How to Obtain a British Passport When Abroad – Contacting the Local Embassies
| January 22, 2014 | Posted by admin under UK Passport |
Whether an individual has lost their passport while traveling overseas or they simply need a new one after living abroad for so long, obtaining a British passport when not currently inside the United Kingdom or one of its territories does require a little bit of additional work. However, there is always a way to obtain such a passport, and while it does require more time and work, it is possible.
The best way for any individual to obtain a British passport overseas is by heading over to the Overseas Passport website, provided by the British government. The website requests what country the individual currently is in. Then, there are a series of questions after the country is selected, including if an individual is renewing, replacing or applying for a passport for the very first time. Depending on the answer, the requirements change slightly.
British Embassy
Below are some situations that one may have to handle while being abroad:
Renewing Passport
There are three different passports the United Kingdom has provided in the past, and it is easily identifiable through the color of the cover. These three passports are red, blue and black. When renewing a red passport, it is necessary to download the application provided on the website, check the size of the required passport (32 or 48 pages) and provide the required payment. The total fee, including a courier fee, is going to be 151.01 pounds for the 32 page passport, and 177.51 pounds for the 48 pages passport. The information and payment can then be dropped off or mailed to the British embassy of the nation the individual currently is located in. The process is slightly less expensive and doesn’t take as long if the material is directly handed to the embassy, although this does require the individual to personally deliver the material themselves. The individual must also provide two identical passport photographs for the processing.
For a black or blue passport (for someone born in a different country), it is necessary to select the country of birth on the Overseas British Passport website, then download the provided application and pay the necessary fees. The fees are the same, but the processing time does change, depending on the country of birth. Passport photographs must come with the application fee and documentation, and this can take up to 6 weeks to complete the process. Again, directly delivering the material to the local British embassy does reduce the waiting time slightly, but for a black or blue passport, the time is significantly extended (the processing time for a traditional red passport only takes about four weeks).
Applying for First UK Passport
For any individual applying for their first passport, it is going to depend on their country of birth. The country of birth is going to alter the color of the passport, but the processing time can take up to 6 weeks for all locations. The application and courier fees are the same and the application is available directly through the Overseas British Passport website. Applications for all forms of renewal and first time passports are also available directly through British embassies. Two identical passport photographs are also required, and while the rates are charged in British pounds, it is also possible to pay in US dollars, with the price converted over to pounds at the time of payment. For this conversion, credit cards are more desirable. Credit cards accepted include Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club, Electron and JCB.
Replacing Lost/Stolen Passport
While traveling, it is possible to lose a passport. When this happens, it is always important to have backup documentation, which is why photocopying the passport documentation, pages, visas and all other information inside the passport is very important, as it is going to help with travel needs while waiting for the replacement to arrive. The replacement passport does take around six weeks from the time Her Majesty’s Passport Office receives it in the UK. For anyone who has lost the passport or had it stolen, it is necessary to fill out form LS01. This can be completed before hand or provided with the application. The application for replacing the passport is available through the Overseas British Passport website. The cost for replacing the passport is the same as above and it is necessary to provide two identical passport photographs. If it is an emergency, it is possible to have the process expedited at the local British embassy, although there are many variables that might come up during this process, including the country the individual is currently in and the timeline for their travel arrangements.
For cases mentioned above, where passport services for UK citizens living abroad is needed, seeking the help of a travel agency like Rapid Passports comes in handy. An agency like ours helps you to make sure all your documents are pre-checked so that no mistakes are found when they have been submitted to Her Majesty’s Passport Office by the agency officials and submitted for processing. We provide assistance with every step of your passport related query. Few of our services include the following:
- Pre Check of First Adult Passport
- Pre Check of Child Passport
- Passport Renewal
- Second British Passport & Second British Passport Renewal
- Lost/Stolen or Damaged Passport
- Changes of Details in your Passport
Applying for passport services from abroad
Using the services mentioned above would help you cut down the chances of your documents being rejected for any kind of possible errors. For instance, sending an application with an inappropriate passport photo background color or missing out on providing some specific information, etc. Details like these would be pre-checked by the agency to make sure that you get your service fulfilled on time.
While it is always easier to apply for a passport while living in the United Kingdom, it is possible to obtain a British passport in any country of the world, it is just going to take a little extra time and some patience.