Immigration Corner | Obtaining a UK passport urgently

Dear Mr Bassie,

I will be in the United Kingdom shortly and I need to get my British passport urgently. Please advise me how I would go about obtaining this in the shortest possible time.

RS

Dear RS,

Persons can pay to get their passports sooner if they have not already applied and they think the standard service will take too long. Those persons will need to book a passport office appointment and pay online, and they can book an appointment up to three weeks in advance.

Please note, persons should not book travel until they have a valid passport, as the new passport will not have the same number as the old one. Those persons who need a passport to travel urgently for medical treatment or because a friend or family member is seriously ill or has died, should instead call the Passport Adviceline. They can also call if they need to travel urgently because they are working for, or are representing, the government.

Persons can apply for a faster service if they are both in the United Kingdom and if they need to renew, replace or update a passport, or get a first child passport.

Persons cannot apply if they are outside the United Kingdom; those persons should apply for an Emergency Travel Document. If they are applying for a first adult passport, they should use the standard service.

It should be noted that those persons who have already applied for a passport and have not received it yet, should not pay for an urgent passport, as they will not get their passport sooner.

There are two ways to apply for an urgent passport, and as part of the application, persons will need to attend an appointment at the nearest passport office.

ONLINE PREMIUM

With respect to Online Premium Service, persons will apply, pay and book an appointment online. The earliest they can get an appointment is two days from when applying.

Applicants will get a new passport at the appointment, and appointments can last up to 30 minutes. It costs £193.50 (or £204.50 for a 50-page frequent traveller passport).

Please be aware that persons can only use Online Premium to renew an adult passport that was issued after December 31, 2001. However, please be aware that they can also use this service to renew an adult passport.

It should be noted that to use the Online Premium service, persons will need:

• The old passport;

• A device that takes digital photos (like a smartphone, tablet or digital camera) and someone to take the photo;

• A digital photo of the applicant.

ONE-WEEK FAST TRACK

With this service, a person’s new passport is delivered to their home within seven days of their appointment (excluding public holidays). Please note that someone might need to be there to sign for it.

This service can be used to:

• Renew an adult or child passport;

• Change a name on the passport (for example, with a marriage certificate or deed poll);

• Make changes to personal details on a passport;

• Replace a lost, stolen or damaged passport;

• Apply for a first child passport.

I hope this helps.

John S. Bassie is a barrister/attorney-at-law who practises law in Jamaica. He is a justice of the peace, a Supreme Court-appointed mediator, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a chartered arbitrator, the global president of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and a member of the Immigration Law Practitioners Association (UK). Email: lawbassie@yahoo.com