UK Publishes Official Cost of 5-Year British Passport for Applicants

• The UK government published the official cost of applying for a child's British passport in 2026, with prices varying by application method
• A child passport is valid for five years, and someone with parental responsibility must be the one to apply
• Parents who cannot provide the other parent's details during the application must explain why before the process can proceed

The UK government has published the official cost of obtaining a British passport for children under 16, with the price depending on how the application is submitted.

According to guidance on the UK government's official website, applying online costs £66.50 (roughly ₦138,000), while applying through a paper form obtained from the Post Office costs £80 (roughly ₦166,000).

All child passports issued under this process are valid for five years.

Who can apply for a UK child passport?

Only a person with parental responsibility for the child is permitted to make the application. During the process, both parents' details must be provided.

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Where one parent's details cannot be supplied, the applicant must explain the reason. Acceptable reasons include being the sole parent named on the birth certificate or having adopted the child independently.

UK child passport: What parents need to know before applying

The type of application depends on the child's current situation. Parents applying for the first time will need to apply for a first child passport.

Those whose child already holds a British passport should follow the renewal process. If a passport has been lost, stolen, or damaged, separate replacement applications apply. Where personal details on an existing passport have changed, a new passport must be applied for.

For children who are over 16 or who will turn 16 within three weeks, the applicable process shifts to either adult passport renewal or a first adult passport application, depending on whether the child previously held a British passport.

The UK government advises parents to check processing times before applying and warns against booking travel until a valid passport is in hand. For urgent cases, two faster services are available: the Online Premium service and the one-week Fast Track option.

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There are also separate rules for those applying from outside the United Kingdom.

Legit.ng reported that the UK published the official cost of its 10-year British passport for applicants.

In a related story, Legit.ng reported that the UK had overhauled its settlement rules and introduced a 10-year wait for permanent residency.

People eligible for free UK passport application

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the UK shared a category of people who can apply for its passport free of charge.

For most applicants, a fee is required whether they apply online or submit a paper form.

However, individuals born on or before 2 September 1929 are not required to pay anything when applying for a UK passport.

Source: Legit.ng