U.S. Passport Renewal in the UK 2026 (DS-82 / U.S. Embassy & Consulates)

Most straightforward adult renewals use DS-82. You must use DS-11 instead if the previous passport was issued when you were under 16, was issued more than 15 years ago, has been lost or stolen, is substantially damaged/mutilated, or otherwise fails the DS-82 requirements.

For mail renewal, your most recent passport must be submitted, must never have been reported lost or stolen, must have been issued within the last 15 years, must have been issued when you were at least 16 and normally have 10-year validity, must be undamaged except normal wear, and must be in your current name or accompanied by acceptable name-change evidence.

Residents in England and Wales use the London passport-service instructions. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate U.S. consular posts and post-specific passport instructions through Edinburgh and Belfast. Do not automatically send a Scottish or Northern Irish application to London's process without checking the competent post's current instructions.

Complete the current DS-82 using the U.S. Department of State form-filler or the official PDF. Print the form single-sided and sign it as instructed. Review the passport number, name, date of birth, social security number, current address and contact details before mailing.

Provide one recent colour photo exactly 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm). Your head must measure approximately 25–35 mm from chin to top of head, and the face should be centered against a white or off-white background. Do not use a standard UK 35 x 45 mm passport photo.

Eligible adult DS-82 applicants in the UK are directed to the overseas U.S. Adult Passport Renewal Fee payment service on Pay.gov. The current adult passport-book fee is $130. Save and print the payment confirmation because it is part of the mail-in application package.

Place the signed DS-82, current passport, passport photograph, Pay.gov confirmation, legal name-change evidence if applicable and any other required documents into the mailing package. Follow the current London/consular mailing instructions and include the required prepaid Royal Mail Special Delivery return envelope.

Use Royal Mail Special Delivery or the exact tracked postal service specified by the competent U.S. mission. Keep the posting receipt and tracking number. Overseas passport applications should not be mailed to the domestic U.S. National Passport Processing Center addresses.

Current U.S. Department of State processing times are approximately 4–6 weeks for routine service and 2–3 weeks for expedited service where available. These processing times do not include the time required for the application to reach the processing location or the time required for the completed passport to return to the UK.

Use the official U.S. passport application-status system after the application has been entered into the State Department system. The Embassy/Consulate can also send email status messages during overseas processing when the local procedure provides for them.

For the London mail-in process, the new passport and supporting documents are returned through the designated return-mail procedure. They may arrive in separate mailings. Keep the old passport after it has been cancelled if you need the visa or travel-history record, but do not use it for international travel once it has been cancelled.

Check the spelling of your name, date/place of birth, passport number, issue date and expiration date immediately after receipt. If the passport contains an error, contact the issuing U.S. mission or Department of State before travelling.