OS UK passport application form
Quick Takeaway
- You can no longer apply using a paper form outside the UK, nor can you apply at a British diplomatic mission.
- You have to apply at HMPO’s website, upload a digital photograph, and pay your fees.
- After completing the online part of your application, you have to send your supporting documents by mail to the UK.
- Make sure all the information you provide in your application is accurate and complete to avoid delays in processing. As well, you can use a third-party service to process your application.
- Click here to apply online with HM Passport office
- Click here to apply using the paper application with a third-party company.
The basics about the OS form
The OS form was a paper application form that is no longer used for overseas applications. It was formerly used to renew your passport, to apply for a first passport, to extend or replace a passport, or to change the information on your UK passport. Nowadays, if you are applying for a UK passport from overseas, you must apply at the UK government website. You can only apply on paper if you are in the UK, where you can obtain your paper form at the post office. However, if you live abroad, applying at HMPO’s website is now required.
No more passport applications at UK diplomatic missions
This means that any applications for renewal of UK passports sent to a British diplomatic mission (a consulate, embassy, or High Commision) will be sent back to you. Waiting in line at your nearest diplomatic mission is no longer in the cards. You now have to go to His Majesty’s Passport Office website, answer some questions, provide personal details, upload a digital photograph, pay the fee, and then send the required supporting documents.
Filling in the information – watch out for those mistakes
The information required will be similar to what one used to provide when filling in the OS application form. So, as long as you’re comfortable inputing information without making mistakes and are good at providing details accurately at a UK government website like His Majesty’s Passport Office, you should be able to handle the new application process. Additionally, you’ll need to know how to take a government-approved digital passport photograph and upload it, as well as pay your fee online. However, if this sort of thing is not your strong suit and you feel you might need help, you can instead fill in a paper form similar to the OS UK passport application form, provided by a third-party provider. They will then make sure that you submit the required supporting documents, check that you have provided accurate, correct, and complete information and also check that each document is valid. As well, they will help you upload a digital photo to government standards. By applying on your behalf, they help ensure you avoid any trouble resulting from errors.
Accurate applications mean a quicker process
Remember, it’s important to realize that accurate and complete information on your application form means your passport application gets processed quickly. If you make mistakes or leave out information, His Majesty’s Passport Office will have to contact you for further information, and possibly additional documents. This can mean weeks of delay for your application while you try to find and provide the requested documents. If you delay too long in providing any document the UK passport office requests, your application may even be closed down.
Who to contact for help
You can always contact HM Passport Office in the UK for help by mail, phone, or webform by going to this government page. Please be advised, however, that your contact will likely direct you to an online guide showing you how to navigate the online application process in order to renew your passport. If applying online is fine with you, you can also use our guide by starting here at our page on passport renewals.
