Passport fees increase

Passport fees have increased by £5.50 for a standard adult passport application and £3.00 for a standard child passport application. Fees for all Fast Track and Premium applications will increase by £15.50.

The new fees apply to all applications received on or after 3 September 2009. 

Passport essentials

If you need to renew your passport urgently, IPS offers a fast-track one-week service and a premium one-day service. You should make an appointment for either of these services by calling our adviceline on 0300 222 0000.

If you need more information about passports go to the travel and transport section of Directgov. Whether you need a passport renewal or want to apply for your first or for a child's - or wish to find out what to do if you are changing your name, reporting a stolen or lost passport or are interested in obtaining a collective passport for a group of people going on a trip together; you'll find what you want on Directgov. Links are available on this page.

Passports in their historical context

The idea of a passport has existed since people began to travel from one country to another. In the United Kingdom, the origin of the passport is the 'Safe Conduct', which was, at first, little more than a note signed by the king or queen asking that the person who held it be allowed to travel freely. Safe Conducts were issued to people of all nationalities and were mentioned in an Act of Parliament in the reign of King Henry V in 1414.

The first United Kingdom passport was issued in 1915 when the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act came into force. It was a one-page document folded into eight, with a cardboard cover. It contained a photo and signature, together with details of the holder. Some might say these details were overly personal: it would give the size of a person's nose and eyes (small, large) as well as their forehead (broad, narrow) and also describe their complexion.

After the First World War, the 32-page blue British passport came into use - and with it, the modern British passport service.

When the blue UK passports were phased out and the the burgundy ones were introduced in 1988, these mentioned the European Community (EC) - but they were still UK passports, not 'European'. They were also machine-readable. Information on a strip within the passport could be read electronically and validity checked on the spot. This innovation aided faster progress through border controls. The passport has a traditional role as a document of national identity, as well as an aid to travel.