Whilst based overseas, you may need to renew/amend/replace an existing passport. This can be done at most British Consulates. (Please check with the Consulate to confirm that they do issue passports).

Please note: The UK Identity and Passport Service (IPS) deals with all passport applications from British nationals resident in the UK. The relevant forms are available on the Identity and Passport Service website.

If you do not live in the UK you may apply for a passport from your nearest Embassy, Consulate or High Commission. Alternatively you may also apply to the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) in person whilst visiting the UK. In order to do this, you need to make an appointment with IPS in the UK and you must provide an address in the UK to which the passport may be posted. Applicants will have to be available at this address to sign the receipt of the passport. Please note that IPS do not accept applications by post or email if you live abroad.

The forms are provided in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). To open them on screen and print them out, the Adobe Acrobat Reader is required (version 4 or above) which can be downloaded free of charge from the Adobe website.

Once you have printed out and completed the forms, please initial each page in the box provided. Your application will not be accepted if you do not do so. The form should be submitted, together with your old passport, two passport-sized photographs and fee, to the nearest British Consulate. The fee for the passport is payable in local currency at the time of application. Our consular staff aim to renew passports in ten working days.

Where an applicant is unable to write, a thumbprint in the signature box of the application form may be accepted, providing a letter confirming the reason(s) the applicant is unable to sign/write is submitted from a responsible person, i.e. relative, Doctor, countersignatory etc. The countersignature is not required to witness the thumbrpint.

Applications for renewal of a passport require a letter confirming the reason(s) the applicant is unable to sign/write.

The application forms are found on the How to apply for your first British Passport page on our website.