Immigration Corner | Who and what is needed to obtain a first adult UK passport

Dear Mr Bassie,

Please let me know what the eligibility is and how I would go about applying for my first British adult passport.

Thanks in advance.

KH

Dear KH,

Persons can apply for their first British adult passport if they are a British national; they are age 16 or over, or will be in three weeks when applying; and if they have never had a United Kingdom (UK) passport before.

Persons must also apply if their last UK passport was issued before January 1, 1994; and it should be noted that persons can use their child passport until it expires, even if they are over 18 years old.

Persons should first check how long it will take to get a passport before applying. If a passport is needed urgently for medical treatment or because a friend or family member is seriously ill or has died, persons are advised to call the Passport Adviceline. It is not advisable to book travel until the applicant is in receipt of the passport.

WAYS TO APPLY

Applicants who are in the UK can either apply online – it costs £88.50; or apply with a paper form – it costs £100. Please note that there is a different way to apply if the applicant is overseas.

Persons who have a non-British passport, that is, those persons who have dual citizenship (‘dual nationality’) and have a non-British passport, the name and gender on the non-British passport must match the name and gender on the British passport. If they are different, persons should change the details on their non-British passport before applying for a new British passport.

DOCUMENTS NEEDED TO APPLY

When applying, persons must send the original documents as photocopies are not accepted.

Please note, if persons do not have the original certificates (for example, their birth certificate), they will need to get an official copy. If the documents are not in English or Welsh, they will need to send a certified translation. Please be aware that laminated documents can be sent if that is the only format in which they are issued.

If the applicant was born or adopted in the UK, the documents needed will depend on when they were born.

If born before January 1, 1983, those persons will need their full birth certificate or adoption certificate.

Those persons born on or after January 1, 1983 will need their full birth certificate or adoption certificate and either:

* Their mother’s or father’s full UK birth certificate,

* Or the Home Office certificate of registration or naturalisation,

* Or a British passport belonging to one of their parents that was valid when they were born,

* Or a British passport number for either parent;

* Or evidence of one of their parents’ immigration statuses in the UK at the time of their birth, for example, a foreign passport belonging to one of the parents that was valid when the applicant was born.

Please note that if sending documents relating to the father, persons must also send their parents’ marriage certificate.

PERSONS BORN OUTSIDE THE UK

Those persons who were born outside the UK, the documents needed will depend on their circumstances.

Persons who have a certificate of naturalisation or registration will need both their naturalisation or registration certificate and the passport used to enter into the UK, or the foreign passport on which they are included.

Citizen of a British overseas territory and born before January 1, 1983 will need all of the following – their birth certificate; their current passport; and the passport used to enter into the UK, or the foreign passport on which they are included.

Persons born before January 1, 1983 and whose father was born in the UK will need all of the following:

• Their full birth certificate showing your parents’ details;

• Their father’s birth certificate;

• Their parents’ marriage certificate;

• The passport they use to enter into the UK or foreign passport on which they are included.

Persons born on or after January 1, 1983 will need all of the following:

• Their full birth certificate showing their parents’ details;

• The passport they used to enter into the UK or any foreign passport that they are included on;

• Evidence of one parent’s British nationality, for example, their UK birth or adoption, naturalisation or registration certificate.

If these documents relate to their father, they must include the marriage certificate showing when he married their mother.

If the circumstances are not listed, please read the guidance booklet to find out what documents will be needed. If applying online, persons will be told what documents they need as part of their application.

Just for completeness, please be advised that the supporting documents will be returned separately from the passport. How they are returned will depend on the delivery option chosen when filling in the application.

I hope this helps.

John S. Bassie is a barrister/attorney-at-law who practises law in Jamaica. He is a justice of the peace, a Supreme Court-appointed mediator, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a chartered arbitrator, the past global president of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and a member of the Immigration Law Practitioners Association (UK). Email: lawbassie@yahoo.com