Newborn Passport UK: How to Get Your Baby’s First Passport

For a baby’s first British passport, apply online through GOV.UK once you have the full birth or adoption certificate. It costs £66.50 in the UK as checked on 21 September 2026. You need a digital baby photo, someone eligible to confirm the applying adult’s identity, and the original supporting documents requested by the application. HM Passport Office says UK applications usually arrive within three weeks after it receives the documents, but it can take longer.

The difficult part of a newborn passport is rarely the online form. It is discovering halfway through that you have the short birth certificate, the baby photo includes your hand, or the friend you chose to confirm your identity has gone on holiday. Sort those three things first and the rest becomes a manageable sequence. Here is the UK route for a baby who has never had a British passport.

Before you start: is this the right passport?

A newborn cannot travel abroad on a parent’s passport. If this is the child’s first British passport, use the first child passport application on GOV.UK. A child passport lasts five years. A parent or another person with parental responsibility makes the application.

The child must have British nationality. Being born in the UK alone does not always settle that question; it depends on the parents’ circumstances. If you are unsure, use the GOV.UK citizenship checker before paying. The steps and prices below are for applying from inside the UK; applications from abroad have a different route and fees.

Put these four things beside you

• The baby’s full birth or adoption certificate. “Full” means the version showing the parent details, not the short extract. Keep the original or an official certificate copy ready to send; an ordinary photocopy is not accepted.
• Details of both parents, and the documents or reference numbers the online service asks for to establish the baby’s British nationality. The exact list appears during the application, so follow that list rather than a generic internet checklist.
• A digital photo of the baby. You can take one with a phone or use a shop that supplies a digital photo code.
• The name and email address of a suitable person to confirm identity, plus a debit or credit card to pay the fee.

Find the full certificate before making travel plans. The online service will tell you which original documents to post after you submit; uploading a photo is not the same as uploading every supporting document.

Take the baby photo without a wrestling match

Lay the baby on a plain light-coloured sheet and take the photo from directly above. Use even light, fill the frame with the baby rather than the room, and check that no adult hand, dummy or toy appears. GOV.UK’s digital photo rules say babies under one do not need their eyes open. They also do not need the adult-style neutral expression.

Take several frames while the baby is settled, then pick one that is sharp, evenly lit and a good likeness. Do not use a filter, retouch the background or crop a phone photo before the application asks you to: GOV.UK says its service will crop a photo taken on your device. For a digital file, the official minimum is 600 by 750 pixels and the allowed file size is 50KB to 10MB. The baby’s face should be clear even if their eyes are closed.

If the baby cannot sit up, that is normal; the sheet-on-the-floor method is the official suggestion, not a workaround. A professional shop is an option if you keep getting blur or shadows, but it is not compulsory.

Apply online in five clear steps

1. Open the first child passport page on GOV.UK and start the online application. Enter the child’s details and the parents’ details exactly as the certificates show them.
2. Add the digital baby photo or the photo code from a shop. Pay the £66.50 UK online fee for a standard child passport.
3. After submitting, nominate your identity confirmer. HM Passport Office emails them a link; for an online application they answer online and do not sign the printed photo.
4. Send the original documents or official certificate copies the application tells you to send. Do not send a laminated certificate or an ordinary photocopy.
5. Save your application reference, watch for messages, and track the application. The passport and your supporting documents can arrive separately.

The person who confirms identity must have known the adult making the child’s application for at least two years, live in the UK, be 18 or over, hold a current UK or Irish passport and work or have retired from a recognised profession. They cannot be a relative, partner or housemate. Check the full GOV.UK eligibility list before you enter their email, then ask them to look out for the message. The baby does not need to have known an accountant since birth.

Cost and timing: what you can actually plan around

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These are the published UK fees checked on 21 September 2026; check them again at application time. The five-year child-passport expiry is easy to forget once that first trip is over, so look at it again before the next booking.

HM Passport Office says you will usually receive a UK passport within three weeks, but it can take longer if more information is needed. Crucially, the processing time starts when the office receives your supporting documents, not when you first open the online form. The safest holiday plan is to have the passport in hand before booking travel.

If the trip is close

A first child passport is eligible for the 1-week Fast Track service, which currently costs £156.50 for a standard child passport and requires an appointment. The 1-day Premium service is only for eligible adult renewals, not a newborn’s first passport. If you already applied and the clock is making you nervous, track the existing application and contact the Passport Adviceline. GOV.UK says a second Fast Track application will not get an existing application finished sooner.

Three questions parents usually hit at midnight

Can a newborn have a passport photo with closed eyes?

Yes. GOV.UK says children under one do not have to have their eyes open. The photo still needs a clear likeness, even light, a plain background and no other person or object visible.

Do I need a long birth certificate?

For a first child passport, use the full birth or adoption certificate with the parent details. The online application gives the exact document list for your case. Send originals or official certificate copies, not an ordinary photocopy.

Does my baby need to know the person confirming their identity?

No. For an online child application, the confirmer must have known the adult making the application for at least two years and meet the other GOV.UK eligibility rules.

Once the passport is in your hand, the paperwork becomes a smaller part of the adventure. Our flying with kids guide covers the airport and plane day, and Canary Islands family comparison can help if you are still deciding where the first trip should be.