Last updated: September 2026.
If you’re planning your first trip abroad with a baby, getting their passport sorted is one of the first jobs on the list. Babies need their own passport to travel outside the UK, even as newborns.
We applied for R’s first passport before travelling abroad with him, and the process was easier than I expected once I knew what we actually needed. Below I’ve covered how to apply for a baby passport in the UK, the photo rules, what documents you’ll need, how long the process can take and the bits that caught us out.
I’ve also included our own experience of applying, but passport rules and processing times can change, so I’ve linked to the relevant GOV.UK guidance throughout.
In this guide:
Does a baby need one How to apply Documents needed Photo rules Countersignatory Cost How long it takes Our experience
| Question | Quick answer |
|---|---|
| Does a baby need a passport? | Yes. Babies need their own passport to travel outside the UK, even as newborns. |
| Can a newborn get a passport? | Yes. There’s no minimum age for a UK passport. |
| How do you apply? | Online at GOV.UK, or by post using a paper form from the Post Office. Online is quicker and slightly cheaper. |
| How much does it cost? | £66.50 online, or £80 by post, for a standard 34-page child passport. |
| How long does it take? | GOV.UK’s own guidance is to check their processing time checker and not book travel until the passport arrives. We cover our own experience below. |
| How long is a child passport valid? | 5 years. |
Does a baby need a passport in the UK?
Yes. All babies need their own passport to travel outside the UK, including to European countries, from the day they’re born. There are no exceptions for newborns, and a baby cannot be added to a parent’s passport.
Can a newborn baby get a passport?
Yes. There’s no minimum age for a UK passport, so you can apply as soon as you have your baby’s full birth certificate. That certificate usually takes 2-3 weeks to arrive after you register the birth, so it’s worth factoring that in if you’re applying on a deadline.
How to apply for a baby passport
You can apply:
- Online at GOV.UK
- By post using a paper form from the Post Office
Applying online is generally quicker and slightly cheaper, and it’s what we did.
What documents do you need for a baby passport?
This was the stage that took us the longest, as I started the application while we were staying with family and hadn’t realised I’d need to post off R’s actual birth certificate. You’ll need:
- Your baby’s full UK birth certificate (showing both parents’ names), which you’ll need to post off. This was all we needed to send.
- Proof of parental identity (for example passports or driving licences)
- A digital passport photo of your baby that meets the HM Passport Office photo rules
- The name and details of a countersignatory to confirm your baby’s identity
Baby passport photo rules
The official rules for a baby’s passport photo are slightly different from an adult’s. Per current GOV.UK guidance:
- Your baby needs to be photographed alone, with nothing covering their face and no toys, dummies or a supporting hand visible
- Babies under 1 don’t need their eyes open, and can be lying down
- Children under 6 don’t need to look directly at the camera or have a neutral expression
Always check the current GOV.UK photo requirements before you take it, since the exact specification can change.
How to take a baby passport photo
The passport photo was the part I expected to be most difficult. From a practical point of view, I’d do it when your baby is fed and calm, give yourself more than one attempt, and don’t worry about producing the sort of perfectly posed photo you’d expect from an adult.
We had R lying on a plain white sheet, stretched out to remove any creases, and took his photo at 6 weeks old during tummy time. It took 12 attempts over two days to get one that met the rules, mostly down to him wriggling or an arm creeping into shot. Some photo services, such as Snappy Snaps, or pharmacies like Boots, offer baby passport photo services that check the photo meets UK government standards before you submit it, which takes some of the pressure off.
Who can confirm a baby’s identity?
A countersignatory is required for a baby’s first passport application, whatever their age, to confirm their identity. This person:
- Must have known you (the parent) personally for at least 2 years, for example as a friend, neighbour or colleague
- Must not be related to you by birth or marriage, in a relationship with you, or living at your address
- Must live in the UK and hold a current British or Irish passport
- Should work in (or be retired from) a recognised profession, or be a person of good standing in their community. The full list is here
If you apply online, they fill in their details as part of the process rather than signing a physical photo. Ours did this and it took our accountant about 5 minutes. Just make sure they have your baby’s full name and date of birth to hand.
How much does a baby passport cost?
A standard 34-page child passport currently costs £66.50 online or £80 by paper application, correct as of this update. Fast Track (1 week) is available for £156.50 but requires an in-person appointment at a passport office, and the same-day Premium service isn’t available for child passports. Always check the current GOV.UK fees before applying, as they’re reviewed periodically.
How long does a baby passport take?
Official processing times can change, so I’d apply as early as you can rather than planning around the fastest possible turnaround. GOV.UK’s advice is to check their current processing time checker before you apply, and not to book travel until the passport has arrived. Processing tends to take longer during busier periods, particularly over the summer.
Our own application took 10 days from submission to R’s passport landing on the doormat, but we applied outside the summer rush with all our documents ready and a countersignatory who completed their part immediately. I wouldn’t assume yours will arrive in the same timeframe, but it’s a useful data point for what’s possible when everything goes smoothly.
Our experience applying for R’s first passport
When R was 8 weeks old and we needed his passport details for his first flight, I had a minor panic about the whole thing. The GOV.UK website made it sound straightforward but also vaguely terrifying: what if we got the photo wrong, or it took weeks and ruined our plans?
In the end it was one of the easier bits of admin around having a baby. We applied online, sent R’s birth certificate off by tracked next day delivery (they post the original back to you once the passport is approved), and our accountant handled the countersignatory section in about 5 minutes online. The photo took the longest out of any part of the process, but even that was a couple of days of attempts rather than anything more stressful.
What to do once your baby’s passport arrives
Check the details on the photo page as soon as it arrives, particularly the spelling of your baby’s name and their date of birth, and get in touch with HM Passport Office straight away if anything’s wrong. Otherwise, store it somewhere safe with your own documents, note the 5-year expiry date somewhere you’ll actually see it again, and you’re free to get on with planning the trip itself.
Planning your first trip with your baby?
Sorting the passport was one of the first things we did before travelling abroad with R. I’ve pulled everything else we’ve learned into my complete guide to travelling with a baby, including flying, what to pack, travel insurance, sleep, where to stay and the travel gear we actually use.
First holiday with your baby coming up?
Download our baby travel packing checklist so you can tick off what you actually need before you go, from the obvious essentials to the things that are very easy to forget when you’re packing for a baby for the first time.
We share our trips with R as we go, including the practical bits of travelling with a baby and toddler that don’t always make it into a full blog post. You can follow our latest family travels on Instagram @littlebritsabroad.
Allie, Jack & R
This post contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
No. All babies need their own passport to travel internationally from birth, including to Europe. There are no exceptions even for newborns.
Yes. Since Brexit, all UK children need their own passport for travel to any European country. Babies cannot be added to a parent’s passport.
