Chaim V'Chessed

British Citizenship

Published on May 20, 2025 Print this guide

Passport Application Method

Applying and paying for a British passport overseas may only be done online. The UK Passport Gemach is available to help you through the process. See the end of this article for more information.

Application steps:

  1. Fill out the application form online.
  2. Pay online by credit card (international Visa and MasterCard are accepted).
  3. For a first-time application or for a child under 12, complete the form and get it countersigned.
  4. Mail the declaration form to the provided address with required supporting documents:
    • For passport renewal: old UK passport and a colour copy of the front page of your foreign passport – if you have one.
    • For a first-time passport:
      • Original full UK birth certificate of one parent (for a parent born after 1982, the grandparent’s certificate, as well)
      • Misrad Hapnim birth certificate of the child, in English or with an English translation.
      • Digital photo of the applicant.
        • Photo requirements:
          • Adult: no smiling, no glasses, mouth closed, cream/light grey (not bright white) background and no shadow.
          • Child: –  cream/light grey background, and no shadow. No fingers, hats, or pacifiers should be visible. The baby must be looking directly at the camera. If the face is slightly to one side, the picture will be rejected.
  5. If the applicant has another passport from a different country, then a colour copy of the front page must also be submitted.

On the top of the declaration form is a barcode with a tracking number, called the PEX number. This number is your link to information on your passport’s status. Save a copy of the declaration form, either in print or digitally, for future reference.

Your passport and supporting documents will be delivered to you separately by DHL courier.

If your application is missing documents, you have 6 weeks to provide them. After that time, your application may be cancelled and payment will not be refunded.

Fees

There is a mandatory courier fee of £19.86, which pays for your passports and supporting documents to be returned securely.

  • Child passport (including courier): £89.86
  • Adult passport renewal (including courier): £127.86
  • Jumbo 48-page passport (including courier): £140.86

Emergency Travel

An Emergency Travel Document (ETD) is granted only in extenuating circumstances and only after the applicant has already been approved for a new passport by the Passport Office in England. In the case of a first-time passport, an application must be submitted and approved in order to receive an ETD. For an adult renewal, an ETD is easier to obtain once the applicant has been previously approved.

An ETD is valid for the length of your itinerary, up to a maximum of three months. The document costs £100. Its validity cannot be extended and it cannot be exchanged for a full-validity passport.

Certain countries, including the United States, do not permit entry with an ETD. Confirm with the embassy of your destination country before traveling. Approval may take 2-3 working days. You will be notified when to go to the Jerusalem or Tel Aviv Consulate to collect the ETD.

Applying for an ETD

For an Adult
  • A completed emergency travel document application form
  • A recent passport-quality photo
  • Proof of your travel plans (e.g. booking confirmations or your flight itinerary)
  • A police report, if the passport has been stolen
  • Proof of residence in Israel (e.g. bills, addressed envelopes)
For a Child Under Age 16
  • The child’s completed emergency travel document application form
  • A recent passport-quality photo
  • Your passport
  • Proof of travel plans (e.g. booking confirmations or detailed written travel plans)
  • Written proof that everyone with parental responsibility agrees to the application
  • A photocopy of the passport photo page of each person with parental responsibility
  • A police report if the passport has been stolen
  • Proof of residence in Israel (e.g. bills, addressed envelopes)

Emergency Passport for babies

Once the passport has been issued in the UK, the Passport Office can grant permission for the Consulate or Embassy to issue an emergency passport.  Both parents and the child must attend the appointment.

Lost Passports

To replace a lost passport, you must first cancel it. It is advisable to report a lost passport as soon as possible. Once it’s cancelled, you may complete the application form as outlined above.  The new application will need to be countersigned.

Passport Validity

You may renew your passport at any time; there is no need to wait until it is about to expire. 

  • Child passports are valid for 5 years
  • Adult passports (age 16+) are valid for 10 years

Passport Advice Line

For all passport inquiries and to track your passport’s status, call the Passport Advice Line at 44-(0)-300-222-0000.

Hours (UK time):    
Monday-Friday: 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sunday and public holidays: 9:00 am – 5:30 pm

For assistance with British passport applications, contact the UK Passport Gemach at 02-500-2314 (morning hours). They offer help with the application process, passport tracking and legal translations.  No computer access is necessary.