By Rosanna Atkinson – Authorized Affiliate
Welcome to our complete guide on making use of in your first British passport from exterior the UK. Acquiring your British passport will solidify your standing as a citizen of the UK, in addition to bestowing you advantages related to a British passport, as was explored in our previous blog. On this article we’ll steer you thru every important step of the British passport software course of. From understanding eligibility standards to gathering required paperwork, confirming your identification, and managing processing instances and costs, we’ll guarantee that you’ve all the mandatory info to navigate the British passport software course of with confidence.
Now we have mentioned in our earlier publish here the steps to comply with after a British Citizenship software has been granted. There are alternative ways to accumulate British Citizenship and these will be by Naturalisation, Registration or Automatic Acquisition.
Who Can Apply for a First British Passport Exterior the UK?
You’ll be able to apply for a primary British passport from exterior the UK if you happen to:
- Have by no means had a British passport earlier than; or
- Have been included as a baby on another person’s passport; or
- Are renewing a passport that’s handwritten; or
- Have change into a British nationwide by naturalisation or registration.
Please additionally see our earlier publish: “How to Apply for a British Passport: Step-by-Step Application Guide” for additional info on eligibility basically for a British passport, potential causes for refusals, and First British Passport Functions for a Youngster (excluding the charges).
Methods to Apply for a British Passport From Abroad
There are alternative ways to use for a British passport from exterior the UK. You’ll be able to apply on-line, or, alternatively, you should use a paper software type, which is known as the OS software type. For some nations you will have to use in individual.
Paperwork Required When Making use of for a British Passport Overseas
The documentation you’ll require will rely in your particular person circumstances. Our immigration barristers can advise you on which paperwork can be relevant in your circumstances. Under is a abstract of the overall paperwork that could be required, however knowledgeable recommendation ought to all the time be sought.
Born earlier than 01/01/83 (if relevant)
- Your beginning/adoption certificates (if relevant)
Born on or after 01/01/83 (if relevant)
- Your ‘full’ beginning certificates or adoption certificates that reveals your mum or dad’s particulars (the ‘short’ model which is issued without cost by the registrar shouldn’t be acceptable) (if relevant)
In case you have naturalised or registered as a British citizen (if relevant)
- Your certificates of naturalisation or registration and the passport that you just used to come back into the UK and any overseas passport you maintain or are included on.
2 current an identical pictures
A full color copy of some other uncancelled passports referring to you
Change of title paperwork (if relevant)
You must present 3 paperwork as proof of your title in present use dated throughout the final yr, and at the very least one of many following for every change of title that has taken place. An inventory of examples will be discovered at Desk D of the “Guidance Applying for a passport from outside the UK: supporting documents (group 3) (accessible)”.
If you’re going again to your maiden or single title, you additionally want to offer all of the next:
- A signed assertion saying that you just now use your maiden title for all functions.
- Your beginning certificates and both:
- A decree absolute displaying each names or;
- A wedding certificates displaying each names.
Id paperwork
You need to present a minimal of three paperwork as proof of title and handle and/or residency. A full checklist of examples will be discovered at Desk A of the “Guidance Applying for a passport from outside the UK: supporting documents (group 3) (accessible)”.
Different paperwork (if relevant)
If you’re making use of from a rustic that isn’t the nation the place you have been born.
You need to present:
- The passport or journey doc that you just used to journey to your nation of residence, and
- An evidence of why you aren’t making use of in your nation of beginning
Paperwork referring to your mum or dad’s standing on the time of your beginning
You need to present:
Proof of your grandparents’ declare to British nationality by offering their beginning certificates and, within the case of grandfathers, the wedding certificates to your grandmother. This doesn’t apply in case your mum or dad’s British nationality is predicated on registration, naturalisation or their immigration standing. In the event you have been born within the UK to settled mother and father, you have to to offer proof of their immigration standing on the time of your beginning.
Confirming Your Id
A countersignatory is somebody who can affirm your identification (and make sure that the {photograph} is you), and make sure the main points in your software are appropriate. They should fill in part 10 of the shape, give their passport quantity, signal the field, and provides their full handle and phone particulars.
The countersignatory should:
- Have recognized you personally for at the very least 2 years (for instance, a good friend, neighbour or colleague, and never somebody who is expounded to you or solely is aware of you professionally);
- Be knowledgeable individual (please see occupations for countersignatories);
- Dwell within the UK;
- Maintain a present British or Irish passport.
The countersignatory should not:
- Be associated to you by beginning or marriage (together with in-laws or companions of members of the family);
- Be in a private relationship with you;
- Dwell at your handle;
- Work for HM Passport Workplace;
- Or be a health care provider or Basic Practitioner (GP), until they state that they know you properly (e.g. good good friend) and that they recognise you simply out of your picture.
Id Interviews
The HM Passport Workplace could ask anybody to attend an identification interview. The interview will help to verify your identification, legitimise your passport software, and cut back identification fraud.
The HM Passport Workplace will contact you if it’s worthwhile to have an identification interview. Their e mail/letter will clarify make an appointment, and provides choices on the place your interview can happen. Interviews will be held within the UK or abroad over a video hyperlink connection. Your interview might be carried out in English and your e mail/letter will give necessary info so you understand what to anticipate and what it’s worthwhile to do subsequent. This contains what it’s worthwhile to deliver reminiscent of any further paperwork.
British Passport Abroad Utility Charges
On the time of writing, the House Workplace charges for a British passport software submitted exterior the UK are as follows:
On-line purposes charges:
- £101.00 for an Grownup (16 and over) customary passport;
- £113.00 for an Grownup or veteran Frequent Traveller Passport;
- £65.50 for a Youngster (below 16) customary passport;
- £77.50 for a Youngster Frequent Traveller Passport.
Postal purposes charges:
- £112.50 for an Grownup (16 and over) customary passport software;
- £124.50 for an Grownup or veteran Frequent Traveller Passport;
- £77.00 for a Youngster (below 16) customary passport;
- £89.00 for a Youngster Frequent Traveller Passport.
These prices could differ relying on which nation you’re making use of from.
Premium providers and quick monitor service charges haven’t been revealed on-line for these making use of exterior the UK.
Fee
The price is about in kilos sterling and payable on the time of making use of. You’ll have to pay a courier price to cowl the price of the return of your new passport and supporting paperwork.
In some nations the place it’s a must to apply in individual, the courier price will cowl the associated fee
of forwarding your software to the UK for processing and the price of returning the brand new passport to an area workplace, so that you can accumulate.
House Workplace Steerage additionally states:
On-line purposes: “by debit or credit card in pounds sterling (HM Passport Office accepts only Mastercard, Visa, Electron, Diners Club and JCB)”
Postal purposes: “by debit or bank card mandate (a mandate – authorisation – form)
In individual purposes: “by debit or credit card mandate except for countries where, due to local laws, customers must pay in cash”. “Customers overseas will use local currency if paying in person. (The pounds sterling fee will be converted to the local currency amount at the exchange rate when the customer applies.)”
Processing Instances for a British Passport Utility Exterior the UK
The processing time begins from the date that the HM Passport Workplace receives the preliminary paperwork requested on the time of your software.
There isn’t any revealed processing time for British passport purposes made exterior the UK. We estimate that the processing time could take anyplace between 4 weeks to 24 weeks, relying on the nation you’re making use of from. An estimation of the processing time needs to be given by the HM Passport Workplace if making use of on-line.
If you’re requested for additional info or paperwork or invited for an identification interview this will delay the method. You have to to ship lacking or further paperwork inside 6 weeks. If you don’t ship the paperwork in 6 weeks your software might be withdrawn and you’ll not be eligible for a refund.
Contact our Immigration Barristers
On this publish we have now highlighted a few of the key elements to notice when making use of for a British passport from exterior the UK.
For knowledgeable recommendation relating to British nationality or help with making a British passport software, contact our immigration barristers on 0203 617 9173 or full our enquiry type under.
