photos in the UK.
If you are unsure whether a shot is suitable, contact Visafoto support for help with your order and an explanation of what needs attention. Support is available 24/7. Visafoto reports an overall photo acceptance rate of 99.7%. If HM Passport Office rejects a photo purchased from Visafoto, you can request a 100% refund.
Last updated: 6 October 2026.