Useful Information
- General information
- It's best not to book to go abroad until you have a passport!
- To get a passport application completed on the same day you must be seen before 16:00 in London, 13:30 in Liverpool, 13:00 in Peterborough, 12:30 in Glasgow and Newport and 12.00 in Belfast and Durham. However, I went to Liverpool and they told me it was 15:00 there� On Saturdays the service is available to applicants with appointments (or cancellations) before 11:00.
- You can arrive at a passport office and wait for a cancellation instead of making an appointment.
- The same day premium passport service is not available for damaged passports. Just ask for a renewal.
- A driver's license will get you on domestic flights and as far as the Channel Islands (but that's it).
- A form will not be processed if it is filled out incorrectly.
- You have to go through a metal detector to get in to the passport offices.
- Only an original form from a post office, etc will be processed.
- First Passports
- The quickest way to receive a first passport is through the two week Check & Send service at post offices.
- Child passports
- You can get a one week fast track service for all child passports.
- The premium one day service is only available for renewals of child passports.
- If you are applying for a child passport (15 or under) and the child is likely to turn 16 during the process, apply for an adult passport.
- Child passports and restricted validity passports can be extended for free but this cannot be done on the one day premium service.
- Child passports are slightly cheaper.
- Damaged Passports
- If the underside of the passport picture is very visible it is unlikely you will be able to fly on it. (Some glue might get you through passport control if you are desperate!)
- Temporary passports cannot be issued by the police (or anyone else as far as I know) if a passport is lost or stolen.
- Collection by someone other than yourself
- If you want someone to collect your passport for you, they must provide evidence of their identity and a signed letter from you giving them permission to collect your passport. If the application is for a child, the person who has signed the section 9 of the form must sign the letter.
- If you can't attend an appointment, someone else can submit your completed application if they have evidence of their identity and a signed letter from you giving them permission to submit the application on your behalf.
