You need to submit your current valid or recently expired passport. It is not possible to renew your passport without sending it in with the application.
Do I need to send in my old UK passport when renewing? To answer this common question, yes, you will need to send in your old British passport when you renew it. This is done so that Her Majesty's Passport office can officially verify your details and compare them against your online passport renewal forms.
If you are renewing your passport on your own, you wouldn't need to send it the two letters or authorization unless another third-party was submitting documents on your behalf. You'd need the rest of the documents. And you'd also have to wait a lot longer than our quickest turnaround time of one business day.
The current process for British passport renewal requires the applicant to submit all passports, including those issued by foreign countries.
If you are applying with a digital application, you will still need to send supporting documents by post. If you fail to send your expired passport, your application is likely to be rejected, so make sure you do so in good time.
Passports are currently not recyclable. The UK Passport office states that once sent back to them, they will be 'appropriately disposed of'. It's unclear what this actually means however it's likely to be that the passports are incinerated and/or sent to landfill securely due to the materials they are made of.
Currently, a UK passport renewal takes approximately 3 – 4 weeks to process and first-time British passports take approximately 4 -6 weeks. Don't book any travel until you have a valid UK passport.
Unless you have another valid passport (i.e. issued by another country), you will not be able to leave the U.K. during the period the renewal is processing as you will not hold a valid passport.
Once you have a British passport, the renewal is relatively easy, compared to getting a new passport for the first time. You won't need any documents to renew your passport digitally, but you will need a current photograph of yourself, a credit or debit card, and your current passport.
The fastest way to renew a passport in the UK is to use the Online Premium service, which can get you a new passport in just 2 (two) days, after a Passport Office appointment lasting just 30 minutes. Take a passport photo online!
Mailing Requirements
All Acceptance Facilities must use USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate envelopes (EP14F) OR USPS Priority Mail Express Flat Rate envelopes (EP13F) when mailing passport applications to the Department of State. No other form of trackable mail will be allowed for mailing passport applications.
The cancelled passport will be sent separately from the renewed one. Because they are sent separately, the two documents usually arrive on different days. If the renewed passport arrives first, don't get anxious about getting the old passport back. It should arrive within a day or two.
Don't do it 'recorded delivery' as that is standard first or second class post with a signature, which you can get tracked, however, postmen don't always get a signature, some of them just pop it through the letterbox.
All passports will be returned by post. Please ensure that you include a stamped, self-addressed envelope with your application (minimum first class large letter stamp). It is recommended that you submit a registered envelope and note the tracking number, which can be tracked on the Royal Mail website.
Digital identity confirmation
In a significant development for HMPO, the new service removes the need for users to get the back of their photo signed by a friend or colleague (countersigning an application).
Answer: As an American citizen, you are now required to leave and return to the United States with a valid U.S. passport. You cannot travel while your U.S. passport application is still in pending or in process. The only way you can get a passport issued sooner is by applying in person at a regional agency.
Processing times in the UK
Allow up to 10 weeks to receive your passport. There are different turnaround times if you're applying from another country.
It costs £75.50 to renew or replace your passport if you apply online or £85 if you fill in a paper form. You must be aged 16 or over (or turning 16 in the next 3 weeks) to get an adult passport.
Unless you have a second UK passport, you have to apply for UK passport renewal before the expiry of its validity period otherwise you will not be allowed to travel abroad. It should be noted here that there is no particular time at which your passport needs to be renewed, you can renew your UK passport anytime.
At the time of renewing your passport, you're supposed to submit your old passport with the other supporting documents for processing. Your old passport will then be stamped as “cancelled” and returned back along with the new passport.
“Not the case for passports! Hold on to your canceled passport and store it in a safe place. It should be kept in a different location than your valid passport. Even though you can't use your old passport for travel, it's still a useful document.”
Is FedEx or UPS a good option? Answer: You are strongly encouraged to mail your passport application and any personal documents using a traceable delivery method. This will minimize the risk of your documents getting lost.
All you have to do is get a passport application form from a Post Office branch that offers them, fill it out at home and bring it, along with any supporting documents and a compliant passport photo reel, and the Post Office check and send service will do the rest for you!