For a straightforward adult passport renewal, your old British passport is the main supporting document. The checklist gets longer if you hold another valid passport, are changing your name or have a document that is lost or damaged.
That is why a long list of every possible passport document can be misleading. Start with your circumstances, then follow the instructions for your application. This guide focuses on adults applying from inside the UK.
Begin With the Passport You Are Replacing
Find your old passport before opening the renewal form. Check that it belongs to the current application and that you have not picked up an older cancelled document by mistake.
For standard renewal, HM Passport Office asks for the old passport. A photograph of its identity page is useful for your private records, but it does not replace the passport when the instructions ask you to send it.
Read the official supporting-document requirements alongside the checklist produced during your application.
A Quick Guide to Different Situations
| Your situation | What to prepare |
|---|---|
| Standard adult renewal with unchanged details | The old British passport and the photo required for your application method |
| You also hold another valid national passport | The physical passport or colour copies of every page, following GOV.UK instructions |
| You want a different name in the new passport | Evidence for the relevant type of name change |
| Your British passport is missing or damaged | The replacement route and its instructions |
| You are applying from abroad | The checklist provided by the overseas application service |
The table is a starting point. It should help you find the correct instructions, rather than replace the questions asked by the application service.
If You Have a Valid Passport From Another Country
GOV.UK asks applicants to provide any valid passports held from another country. You can send the physical passport or a colour photocopy of every page, including the blank pages.
The blank-page requirement is easy to miss. Copying just the photo page because it contains the most obvious information does not follow that instruction.
If you choose copies, check them in page order. Make sure page edges and printed details are visible and that no page has been skipped or copied twice. Keep the copies together so they can be matched to the application.
Documents and Photo Files Serve Different Purposes
Your passport photograph is part of the application, but it is not evidence of a name change or a substitute for the old passport.
Online applicants use a digital photo. Paper applicants need two identical printed photos that meet the official rules. Arrange the right type before you start, rather than assuming a printed strip can simply be photographed and uploaded.
Keep the passport photo guidance open if you are unsure what is required. A clear identity document and an acceptable photograph are separate parts of the same application.
Changing Your Name After Marriage or Civil Partnership
If you want the new passport to show the name you use after the ceremony, GOV.UK asks for the marriage or civil partnership certificate. This includes a change to a double-barrelled name.
Check the marriage and civil partnership instructions before applying. There is a separate process for applying in a new name before the ceremony, involving a post-dated passport and an additional form.
Think about travel bookings at the same time. The passport name must match the name used for travel. Arranging a name change without checking an existing booking can leave you with a document and ticket that no longer agree.
Returning to a Previous Surname After Divorce
The official guidance on returning to a previous surname lists several items. These include your birth certificate, a marriage or civil partnership certificate showing both names, evidence that you use the previous surname and a signed statement that you have returned to it for all purposes.
Read the wording carefully before preparing the statement. A divorce document by itself is not the full checklist described on that page.
If you cannot find one of the required certificates, establish how to obtain it before relying on a travel deadline. A short note saying that a document is missing is not automatically an accepted replacement.
Other Changes of Name
For other name changes, the GOV.UK guidance identifies a deed poll, statutory declaration or affidavit as possible evidence. It also asks for proof of previous name changes and evidence that the new name is being used.
Lay the documents out in date order. If your name has changed more than once, check that the evidence explains the steps between the name on your current passport and the name you now want printed.
For instance, a document showing your latest change may refer to a surname that never appeared in your British passport. That gap is worth resolving before you send the application.
Changes That Do Not Normally Need a New Passport
GOV.UK says a new passport is not required simply because you move address, change jobs or make a small change to your appearance, such as growing a beard. Changing marital status while keeping the same name also does not, by itself, require a replacement.
Check the personal-details guidance if you are uncertain. It helps separate a passport change from a change you only need to make in another account or record.
If the Old Passport Is Lost or Damaged
Use the replacement passport guidance. A lost or stolen passport must be cancelled before applying for its replacement. A damaged passport also needs the replacement process.
Do not describe a missing passport as available just to reach the standard renewal questions. The application needs an accurate account of what happened.
If you discover damage while gathering documents, deal with it then. Do not assume that a readable identity page makes every other torn or stained page irrelevant.
Follow the Instructions on Originals and Copies
Different documents have different requirements. The option to copy a foreign passport does not mean copies are acceptable for every supporting document.
For certificates and name-change evidence, follow the instructions about originals and copies given for your application. If those instructions are unclear, ask HM Passport Office before sending an alternative.
Keep private copies of important documents for your own records, but store them securely. Avoid leaving passport scans in a shared downloads folder or sending them to somebody who has no role in the application.
Check the Paperwork Before Posting
Put the requested items beside your application instructions and check them one at a time. Confirm the reference, destination address and any directions about identifying the application.
Keep a note of what is in the envelope and retain your proof of posting. If you paid for a postal service with tracking, keep that reference separately from the passport application reference so you know which one you are using.
Posting an envelope and having the documents recorded against an application are different stages. Use the appropriate tracking service for the question you are trying to answer.
If HM Passport Office Asks for More Evidence
Read the request fully. It may concern one detail, such as a name difference, rather than the whole application.
Respond through the method given and include the reference requested. If you cannot provide an item, explain the problem and ask what evidence can be considered. Do not create a substitute certificate, alter a scan or assume a general document checklist overrides a direct request.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every adult renewal need a birth certificate?
A birth certificate is not listed in the basic supporting-document checklist for an ordinary adult renewal with unchanged details. It can be required in other circumstances, including particular name changes. Follow your own checklist.
Should I send documents that have not been requested?
Prepare and send the evidence requested for your circumstances. Extra unrelated paperwork can make your own records harder to manage and does not replace a missing required item.
Can I send only the used pages of my foreign passport?
The standard renewal guidance asks for colour copies of every page, including blank pages, if you provide copies instead of the physical passport.
What if I am applying outside the UK?
Use the overseas passport service. Supporting-document and delivery instructions can differ by country.
Official Sources
- Adult passport renewal requirements
- Changing passport information
- Marriage and civil partnership name changes
- Returning to a previous surname
- Other name changes
- Lost, stolen or damaged passports
Official information checked on 21 October 2026. This is an independent guide; follow the document instructions provided by HM Passport Office for your application.