First UK Passport Cost 2026: What First-Timers Pay
The fee is the same as a renewal. But first passport applications have extra steps. Here is everything you need to know.
Key fact
A first adult passport costs exactly the same as a renewal: £102 online or £115.50 by post. The fee does not increase because it is your first passport.
First Passport vs Renewal: What Is Different?
| First passport | Renewal | |
|---|---|---|
| Fee (online) | £102 | £102 |
| Countersignature | May be required | Not required |
| Identity interview | Possible | Very rare |
| Documents needed | More extensive | Just current passport |
| Processing time | Up to 10 weeks | Up to 10 weeks |
| Fast track available | Yes (£166.50) | Yes (£166.50) |
When You Need a Countersignature
Not all first-time applicants need a countersignature. HMPO will tell you if one is required after you submit your online application.
Your countersignatory must:
- Have known you personally for at least 2 years
- Hold a current British or Irish passport
- Not be a close relative (parent, sibling, spouse, child, in-law)
- Be aged 18 or over
- Not be living at the same address as you
They sign the back of one of your passport photos and countersign a section of the application confirming your identity. This is done digitally in the online application process.
Documents Needed for a First Adult Passport
- UK birth certificate (short or long form) - or naturalisation or registration certificate if born abroad
- Passport photo (or use gov.uk app photo checker - free)
- National Insurance number (if you have one)
- Parents' details (names, dates of birth, nationalities) for the application form
- Any previous passport (even expired or foreign - speeds up processing)
Step-by-Step: Getting Your First UK Passport
Birth certificate, National Insurance number, any previous passports. If born outside the UK, you may need additional nationality documents.
Use the gov.uk photo checker app on your phone (free) or visit a photo booth (£10-13). See our passport photo cost guide for all options.
Go to gov.uk/apply-first-adult-passport. Complete the form online. Pay £102. If you need a countersignature, the system will tell you and explain the process.
HMPO may contact you to attend a short identity interview. This is not common but more likely for first applications than renewals. It can usually be done by video call.
Standard processing is up to 10 weeks. Use fast track (£166.50) if you have a confirmed travel booking within that window.
First Passport for Children
- Same £66.50 online fee as any child passport renewal
- Countersignature always required for under-16s (unlike adult first passports which only sometimes require one)
- Parent or guardian must apply on the child's behalf
- Apply at gov.uk/get-a-child-passport