Okay, so I had to renew my UK passport recently, and I thought I’d share my experience since I did it all online. It wasn’t too bad, honestly.
First off, I headed to the official government website. You can find everything you need there regarding overseas passports. It’s laid out pretty simply, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble navigating it.
I needed to renew my adult passport, so I found the section for renewals and started filling out the online application. They ask you for all the usual stuff – personal details, old passport info, and some other bits and bobs. Make sure you have all your details handy; it’ll make things a lot quicker.

Uploading a Photo
- This part was a little tricky. You have to upload a digital photo, and there are a bunch of rules about the size, background, and all that jazz.
- I struggled a bit to get it right, but after a few tries and reading the guidelines a couple of times, I finally got a photo that was accepted. My advice? Take your time with this step.
Payment
Once I filled everything out and double-checked it a million times, I moved on to the payment. It’s all done online, so you’ll need a credit or debit card. The price is listed clearly, so there are no surprises there.
Sending My Old Passport
After paying, I got an email confirming my application and instructions on where to send my old passport. Yeah, you have to send your old one in, even if you’re applying online. I packaged it up securely and sent it off via post. Make sure to follow their instructions on how to send it; otherwise, it might get lost or delayed.
Then came the waiting game. I kept checking my email for updates. They send you a notification when they receive your old passport and another one when your new passport is on its way.
And guess what? My new passport arrived within a couple of weeks! I was pretty stoked. The whole process was way easier than I expected. So, if you’re dreading renewing your UK passport, don’t worry too much. Doing it online is pretty straightforward.