UK Passport Application in Canada/USA
Listen to this articleClick the links below to download your UK Passport application package.
Renew your UK passport: Paper application
First UK passport: Paper application
Video instructions
Under most circumstances you cannot inherit British citizenship through a British grandparent, and British citizenship is not transmitted to the second generation born outside the United Kingdom. However, there are exceptional circumstances when this sometimes occurs. If you’re not sure whether you are a British citizen, contact us. (1-866-760-2623 if you would like to start right away.)
Overseas United Kingdom Passport Application from Canada
The application process for getting a British passport from Canada has changed several times in the past few years. As recently as 2009, applications were sent to the British High Commission in Ottawa. Then until 2013 applications were sent to the British High Commission in Washington D.C. Now, all passport applications are sent to the processing centre in Durham, UK.
The British government has stated that processing all applications within the UK has allowed them to reduce production costs and cut application fees as a result.
Documents to get a UK Passport from Canada
The documents you need to support your application for a British passport from Canada vary depending if it is a renewal, first passport, or if your last passport was lost, stolen, or issued before the modern maroon-coloured passports came into use.
Renewing a UK with a maroon cover
- most recently issued British passport
- 2 UK Passport photos
- completed application forms
- passport fee
First UK passport, last British passport lost or stolen, or last UK passport with black cover
- original long-form birth certificate
- original Canadian or other passport
- British parent’s original long-form birth certificate if born outside Canada or in the UK after 1983
- parents’ marriage certificate if only father was British
- British parent’s original British passport, if available
- 2 UK passport photos
- completed application forms
- passport fee
Applying for a child’s UK passport
| Renewal | First |
|---|---|
| Renew CHILD UK Passport | Get Your FIRST CHILD UK Passport |
Minors under 16 years old must have their parents’ permission to receive a British passport. Both parents must give written consent for the passport to be issued to the child, and the forms must be completed by the one of the child’s parents (preferably the British parent).
All applications for a United Kingdom passport for minors must have the countersignatory section completed for verification of the parent’s identity.
UK Passport Photo Requirements
You must submit two identical British passport photos with every application. The photos have to meet these requirements or your application will be delayed while you submit new photos:
- professionally printedul
- in color
- plain white or light gray background
- taken within 30 days
- photo size: 35 – 45mm
- face size in photo: 29 – 34mm from chin to top of hair
- facing the camera head on with neutral expression (not smiling)
- eyes must be open and unobstructed by hair, hats, or frames of glasses
UK Passport Countersignatory
A Countersignatory is a person who signs your passport application and photo as your guarantor. This means that they are verifying that the information you have provided on the application is true. The person acting as your countersignatory has to provide their contact information so that Her Majesty’s Passport Office can contact them.
Your countersignatory cannot be a relative, cannot live at the same address as you, and cannot work for the passport service.
Only people in certain professions can act as the countersignatory for your British passport application, including:
- accountant
- airline pilot
- articled clerk of a limited company
- assurance agent of recognised company
- bank/building society official
- barrister
- chairman/director of limited company
- chiropodist
- commissioner of oaths
- councillor – eg local or county
- civil servant (permanent), but not someone who works for Her Majesty’s Passport Office
- dentist
- director/manager of a VAT-registered charity
- director/manager/personnel officer of a VAT-registered company
- engineer – with professional qualifications
- financial services intermediary – eg a stockbroker or insurance broker
- fire service official
- funeral director
- insurance agent (full time) of a recognised company
- journalist
- Justice of the Peace
- legal secretary – fellow or associate member of the Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs
- licensee of public house
- local government officer
- manager/personnel officer of a limited company
- member, associate or fellow of a professional body
- Member of Parliament
- Merchant Navy officer
- minister of a recognised religion – including Christian Science
- nurse – RGN or RMN
- officer of the armed services
- optician
- paralegal – certified paralegal, qualified paralegal or associate member of the Institute of Paralegals
- person with honours – eg an OBE or MBE
- pharmacist
- photographer – professional
- police officer
- Post Office official
- president/secretary of a recognised organisation
- Salvation Army officer
- social worker
- solicitor
- surveyor
- teacher, lecturer
- trade union officer
- travel agent – qualified
- valuer or auctioneer – fellows and associate members of the incorporated society
- Warrant Officers and Chief Petty Officers
Born outside the UK to a British Mother before 1983 or to a Unmarried British Father before July 1, 2006
Before January 1, 1983 British citizenship could only be transmitted by descent from a father to his “legitimate” children. At this time, all children born in the UK became British citizens. But, for children born outside the UK whose mother but not whose father was British, they could not inherit British citizenship and obtain a UK passport.
Now these people can apply for what’s called Registration as a British citizen. This application shows that had the law been different, the applicant would have acquired British citizenship through their mother.
Unfortunately people in these circumstances cannot simply apply for a British passport. First, they must complete the registration process which includes swearing an oath of loyalty to the Sovereign, Queen Elizabeth II, at the British consulate closest to their residence. Then, once they receive their certificate of registration they may apply for a UK passport.
The entire process of getting your British passport if you need to register as a British citizen in this way takes approximately 4 to 8 months to complete.
For more information, please see our page on Registration as a British Citizen.
Living and Working in the UK once you get your UK passport
Once you have obtained a British passport, if you wish to relocate to the UK, you will have to apply for what’s called a National Insurance Number. This number serves the same purpose as a Social Insurance Number in Canada, or a Social Security Number in the US, and will allow you to work and receive government services in the UK.
Part of obtaining a National Insurance Number is an interview which takes place in the UK. You will need to show your United Kingdom passport at this interview to prove you are eligibile to receive a NIN, and they will ask you why you need the number.
You can technically start working in the UK without a NIN, but you will need to provide it to your employer as soon as you receive it.
For more information on applying for a National Insurance Number to work in the UK, please refer to this site: https://www.hmrc.gov.uk/ni/intro/number.htm
Other Types of UK Passports
Certain people besides British citizens are eligible to carry British passports. Specifically, a British Protected Person is someone born in a former British colony who has been granted Protected Person status by the British government due to strife within their home country. This allows them to travel on a special British passport despite not being a British citizen.
To renew a British Protected Person passport, the application process is the same. However, if a British Protected Person ever naturalizes in another country (such as becoming a Canadian citizen), they lose their protected person status and cannot renew their British passport.
Previously citizens of Hong Kong were able to carry UK passports as well. It is no longer to simply renew a Hong Kong British passport – any person from Hong Kong who wished to retain their United Kingdom passport would have needed to become a full British citizen either through immigration to the UK or other means, and could then apply for a standard British passport.
Getting a Birth Certificate to Prove British Citizenship
Getting a birth certificate from the United Kingdom can be an annoying process. The rules are different for each nation and region within the United Kingdom.
English Birth Certificate
In order to get an English birth certificate for your UK Passport application you need to apply to the General Registry Office for England and Wales (GRO) if you are applying from Canada. If you are in England, you can go to the local registry and apply in person if you wish.
English Birth Certificate
The application is made online at the General Register Office. Before you apply, you need to make sure you have the right information:
- GRO Index Number (this is not the serial number displayed on the birth certificate) which you can find here
- Your full name and mailing address
- Your email address
- An acceptable credit card or debit card (MasterCard or VISA)
- Details of the birth (full name, place, date).
Cost of an English Birth Certificate
If you apply on your own, applying for a new birth certificate costs £9.25, and can only be paid by VISA or MasterCard (or by VISA debit or by Maestro debit). IMMIgroup charges additional fees.
For urgent service there is an additional cost of £23.40.
English Birth Certificate Processing Time
If you supplied the GRO Index Number, the processing time is 4 business days.
If you could not supply the GRO Index Number, the processing time is 15 business days.
If you pay for urgent service, the processing time is 1 business day (provided the order is submitted before 4PM GMT).
The certificate will be sent to you by Air Mail, but you can still expect to wait a couple of weeks after the birth certificate is mailed.
Scottish
You cannot get a Scottish birth certificate from the GRO. You have to instead apply in one of the following ways:
- Via a website for one of the official websites of the local Scottish Registrars.
- In person at Scotland’s People Centre in Edinburgh (map)
- By mail (there are three separate application forms, depending on the date of birth)
Scottish Birth Certificate Application
For people in Canada, the application for a Scottish birth certificate is made online at one of the Scottish county certificates websites, such as the one linked to administered by the Clackmannanshire Council. All the following information is based upon this website, and not any of the other websites run by Scottish Registrars.
In order to submit a birth certificate application, you need the following information for the person, their:
- Full name
- Place of birth
- Gender.
If you can provide information about either parent it will help speed up the process.
You also need to provide a mailing address.
Cost of a Scottish Birth Certificate
Scottish Certificates, run by Clackmannanshire Council, charges £15.00 for the first certificate (only £10.00 for an additional copy) plus a Shipping and Handling fee of £3.00 (overseas applicants only) if you apply yourself.
If ordering online, you can only pay by VISA or MasterCard, or VISA debit; they do not accept any other cards.
Scottish Birth Certificate Processing Time
The processing time is 15 business days if mailed to Canada. That includes delivery time.
Here are all the Council Areas of Scotland, their websites, the cost of the certificates and the approximate processing times.
| Council Area | Website | Base Cost (doesn’t include postage and other fees) |
Processing Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen, City of | http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/ (no online service) | £15.00 | Unknown |
| Aberdeenshire | https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/ (must contact individual registrars within Council Area) | Unknown | Unknown |
| Angus | https://www.angus.gov.uk/ (no online service) | £15.00 | Unknown |
| Argyll and Bute | https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/ (no online service) | £15.00 | Unknown |
| Clackmannanshire | http://www.scottishcertificates.org.uk/ | £15.00 | 15 days |
| Dumfries and Galloway | http://www.dumgal.gov.uk/ (no online service) | £15.00 | Unknown |
| Dundee, City of | https://www.dundeecity.gov.uk | £15.00 | Unknown |
| East Ayrshire | https://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/ (no online service) | Unknown | Unknown |
| East Dunbartonshire | https://www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk/ (must contact individual registrars within Council Area) | £15.00 | Unknown |
| East Lothian | http://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/ | £15.00 | Express service available |
| East Renfrewshire | http://www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/ (no online service) | £15.00 | Unknown |
| Edinburgh, City of | http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/ (no online service) | £15.00 | Unknown |
| Falkirk | http://www.falkirk.gov.uk/ | £15.00 | Unknown |
| Fife | https://www.fife.gov.uk/ | £15.00 | 5 days (not including delivery) |
| Glasgow, City of | https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/ | £15.00 | Unknown |
| Highland | https://www.highland.gov.uk/ | £15.00 | Unknown |
| Inverclyde | https://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/ (no online service) | £15.00 | Unknown |
| Midlothian | https://www.midlothian.gov.uk/ (online only available here) | £15.00 | Unknown |
| Moray | http://www.moray.gov.uk/ (no online service) | Unknown | Unknown |
| Comhairle nan Eilean Siar | http://www.cne-siar.gov.uk/ (no online service) | £15.00 | Unknown |
| North Ayrshire | https://www.north-ayrshire.gov.uk/ | £15.00 | Unknown |
| North Larnarkshire | http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/ (no online service) | £15.00 | Unknown |
| Orkney Islands | http://www.orkney.gov.uk/ (must apply through individual registrars) | Unknown | Unknown |
| Perth and Kinross | http://www.pkc.gov.uk/ (no online service) | £15.00 | Unknown |
| Renfrewshire | http://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/ (no online service) | £15.00 | Unknown |
| Scottish Borders | https://www.scotborders.gov.uk/ | £15.00 | Unknown |
| South Ayrshire | http://www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/ (no online service) | £15.00 | Unknown |
| South LAnarkshire | https://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk | £15.00 | Unknown |
| Stirling | http://my.stirling.gov.uk/ | £15.00 | Unknown |
| West Dunbartonshire | http://www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/ (no online service) | £15.00 | Unknown |
| West Lothian | https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/ (online available here) | £15.00 | Unknown |
Welsh Birth Certificate
In order to get a copy of your Welsh birth certificate for your British Passport application you need to apply to the General Registry Office for England and Wales (GRO) if you are applying from Canada. If you are in Wales, you can go to the local registry and apply in person instead if you wish.
Welsh Birth Certificate Application
The application for w Welsh birth certificate must be submitted online at the General Register Office. Before you complete the application, you will need to make sure you have all the correct information you need:
- GRO Index Number (this is not the serial number displayed on the birth certificate) which you can find here
- Your full name and mailing address
- Your email address
- An acceptable credit card or debit card (MasterCard or VISA)
- Details of the birth (full name, place, date).
Cost of a Welsh Birth Certificate
If you apply on your own, applying for a new birth certificate costs £9.25, and can only be paid by VISA or MasterCard (or by VISA debit or by Maestro debit). IMMIgroup charges additional fees if you decide to apply for your Welsh birth certificate with us.
For urgent service there is an additional cost of £23.40.
Welsh Birth Certificate Processing Time
If you supplied the GRO Index Number, the processing time is 4 business days from the GRO’s receipt of the application.
If you could not supply the GRO Index Number, the processing time is 15 business days.
If you pay for urgent service, the processing time is 1 business day (provided the order is submitted to the GRO before 4PM GMT).
The certificate will be mailed to you by Air Mail, but you can still expect to wait 1-2 weeks for your certificate to arrive.
Irish Birth Certificate (Northern Ireland)
If you were born in Northern Ireland and need to replace your Irish birth certificate, you must apply for a replacement from the General Registry Office for Northern Ireland. You can apply in person at the office in Belfast (cash only), by phone (Note: there is a charge), or online. The below information is for applicants from Canada or the US, so it focuses on applying online.
Irish Birth Certificate Application (Northern Ireland)
The application can be found at the NI Direct website. In order to receive the birth certificate, you will need to provide the following information:
- full name of the person named on the birth certificate
- date and place of birth (street and town or district)
- names of both parents (including the mother’s maiden name)
- mother’s residential address at the time of the birth.
If you do not have all of this information, your application will not be processed.
Cost of a Birth Certificate from Northern Ireland
You must have a VISA or MasterCard or a debit card through VISA or MasterCard to order an Irish birth certificate online.
If you apply for an Irish birth certificate on your own, the cost is:
- £8.00 for either a long form or short form birth certificate, plus
- £7.00 for the search of the records, plus
- Plus Shipping and Handling (which depends upon where you are in the world, it’s about £1.20 to Canada as of June 2016).
- If you select “Priority Processing” there is an additional fee of £5.
If you want a “Commemorative” Birth Certificate, instead of the regular record, it is £40 before postage but there is no search fee.
Processing Time of a Birth Certificate Application for Northern Ireland
NI Direct does not list the processing time on its website. It will take a couple of business days for your certificate to be issued. If you do not pay for faster delivery, the certificate will be mailed to you by “Second Class” mail, meaning it may take a few weeks for it to show up in the mail after it was issued.
If you select “Priority Processing,” your application will be processed the next business day or, if you submit your application before Noon Greenwich time, the same business day. However, your application will still be sent out second class mail. Same or next day delivery is only available to people in Northern Ireland.
Manx Birth Certificate (Isle of Man)
If you were born in the Isle of Man and need to replace your Manx birth certificate, you must apply for a replacement from the General Registry (Oik-Recortysse). You can apply in person at the Civil Registry in Douglas, Castletown, Peel or Ramsey, by mail to the Civil Registry (cheque, bank draft or money order only) in Douglas, or online. The below information is for applicants from Canada or the US, so it focuses on applying online.
Manx Birth Certificate Application
The application can be completed at the Government of the Isle of Man’s website. In order to receive the birth certificate, you will need to provide the following information:
- full name of the person named on the birth certificate
- date (it does not have to be exact) and place of birth (street and town or district)
- names of both parents (including the mother’s maiden name)
- mother’s residential address at the time of the birth.
If you do not have all of this information, your application will not be processed.
Please note that the mailing address form online only accepts postal codes in Manx format.
Cost of a Birth Certificate from the Isle of Man
If you apply for a Manx birth certificate on your own, the cost is:
- £8.00 for a short-form birth certificate
- £10. for a long-form birth certificate
- An additional £5.00 if you do not have the exact birth date
- A £5.00 fee for any searches for births since 1980
- £25.00 for every 5-year period of records searched prior to 1980 (Example: if you are not sure if the birth was in 1974 or 1975, the surcharge would be £50)
- Plus Shipping and Handling (which depends upon where you are in the world).
You will be sent an email in response to your order within 3 days. You can only pay by VISA or Mastercard, and they charge a 2% processing fee.
Manx Birth Certificate Processing Time
Applications normally processed within 5 business days. You should allow extra time because the certificate will be mailed through regular mail. (Estimated delivery times are not given.)
Birth Certificate from the Channel Islands
If you were born in the Channel Islands, you must apply for a replacement from either the Royal Court of Guernsey or from the Registry Office for the parish you were born in on Jersey.
Channel Islands Birth Certificate Application
Neither the Royal Court of Guernsey nor any of the Registry Offices of the Jersey parishes provide online applications for birth certificates. If you want to apply online, you need to use a third party service.
Guernsey Birth Certificate Application
You must apply for a birth certificate in person at the Royal Court in St. Peter Port or by mail. If applying by mail, you will need to include a self-addressed stamped envelope with your request.
JerseyBirth Certificate Application
You must apply for a birth certificate from Jersey in person at the Registry Office for your Parish or by mail. If applying by mail, you will need a self-addressed stamped envelope submitted with your request.
Cost of a Channel Islands Birth Certificate
- Guernsey: Long form birth certificates cost £20. Short form birth certificates may be requested as well.
- Jersey: The government of Jersey does not provide cost information.
Channel Islands Birth Certificate Application Processing Time
- Guernsey: Certificates are usually available one day after the request is received. Allow time for the certificate to be mailed back to you.
- Jersey: Processing times are unknown.
