How to apply for a British passport before the price rise

Passport fees will rise on Tuesday 27 March in a drive to encourage applicants to go online rather than using the labour-intensive postal service. Standard fees will increase by £12.50 by post and £3 online from the end of the month, for both new applications and renewals.

The adult fee is being hiked from £72.50 to £75.50/£85 (online/post) and child fees from £46 to £49/£58.50. The premium one-day service is also going up, from £128 to £177 and fast-track one-week service from £103 to £142 for adults. The Post Office’s Check and Send service (£9.75) remains the same but does not apply to online applications.

Beat the hike

If your passport is due to expire within the next nine months, you can renew it now and have the remaining time added to your new passport, giving it a maximum validity of 10 years and nine months. You’ll also need a new passport if you change your name (for example, by marriage, civil ceremony or divorce), gender or appearance (such as plastic surgery).

Unexpired visas might be invalidated by a name change, so check with the relevant country’s embassy. You can apply for a new passport up to three months before a marriage or civil partnership.