“Oh no! My passport is running out but I can’t go back to the UK for ages!”

Relax! Renewing your UK passport from the United States is straightforward and you can do it online here.

What you Need

• Your current passport
• A digital passport photo (check the official government guidance to make sure that it complies)
• A credit/debit card
• Access to a printer

If you’ve changed your name e.g. through marriage you will need other documents e.g. your marriage and birth certificates.

What are the Rules for Passport Photos?

Your photo must be:

• clear and in focus
• in colour
• unaltered by computer software
• at least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall
• at least 50KB and no more than 10MB

It also must:

• contain no other objects or people
• be taken against a plain light-coloured background
• be in clear contrast to the background
• not have ‘red eye’
• If you’re using a photo taken on your own device, include your head, shoulders and upper body. Do not crop your photo—it will be done for you

In your photo you must:

• be facing forwards and looking straight at the camera
• have a plain expression and your mouth closed
• have your eyes open and visible
• not have hair in front of your eyes
• not have a head covering (unless it’s for religious or medical reasons)
• not have anything covering your face
• not have any shadows on your face or behind you

What now?

Just create an account, fill in your details and upload your photo. You’ll then need to pay a fee (right now, it’s just north of £100 when outside of the UK, including postage).

You will then be sent details about where to mail your old passport, with a return label to print.

Tip: because you’re posting internationally, we advise that you consider using trackable mail for security.

How long will it take for my new passport to arrive?

It can take a while—some have reported up to 10 weeks—to receive your shiny new passport, not including postage time, and there have been recent tales of passports taking even longer to arrive.

You can track your application status online through the account you created to renew your passport.

I can’t wait for a new passport, I have an emergency!

If you need to travel urgently, you might be able to apply for an emergency travel document instead. Check with your nearest UK embassy or consulate.

For full details and any updates, always check the UK Government Passport Renewal website.