First UK Passport

If you are a Citizen of the UK – regardless of whether you are a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident – you are eligible for a UK passport. If you are a British National, you may also be eligible for a UK passport, but depending on your type of British Nationality, you may not have the “right of abode” (this means that you can travel as a British National but cannot live and work in Britain).

You have to complete the application, include the appropriate documents, and submit the application to the appropriate UK Passport Service Centre. If you would like Immigroup to assist you with your application, forward your application to:
1180 Danforth Avenue, Toronto, ON M4J1M3

• Certified Copies of two or more government-issued photo IDs from the list below:
  • lDriver’s License
  • Health Card
  • Provincial / Territorial Photo ID Card
  • Citizenship Card
  • PR Card
  • NEXUS Card
  • FAST Card
  • Any other government-issued government ID containing your photo
• 2 UK Passport photos
  • See specifications
• Your original long-form birth certificate
• If you weren’t born in the United Kingdom, you will also need to submit your parent’s original, long-form birth certificate
  • If you are claiming citizenship through your father, you must include his original long-form birth certificate and your parents’ original marriage certificate
  • If you are claiming citizenship through your mother, you must include her original long-form birth certificate (but you must have been born since January 1, 1983)

Please note: If you were born to a British mother outside of the United Kingdom and Islands before 1983, you will have to register as a British Citizen before applying for your passport

If you would like to use Immigroup to file your first UK Passport Application, download the forms and submit them to our office by fax (416-640-2650), email, mail, courier, or in person for the initial review of your application.

If you are using Immigroup to assist you with your passport application, you may submit your application to the following address from any country of residence:
Immigroup Inc. 1180 Danforth Avenue Toronto ON M4J 1M3

If you want to submit your application on your own and you are applying from Canada or anywhere else in the Americas (except Jamaica and Venezuela), send your completed passport application and the necessary documents to:
Regional Passport Processing Centre, Washington DC
British Embassy 19 Observatory Circle N.W. Washington DC 20008

If you are applying on your own from outside of the Americas, please see where to apply.

Your original documents submitted to the passport examiner should be returned within 4 – 8 weeks from the date your application is submitted. After this, your application is forwarded to Great Britain where your passport will be produced. Most passports are received within 4 – 8 weeks from the date your application is submitted to the British Embassy in Washington D.C. Please note that if you are registering as a British Citizen first, the process follows different timelines.

The fee for a British passport is USD$225 for a normal passport and USD$255 for a 48-page passport. Please note that if you are using a representative, such as Immigroup, you will have to pay additional fees. Please see our fees.

If you are using a representative, such as Immigroup, you can pay the fee directly to the representative.
If you are applying for the passport by yourself, you can pay one of two ways:

• By Credit Card (Mastercard and Visa only) by completing a credit card authorization and including it in your application
• By money order, cashiers’ cheque, or certified bank cheque, made payable to “British Embassy Government Account”

Personal cheques, certified personal cheques and cash are not accepted by the passport processing centres. If you submit your application with one of these methods of payment, it will be returned to you.

All fees must be payable in US dollars. Paying in Canadian dollars or British pounds is not acceptable if you are applying to the Passport Service Centre in Washington DC. If you are applying elsewhere, pounds may be acceptable.
You will receive a payment receipt when your original documents are returned to you.

British passport photographs must follow different requirements than Canadian and US passport photographs.
Print.

After you have filled out your application, you must get it “countersigned”. The “counter-signatory”, otherwise known as a guarantor, must complete section 10 and sign it; thus verifying your identity. Your counter-signatory must also certify one of your photos submitted with the application. For first passport applications, your photos must always be certified.

A counter-signatory must have known you for at least two years so they can establish to the satisfaction of the UK Foreign Office that you are who you say you are. They can not be related to you or in a relationship with you, and they cannot be a roommate. They also cannot be an employee of the Passport Service. The counter-signatory does not need to be a British Citizen or subject.

Counter-signatories must usually work in a regulated industry where their identity can be verified. The following professions are suggested by the Passport Service, however there are professions which are acceptable that do not appear on the list – this list is not comprehensive. People in the following professions may countersign your application. This list is not comprehensive and members of professional organizations which are not on this list may be accepted. It is at the discretion of the Passport Service to accept a counter-signatory. If you are not sure, contact Immigroup or the Careline (1 900 783 5791, $3.00/ minute) for more information.

• accountant
• airline pilot
• lawyer
• chairman / director of an incorporated company
• doctor: chiropodist, dentist, physician etc
• notary public
• commissioner of oaths
• municipal councillor
• civil servant
• director / manager of a GST-registered charity
• director / manager / personnel officer of a GST-registered company
• engineer (with professional qualifications)
• financial services intermediary (eg a stockbroker or insurance broker)
• fireman
• funeral director
• insurance agent (full time) of a recognized company
• journalist
• justice of the peace
• owner of a licensed restaurant or bar
• member of federal or provincial parliament or legislative assembly
• manager / personnel officer (of an incorporated company)
• member, associate or fellow of a professional body
• minister of a recognized religion
• nurse
• officer of the armed services (active or retired)
• optician
• paralegal
• pharmacist
• photographer (professional)
• police officer
• postal worker
• president / secretary of an incorporated business
• Salvation Army officer
• social worker
• surveyor
• teacher, professor
• trade union officer
• travel agent (registered)

You will have to submit additional documents proving your identity:

• You must submit the original marriage certificate or legal name change document with your application. If your name changed due to divorce or adoption, you must provide divorce decree or an adoption order
• One of your government-issued photo IDs must be in your new name.

If your parent changed their name, and you are claiming your citizenship through that parent, then you need to provide evidence of your parent’s legal name change: an original marriage certificate, a legal name change, divorce decree or an adoption order.

You should wait until your application has been in process for at least 8 weeks before you attempt to check your status, otherwise the Careline call center may not have any information on your application. To get a status update you can contact the Passport Information Premium Helpline at 1 900 783 5791 for Canada, all calls are charged at a rate of CAD$3.00 per minute. This line is open from 4 PM on Sundays to 8:30 PM on Saturdays each week (i.e. all week, 24 hours a day, except Saturday night through Sunday morning). You can also call the Careline from inside or outside Canada at 011 44 208 082 4721; all calls are charged at £0.72 per minute plus Value Added Tax (sales tax). If you live in the US, you can call 1 900 945 2220; calls are charged at USD$2.50 per minute. There is no toll free line and no way of contacting the UK passport service centre without paying

No, you have to pay if you want to call for a status update.

As of 2009, most High Commissions, Embassies and Consulates do not have access to the regular passport processing service information. If you have applied for a standard (non-emergency) passport, you cannot contact any British Embassy, Consulate, or High Commission for information on your application; you may only contact the Careline. If you have applied for an emergency passport directly through your nearest diplomatic mission, or if you live in a country where you must apply at a diplomatic mission, then you can contact the embassy you used to apply. You should wait until the estimated processing time has elapsed before you contact them.

No, you cannot contact them directly unless you have been given a direct line by a passport examiner. Even if you receive an email from them advising you to provide additional documents you still need to call the helpline if you need further clarification.

No – even if you receive an email from the Passport Service Centre, frequently this is from a “No Reply” email address. This means that you cannot reply to this email address and any replies sent will be automatically deleted. If you receive such an email from the Passport Service Centre, you will be advised not to reply in the body of the email. You may only email the Passport Service Centre if you are given a specific email address by a passport examiner.

Immigroup can provide you with status updates for your passport application if you have used us to assist you with the application. If you have submitted the application on your own, you must call the helpline for updates on your application.
Alternatively, a web-chat service has recently become available on the British Foreign Office’s website to obtain status updates on passport applications. This service is currently offered on a trial-basis only, and you can only use it if you are applying from Canada or the US. The cost is £3 per use and the service is available during the same hours as the phone line: 4PM Sunday to 8:30PM Saturday.

No, your two passports represent your two separate citizenships. You can carry both at the same time.

If you use Immigroup to assist you with the application, we can submit the application to the passport processing centre in Washington D.C. regardless of where the applicant lives (any country in the world). If you submit the application on your own, you can submit your passport application to the Passport Service Centre in Washington DC from anywhere in the Americas (North America, Central America, the Caribbean, South America, with the exception of Jamaica and Venezuela). If you are submitting from outside of the Americas, the application centre is dependant on your location. More info

No, you must submit an original long-form birth certificate (for you or your British parent) with your application. This is because the long-form birth certificate contains the child’s parents’ names, which allows the passport processing centre to confirm your claim of British Nationality.

As an alternative to submitting certified copies of your ID documents, you may submit the original documents themselves. These documents will be returned to you when the processing of your passport is complete.

Proof of urgency is rarely accepted by British passport authorities. It is only granted at the discretion of the officer for special circumstances, such as a death in the family. Even then, it is up to the officer whether to process your application urgently. Unfortunately, there is not much more you can do about the application beyond contacting Careline (011 44 208 082 4721). If you have to travel on an emergency basis, you should contact your nearest British diplomatic mission regarding an emergency travel document. If you have dual citizenship, you should travel on your other passport instead.

As a British Citizen or British National, you are entitled to apply for a passport. However, all applications are reviewed and, if you are deemed a security risk, your passport application could be refused.

• If you are unsure why your application was returned, contact Immigroup to determine what changes to make so your application can be resubmitted.
• If you know what mistake you made, first, make sure you sent it to the right place. British passport applications are normally not processed in your country of residence, depending upon where you live. If you submitted your passport application to the wrong place, it will be returned to you rather than forwarded to the processing centre. Double check the appropriate processing centre before you re-submit the application.
• Note any correspondence from the processing centre, if applicable.
• Double check your application for any mistakes.
• Ensure you have all necessary documents.
• Re-submit the application to the correct processing centre.

There are six types of British Nationality:

• British Citizen
• British Overseas Citizen
• British Overseas Territories Citizen
• British Nationals (Overseas)
• British Protected Persons
• British Subject

Most Canadians entitled to UK passports are likely British Citizens. However, if you are one of the other classes of nationality, it is important to know that your passport entitles you to travel as a British National but doesn’t automatically give you the right to live and work in the UK (the “right of abode”). British citizens through descent do have the right of abode in the UK. This shouldn’t impact your passport application. Based on the documents you submit, the Foreign Office will determine your category of nationality and issue the appropriate passport.

If you were adopted by a British citizen, you may be eligible to apply for a British passport depending on where and when you were adopted.

If you were adopted by a British Citizen (or someone otherwise “settled”) in the UK, then you are a British Citizen and are eligible to apply for a British passport. In this situation, you need to prove your parent was a British Citizen (or “settled”) at the time you were adopted when you apply for your passport If your father was the British Citizen (or the parent who was “settled”) then you also need to supply his original marriage certificate showing marriage to your mother.

If you were adopted by a British Citizen outside of the UK prior to 2006, you most likely did not inherit British citizenship and you are not eligible for a British passport. However, if you are in this situation AND your birth was registered at the British consulate by your British parent before you were 18 years old, you are a British citizen and are eligible to apply for a British passport.

If you were adopted outside the UK by a British citizen after 2006, you are a British citizen and are eligible to apply for a passport.

If you are unsure whether you are eligible to apply for a British passport, contact us for a consultation to determine your eligibility.

If your mother was not born in the UK, and your father was born in the UK, but your parents never married, you can only claim British citizenship if the following conditions are met:

• You were born in the UK
• Your father was registered as your father before you were 18 years old
• Your parents applied for confirmation of your British citizenship before your 18th birthday.

• We have helped thousands of clients with British passport and citizenship matters. This gives us the experience that you can utilize.
• We make sure that we submit the best possible application for every single client.
• We have been in business since 2004.
• Our staff members have years of experience in the immigration field.
• You can call us between 8:00am and 6:00pm Eastern Standard Time and speak to a live professional.
• More than half a million people visit www.immigroup.com each year to use our great tools and information.
• Our legal fees are disclosed on our website. Not many law firms are willing to do that!
• We make it easy for you to get started on your application by email, phone, or fax.
• Customer service, sound and ethical advice are our highest priority. Once you have used us you will feel the difference knowledge, service, and loyalty makes.
• We think outside the box to help you with your case, but we don’t take clients on just because they can pay!
Expect an honest opinion – we will advise you if applying is not in your best interest. Click here to see our firm’s application statistics.
• We go out on a limb to give you the highest level of service.
• We don’t take short cuts - we are perfectionists!

Processing times for UK passports are usually between 4 – 8 weeks. Normally, a UK passport renewal application cannot be expedited. However, if you need to travel urgently, you may apply for an emergency travel document at your nearest British diplomatic mission.

No application has a guaranteed successful outcome whether you submit it yourself, use our company, or hire the most expensive lawyer you can find. However, the great thing about Immigroup is that you can see statistics of the success rate of our past applications. The UK passport website notes that between 13-20% of all passport applications are submitted incorrectly. We can make sure you don’t fall into this group.

Immigroup has the highest standards in hiring and training. Mistakes that effect the processing time of your application are extremely rare. However, if Immigroup makes a mistake on your application which causes a delay in processing, we will take full responsibility and process a refund appropriate to the situation. Click here to see statistics on these incidents and our terms of reimbursement to you.

You can definitely do any application on your own without hiring a company to help you. However, when you use Immigroup, you gain these advantages over people who do it themselves:

• You can be completely sure that the best possible application was submitted. This means that there will be no mistakes, errors, or omissions which could cause delays or refusals of an application.
• This also means that Immigroup will offer you the most ethical and sound advice regarding your application. We will tell you if something in your application works against you or could cause problems in the future.
• Immigroup has years of experience which can be leveraged in your favor to know what works and what doesn’t in an application.
• Using Immigroup will also save you time because you don’t have to fight with the government to submit an application or follow up on it. You can simply call or email any time you want to know the status of your application.
• Immigroup offers 20% off our service fee for every additional application.
• Immigroup offers 20% off our service fee for returning clients.

We are committed to helping everyone with their immigration needs. This is why www.immigroup.com offers free tools and information to answer all types of immigration questions. Immigroup does charge a fee for all services, but we are always looking for feedback on how we can further help our community. Our email address is info@immigroup.com

You can easily search our database of FAQs. However, if you still can’t find the answer to your question, email us your question and you will receive a response within 2 business days. Depending on the complexity of your question, you may be advised to schedule a consultation with one of our immigration practitioners to ensure that you receive the best advice. The cost for a consultation is $84.75 (tax included) which is up to 30 minutes; however, if you retain Immigroup for a full service after the consultation, this fee well be deducted from the cost of the service. Consultations are available in person at our Toronto office or by phone. (Other options are available for hearing-impaired persons.) Call us at 1-866-760-2623 or email at info@immigroup.com to schedule your consultation. Click here for more information.

Only general information is available when you call our office. If you are still unsure how you should proceed, contact us to schedule a consultation to discuss the details of your specific case. Click here for more info.

Checking the status of your UK passport application can be a frustrating and expensive experience. If you are a client of Immigroup, you can contact us any time to check the status of your application. However, we recommend that you do not call prior to 8 weeks since your application has been submitted as this is within the normal processing time.. You can request a status check using one of two methods:

• 1. By phone
• Contact our office during business hours and state you are a PR card client that needs a status check on your application. We will confirm your contact information and then contact you within one business day to advise of the status of your application.
• 2. By email
• Email us at info@immigoup.com and advise us that you are a current client and you would like to check the status of your application. Your message should contain following:
  • applicant’s first and last name,
  • type of service: the subject should be UK passport status check

If you are not a client of Immigroup, you must call the Careline (011 44 208 082 4721) which is located in the UK, and is a paid service. There is no way to check the status of your application without paying.
If you are not a client of Immigroup but would prefer to deal with locals instead of a faceless pay-per-call call centre in the UK, you can contact us and we will act as your representative for a fee. You must have a copy of your application as it was submitted in order for us to assist you in this way. Contact us for more information.

Yes, the application process will have to be completed once again. The good news is we have a copy of your application, so this will speed up the process. Also please note that if you lost your card 6 month from the date you paid we will offer you a 50% discount on our service fees.

Yes, returning clients are offered a 20% discount on our service fees. Clients who submit multiple applications are also offered a 20% discount on any additional services after the first application.

We do our best to keep things affordable, but unfortunately we are unable to offer any discounts in addition to the ones above.

No, but we have years of experience dealing with UK passport processing centres. We are aware of changes in the application procedure as they happen, and we know what the processing centre in Washington DC will accept and what they will not, which is sometimes not exactly what is listed on their website. Immigroup has lots of experience in this area. We

• Renew passports
• Apply for first passports
• Register British Citizens so they can apply for passports
• Acquire English, Northern Irish, Scottish and Welsh Birth Certificates to prove citizenship through descent

Yes, you may pay a minimum deposit of 50% of the amount due to start your case. The balance must be paid in full before the application can be submitted.

Your fees must be paid in full before your application is submitted to the processing centre in Washington DC.

You may call our office between 8:00am and 6:00pm Eastern Time, or you may come in person between 9:30am and 4:15pm. You may drop your documents at the Toronto office 24 hours a day in our drop box. You may also leave a voicemail at 1-866-760-2623 or send an email 24 hours a day at info@immigroup.com and you will receive a response within one business day. To meet with an immigration practitioner outside of these hours, please contact us during business hours to schedule an appointment at a time convenient to you.

We strive to maintain accurate and up to date information on our website by getting up to the minute news on the Foreign Office. However, you should always confirm information before acting on it to ensure its accuracy. Please see our terms and conditions for more information.

Great, we really would love to hear from you and what happened. By sending us your experience you are helping others in the future. We post all information that will be valued by future visitors.

Send us an email or enter your question in the box below and we will get back to you within one business day.

For the new passport, see here.

There are six types of British nationality. The most common is “British Citizen”. If you are renewing your passport, you are most likely a British Citizen and do not need to worry about the other five types of nationality. See above for further information.

British law always made a distinction between subjects and foreigners but until 1914 the law regarding nationalities was not standardized. The British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act 1914 solidified existing common laws and statutes, with a few minor changes that didn’t really affect anyone.
By 1948, with the Commonwealth having existed for some time, the various heads of government agreed that each member state would adopt new citizenship and nationality rules, but that all British nationals would retain the status of British Subject.
In the UK, the British Nationality Act of 1948 established the status of Citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies (CUKC), which became the official citizenship of the United Kingdom and its colonies on January 1, 1949, differentiating these people from British Subjects in the Dominions and in Ireland.
As each colony became independent, the British government would pass an Independence Act, which would withdraw the status of CUKC from anyone who became a citizen of the newly independent country. The usual exception to one of these acts one would be unless a person had a connection with the UK or a remaining colony (for example birth in Britain).
The Immigration Act 1971 introduced patriality, through which only British subjects with “strong” links to the the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man had the “right of abode”, the right to live and work in the United Kingdom and its surrounding islands.
This law was changed when the British Nationality Act of 1981 was introduced, which created the current system of categories of British nationality. British citizens have the automatic right of abode in the United Kingdom but few others do.
The 1981 Act ended the practice of acknowledging “commonwealth citizens” as “British Subjects”. The concept of “British Subject” was pretty much retired, except for two minor categories of people who were connected to British India or the Republic of Ireland prior to 1949, and who decided to keep their British status (provided, of course, they haven’t since become nationals of another country).
Acquisition of British nationality via the new categories made by the British Nationality Act of 1981 is still usually dependent on one’s status prior to January 1, 1983, the date it came into law. This means that some rules created in 1948 or 1971 may still affect your status today. As a result, British nationality and citizenship are complicated.

British nationality law is very complicated. There are basically six types of British nationality, not all of which are the same.

• British Citizen
• British Overseas Territories Citizen
• British Overseas Citizen
• British National (Overseas)
• British Protected Person
• British Subject

British Citizens are citizens of the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. On January 1, 1983 most people - those with “the right of abode” - who were “Citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies” became “British Citizens”. It is the most common type of British nationality. If you are entitled to British Citizenship through descent you are likely a “British Citizen”. You are entitled to British Citizenship if

• You were born in Britain prior to January 1, 1983
• You were born to a British Citizen mother who was still a citizen at the time of your birth
• You were born to a British citizen father who was still a citizen at the time of your birth and who was married to your mother at the time of your birth

All British Citizens are allowed to carry a passport. If you have a normal British passport, your nationality is established, though not your “right of abode”, i.e. the right to move to and live permanently in the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands.
British Overseas Territories Citizens (formally known as British Dependent Territories Citizens) are those who were born in or settled in a British Overseas Territory after January 1, 1983. BOTC can be acquired through descent as well, if you were born outside of the British Overseas Territories only if the parent you are claiming BOTC status through acquired citizenship through birth or through settlement (not through descent). Before 2002, only BOTCs of the Falklands and Gibraltar could become full British Citizens. Since 2002, any BOTC, save a BOTC from Cyprus, can become a full British Citizen. In order to do so, you must

• register as a British Citizen (this application can be refused)
• marry a full British Citizen and live in the UK for 3 years
• move to the UK and live there for 5 years

If you are a Gibraltar BOTC, your application cannot be refused.
British Overseas Territories:

• Akrotiri and Dhekelia military bases
• Anguilla
• Bermuda
• British Antarctic Territory
• British Indian Ocean Territory
• British Virgin Islands
• Cayman Islands
• Falkland Islands
• Gibraltar
• Montserrat
• Pitcairn Islands
• Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan de Cunha
• South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands
• Turks and Caicos Islands

British Overseas Citizens (BOC) are those who were considered “Citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies” (CUKC) prior to January 1, 1983, but did not immediately qualify for British Citizenship or British Dependent Territories Citizenship. There are a number of ways this could happen:

• CUKCs through former British colonies or protectorates who did not become that citizens of that country on independence. This is applies to some former colonies, such as Kenya.
• CUKCs who retained this citizenship upon independence of their colony based on a connection to another colony which became independent before January 1, 1983
• British Subjects (see below) born before 1949 who did not acquire citizenship of the dominion they lived in (Dominions include Australia, Canada, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and South Africa), or British Subjects in Ireland or Zimbabwe when these nations created their citizenship laws, and could not claim another status through India or Pakistan
• CUKCs who received it by descent through the father before January 1, 1983 and born in a country not part of the Commonwealth to a father
• Female CUKCs who received it by marriage after October 28, 1971
• minor CUKCs who received it by registration at a British High Commission in an independent Commonwealth country after October 27, 1971
• CUKCs who kept this status even though they acquired the citizenship of an independent Commonwealth country (rare cases)

You cannot acquire this citizenship through descent. This status is supposed to disappear as a citizenship category once everyone who holds it dies.
BOCs can become full British Citizens through

• Living in the UK for 5 years
• Marrying a full British Citizen and living in the UK for 3 years
• Statelessness, provided you did not lose your citizenship after 2002 by renouncing, voluntarily
relinquishing or losing citizenship through “action or inaction”. If you can apply as a stateless person, you will have to register as a British Citizen

British National (Overseas) (BNO) was a status created in 1985 to deal with the reversion of Hong Kong to China. BNOs are those British Dependent Territories Citizens – who, before 2002, were not automatically entitled to full British Citizenship - who registered as British Nationals (Overseas) after January 1, 1987 and before December 31, 997. If you were a British Dependent Territories Citizen who did not register during this period and subsequently lost this status – for example by the transfer of Hong Kong from Britain to China – you are not a BNO.
BNOs can carry a special type of passport which entitles the bearer to visa-free travel in the EU and to the consular support of EU diplomatic missions, in addition to the “right of abode” in Hong Kong. However, BNOs are not full British Citizens, do not have “the right of abode” in the UK, and have no special rights to become a full British Citizen.
British Protected Persons (BPP) are a special class of refugees from former British colonies. Eligibility for this nationality designation depends on the independence date of the colony.
Pre-Independence
A person is a British Protected Person if

• They were born in one of the countries below prior to independence, never became a citizen of that country or any other (including the UK);
• Their father was born before January 28, 1949 in one of the countries listed below;
• Their father was born before January 28, 1949 outside of one of the countries listed below, and they never became a citizen of any other country (including the UK) since August 16, 1978
• Their father was born in one of the countries below and was a British Protected Person at the time of the person’s birth and the person was born on or after January 28, 1949 but before independence, was born outside of one of the countries below, never became a citizen of one of the countries below, and has not become a citizen anywhere else

Post-Independence
A person is a British Protected Person if

• Between independence and 1978
• Their father was a BPP at the time of the person’s birth and the person was born after independence and before August 16, 1978 and has not become a citizen anywhere else
• Between July 7, 1978 and July 7, 1980
• Their father was a BPP at the time of birth, the person was born between July 7, 1978 and July 7, 1980, the person would have been born stateless if not for BPP status
• Since January 1, 1983
• Either parent was a BPP at the time of birth, the person was born on or after January 1, 1983, and has not acquired any citizenship

Please note exceptions to these rules exist for those born in the Solomon Islands. Those seeking BPP born between July 8, 1980 and December 31, 1982 should in one of the below countries should contact their nearest British diplomatic mission to see if they can qualify for BPP status through their father.
It is also possible to register as a BPP, but you need to meet the above conditions, unless applying through marriage.
BPP is eligible only for people who meet the above criteria and born in the territories that became the regions of the following countries:

• Botswana: Bechuanaland
• Gambia
• Ghana: British Togoland and Northern Territories of the Gold Coast
• Kenya
• Malawi: Nyasaland
• Nigeria
• Sierra Leone
• Solomon Islands
• Tanzania: Tanganyika
• Uganda
• Yemen: Kamaran and South Arabia
• Zambia: Northern Rhodesia

Most BPPs did not become British Subjects (though there are exceptions). BPPs can become full British Citizens through the following means:

• 5 years residence in the UK with “Indefinite Leave to Remain” for at least 12 months
• Marrying a full British Citizen and living in the UK for 3 years
• Statelessness after 2002

British Subjects were citizens of Commonwealth countries between 1949 and 1981. It ceased to exist as a citizenship category after January 1, 1983, except as applies to any British Subjects in Ireland prior to 1949. British subjects are not automatically citizens and are not entitled to British Citizenship. British Subjects – except those from Ireland prior to 1949 - should have lost this status when they became citizens of other countries (including the United Kingdom, in 1983).

So called “Safe Conduct” documents were issued to English subjects and even foreigners in the Middle Ages; they were usually pieces of paper signed by the king. They were first acknowledged in law in the 1400s. Beginning in 1540, and running through 1685, the government issued passports, but they were still signed by the king. After 1685, the Secretary of State was allowed to sign as well and by 1794 all passports were signed by this office instead. This is where the first records of passports date from.
Passports were often written in Latin, and sometimes English, until 1772. French was used afterwards because of its use in most countries on the continent. In the mid 19th century, English came back into use, though some sections were still translated into French for decades afterwards. It was at this time that passports issued by the British Crown became restricted to British nationals.
In the 19th century the passport was just a piece of paper but by World War One they included the first passport photos. The British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act 1914 was passed with the start of the war and a new version of the passport was created in order to ensure only British nationals used it. The passport changed a little here and there until 1968 when it became possible to get a British Passport for 10 years instead of five years. Additional security features – such as watermarks - were created in 1972 and an incredible 94-page passport was issued beginning in 1973. Passports were first laminated in 1975 and printing over this laminate began in 1981. In 1982, most personal information beyond the standard name and DOB were removed.
Machine-readable passports were first available in 1988. Photographs were replaced with digital images ten years later. The blue passports began to be phased out in 1993 as part of these security changes. Post-9/11 the British government was pressured to comply with the US Waiver program and so they introduced biometric passports (also known as ePassports) in 2006, allowing British Passport holders to use ESTA (the Electronic System for Travel Authorization) instead of applying for visas when traveling to the United States.

All six classes of nationality are able to apply for a British Passport, though possession of this passport does not automatically guarantee British Citizenship. All British Passports can be withheld at the discretion of the Foreign Office or the Identity and Passport Service unless the applicant is a British National (Overseas). Most British Citizens and Subjects are normally able to enter and move around the EU. Fun fact: the Queen does not require a passport, as all British passports are issued under her authority.

In the UK, British passports are issued by the Identity and Passport Service. Applications can normally be submitted by mail.
In the British overseas territories, British Overseas Territories Citizen Passports are issued in the territory, but British Citizen Passport applications need to be made to the appropriate regional processing centre, depending on where you live.
The Foreign Office issues passports outside of British territory. Since 2009, most British diplomatic missions do not issue passports (only emergency, one-time-use passports). See the list to see whether you need to apply at a processing centre.

It is the right to enter and live in the United Kingdom. It is held by all British citizens automatically. It is also held by some British subjects and any patrials under the Immigration Act 1971.

In most cases, you will have to submit your application to a Regional Passport Processing Centre in one of a number of locations around the world. Find your country or territory in the lists below. Applications to processing centres should be made by mail or courier only. Please note that these lists are accurate for renewal applications only. For some countries, first time passport applications must be made in person at the required diplomatic mission. If you are applying to replace a lost or stolen passport, you may have to submit the application as you would a first passport. Please see the renewal passport page for the appropriate submission centres.

Was your country not mentioned for the above centres? That means you do not have to apply to a Regional Passport Processing Centre. Find your country in the list below. Please note that if your country is on this list, you are likely required to provide additional documents with your application (unless you are applying in Australia or New Zealand).

• Australia: apply by Australia Post
• Algeria: in person only at British Consular Section, British Embasssy, 03, Chemin Capitaine Hocine Slimane, Ex Chemin des Glycines - Algiers
• Bangladesh: in person or by mail at British Passport Application, Passport Section, British High Commission, UN Road, Baridaha
• Benin: in person only at British Deputy High Commission, 11 Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria
• Burundi: in person only at British Embassy Liaison Office, Building Old East, Parcelle No1/2, Place de l'Independance, Bujumbura, Burundi
• Cape Verde: contact your nearest British diplomatic mission for details: British Honorary Consul, Rue Dr. Alberto Leite, Prédio da Papirus, 1 andar, C.P. 423, Mindelo, Cabo Verde
• Chad: for details contact
  • Honorary Consul: Steve Banks, Mission Aviation Fellowship, BP 1182, N’Djamena, Chad
  • British High Commission Yaounde, Avenue Winston Churchill, BP 547
• Cuba: in person only at British Embassy, Calle 34 no. 702 e/ 7ma y 17, Miramar, Playa la Habana, Cuba
• Eritrea: in person only at British Embassy, 66-68 Mariam Ghimbi Street, Zip Code 174, PO Box 5584, Asmara, Eritrea
• Ethiopia: in person only at British Embassy, Comoros Street, PO Box 858, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
• Gabon: for details contact British High Commission Yaounde, Avenue Winston Churchill, BP 547
• Gambia, the: in person only at British High Commission, 48 Atlantic Road, Fajara (PO Box 507), Banjul
• Gaza: in person only at British Information and Services Office, First Floor, Al-Riyad Tower, Jerusalem Street, Al-Rimal South, Gaza
• Georgia: in person only at British Embassy Tbilisi, 51 Krtsanisi street, 0114 Tbilisi
• India: by mail only to PPT Applications, British High Commission, Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, 110021
• Iran: you cannot make a UK passport application from Iran at this time. Please contact consularenquiries.tehran@fco.gov.uk for more information.
• Ireland: by mail or in person at Passport Office, British Embassy, 29 Merrion Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
• Jamaica: in person only at British High Commission, 28 Trafalgar Road, Kingston 10, Jamaica
• Jordan: in person only at British Consulate Amman, (PO Box 87) Abdoun, Amman 11118
• Kazakhstan: in person only at British Embassy Office, Almaty , Samal Towers, 97 Zholdasbekova street, Block A2, 9 Floor, 050051
• Kenya: by mail only to The Passport Office, British High Commission, Upper Hill Road, P.O.Box 30465-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
• North Korea: by mail or in person at British Embassy, Munsu-dong Diplomatic Compound, Pyongyang, DPRK
• Kyrgyzstan: in person only at British Embassy Almaty, Samal Towers, 97 Zholdasbekova street 97, Block A2, 9 Floor, Microdistrict Samal 2, Almaty 050051, Kazakhstan
• Lebanon: in person only at British Embassy, Embassies Complex, Armies Street, Zkak Al-Blat, Serail Hill, PO Box 11-471, Beirut
• Libya: in person only at British Embassy, Burj Tarablus (Tripoli Tower), 24th Floor, Sharia al Shat, Tripoli
• Mauritania: you cannot make a UK passport application from Mauritania at this time. Please apply through Morocco.
• Morocco: in person only at British Embassy, 28 Avenue S.A.R. Sidi Mohammed, Soussi 10105 (BP 45), Rabat
• New Zealand: apply through New Zealand Post
• Nigeria: in person only at British Deputy High Commission, 11 Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island, Lagos
• Pakistan: by mail or in person at British High Commission, Consular Section, Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad; 8AM-12PM, Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays
• Russia: in person only at the following Embassy and Consulates. All offices are open Mon-Fri 9AM-12PM local time
  • Consular Section in Moscow, Moscow 121099, Smolenskaya Naberezhnaya 10
  • Consular Section St Petersburg, PL Proletarskoy Diktatury 5 Smolninskiy Raion, 191124 St Petersburg. Appointments are recommended: RussiaConsular@fco.gov.uk
  • Consular Section Ekaterinburg, 15a Gogol Street, 620075 Ekaterinburg. Appointments are recommended: RussiaConsular@fco.gov.uk
• Sierra Leone: in person only at Consular Section, British High Commission, 6 Spur Road, Wilberforce, Freetown, Sierra Leone
• Somalia: you cannot make a UK passport application from Somalia at this time. Please apply through Ethiopia or Kenya
• Sudan and South Sudan: in person only at British Embassy Sudan, Off Sharia Al-Baladiya, Khartoum, PO BOX 801
• Syria: you cannot make a UK passport application from Syria at this time. Please contanct consularenquiries.damascus@fco.gov.uk for more information or apply from Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon or Turkey.
• Tajikistan: by mail only to British Embassy in Dushanbe, 65 Mirzo Tursunzade Street, Dushanbe 734002, Tajikistan
• Tunisia: in person only at British Embassy, Rue du Lac Windermere, Les Berges du Lac, Tunis 1053
• Turkmenistan: in person only at British Embassy, Four Points Ak Altin Hotel, 301-308 Office Building, Ashgabat,
Turkmenistan
• Ukraine: in person only at Consular Section, British Embassy Kyiv, 9 Desyatynna street, Kyiv 01901 Ukraine
• United Kingdom
• Uzbekistan: in person only at British Embassy, 67, Gulyamova str., Tashkent, Uzbekistan
• Venezuela: in person only at British Embassy, Avenida Principal de la Castellana, Torre La Castellana, Piso 11, Caracas 1060 Venezuela
• Western Sahara: you cannot make a UK passport application from Western Sahara at this time. Please apply through Morocco.
• Yemen: you cannot make a UK passport application from Yemen at this time. Please apply through Jordan.
• Zambia: in person only at British High Commission, 5210 Independence Avenue, PO Box 50050, 15101 Ridgeway
• Zimbabwe: in person only at British Embassy, 3 Norfolk Road, Mount Pleasant, Harare

A regular, 32-page passport costs USD$225 plus a courier fee of USD$33. A 48-page passport costs USD$255 plus the courier fee. If you use a representative, such as Immigroup, it will cost more. See our fees.

No, your child requires their own passport. It is no longer acceptable for British Children to travel on their parents’ passports.

No, the UK recognizes dual citizenship.

To have a copy certified, an authorized person must compare the original document to the photocopy and must print the following on the photocopy:

• “I certify that this is a true copy of the original document”
• the name of the original document
• the date of the certification
• his or her name
• his or her official position or title and
• his or her signature

Important: The person who certifies your photocopies cannot be a family member.
Who can certify copies?
Persons authorized to certify copies include the following:

• Chiropractor
• Commissioner of oaths
• Dentist
• Funeral director
• Justice of the peace or judge
• Lawyer
• Manager of a financial institution
• Medical doctor
• Member of a provincial legislature
• Member of Parliament
• Minister of religion
• Municipal clerk
• Notary
• Official of an embassy, consulate or high commission officially accredited to Canada and authorize to certify document issued by the official’s government
• Official of a federal or provincial government department
• Pharmacist
• Police officer
• Postmaster
• Primary, secondary or university teacher
• Professional accountant
• Professional engineer
• Social worker
• Veterinarian

The Person certifying your photocopies does not need to know you personally.

No, they can be a citizen of any country.

If you are a permanent resident of Canada, you must show your PR card to re-enter Canada if you travel abroad. While you may be allowed entry into Canada without your PR card, we do not recommend that any permanent resident leave Canada without a valid PR card.

A person with more than one nationality (citizenship) may travel with more than one passport as long as both passports are issued by different countries. When travelling to a particular country, it is most convenient to use that country’s passport if you are a citizen of that country for ease of entry through customs.

Unless you were a British subject living in Canada prior to 1949, you likely are not a British Citizen if you cannot claim Citizenship through descent.

If you were formally adopted by a British step-parent, please see the section on adoption below. If you were not formally adopted, it is not possible to inherit British citizenship through a British step-parent.

If you were adopted in the UK, you are most likely a British citizen depending on the date of your adoption. Please contact Immigroup for more detailed information.

If you were adopted outside the UK but you were not registered with the British consulate, you may be a British citizen depending on the year of your birth and the circumstances of your adoption.
Please contact Immigroup for a consultation to determine whether you are a British citizen and are eligible to apply for a British passport.

If and only if your biological mother is a British citizen can you claim British citizenship through descent from her. If your biological mother is not British but she is married to a woman who is a British citizen, you cannot claim citizenship through your biological mother’s wife as the UK does not recognize same-sex marriage. If you were formally adopted by the British parent, please see the information on adoption above.
If your biological father is a British citizen, he must have been married to your mother at the time when you were born or sometime after your birth for you to inherit British citizenship through him. If your biological father is not British but he is married to a man who is a British citizen, you cannot claim British citizenship through your biological father’s husband. If you were formally adopted by the British parent, please see the information on adoption above.

Canadian citizenship has no bearing on British citizenship as both nations accept dual nationality. Therefore, a search of Canadian citizenship records does not indicate whether someone is or is not British.

If you do not have the required IDs to apply, you will have to get them before your application can be submitted. Applying for your long-form birth certificate or your parent’s involves applying to the appropriate office of vital statistics in the UK. The UK does not have one single office which issues birth, marriage, and death certificates. Instead there is one for each country including:

• England
• Northern Ireland
• Scotland
• Wales
• a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/default.asp" target="_blank">Channel Islands

Immigroup can help you obtain a birth, marriage, or death certificate from the UK.

If you were born in Northern Ireland, or if one of your (married) parents was born in Northern Ireland, then you are likely a British Citizen.
If you were born in Ireland and cannot claim British Citizenship by descent, you are not a British Citizen.
If you were born in the UK to Irish parents, you are a British Citizen.

If you are trying to claim British Citizenship because you were born in the UK, but your parent was a Swiss or EEA citizen at the time of your birth, special rules apply.

• If you were born before October 2, 2000, to an EEA Citizen (does not apply to Swiss Citizens at all, and to Greeks before 1988, and Spanish and Portuguese before 1992), you are a British Citizen and can apply for a passport
• If you were born on or after October 2, 2000 and before April 30, 2006 you are not British, unless your parents were “settled” in the other senses of the term
• If you were born on or after April 30, 2006, you are a British Citizen if your EEA / Swiss parent lived in Britain for at least five years prior to your birth. If your parent did not live in Britain five years prior to your birth, you can still apply for citizenship once they have lived in Britain for 5 years. You can also apply for citizenship after the age of 10, if you have lived in Britain your whole life.

Patriality is the “right of abode”; i.e. the right to live and work in the UK.

This is equivalent to “settled” status. If your parent had “Indefinite Leave to Remain” at the time of your birth, you are a British Citizen.

As a rule, you should renew your passport at least 6 months before it expires. You should do this because many countries throughout the world will not grant visas or entry to someone with less than six months validity left on their passport
You should also renew your passport if it is a state of disrepair where it is not machine-readable or if your appearance has changed drastically.
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