How to Renew a British Passport in the US

Apply for a renewal up to nine months in advance of your passport expiration. UK passports are only issued for periods of ten years. Early application does not add more validity to the passport.

Print and complete an application form. Find an online passport renewal form for the UK on the USA Foreign & Commonwealth Office website. Read the renewal form application requirements. Some applicants who only want a renewal have to reapply for a full adult passport if they do not meet all the requirements for a renewal.

Download or request a passport application from the UK Passport Service for the Americas and Caribbean in Washington, DC, the only office that issues full passports and renewals to foreigners in the US. Or pick up application forms in person from UK consulates, embassies or high commissions in the US.

Print in black-and-white. Passport services only will only process forms printed or filled in black-and-white.

Write your initials on each page. In each form, fill in the box that says "Please initial here." Passport services will not process any application without initials on each page.

Provide two identical, standardized passport photographs. Use photographs only taken in the last month to meet Identity and Passport Service standards. Meet all requirements for the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards. New UK passports use facial biometrics, a facial recognition system used to immediately identify individuals by face the same way fingerprint detectors receive data from a fingerprint. Download the IPS guide to compare and evaluate your photos.

Renew your passport with the full fee for a new passport. Check the current price prior to traveling. Applicants cannot get a refund for leftover time remaining on the old passport.

Submit your completed application form. Include your two passport photographs, supporting documents, reason for renewal, your old passport (if you have it) and the correct fee in US currency to the relevant British embassy, consulate or high commission in the US, such as the UK Passport Service for the Americas and Caribbean in Washington, DC. If sending in an application and not using an online service, include correct postal or courier charges. The UPS postage fee includes insurance of up to $100. To insure the cost of replacing the passport/supporting documentation if it gets misplaced, purchase the additional fee of $1.80 for up to $300 coverage. Send applications to:
The UK Passport Service for the Americas and Caribbean
British Embassy
19 Observatory Circle, NW
Washington, DC 20008

Send the application by a registered courier service. Use UPS, DHL or Fedex. Even Priority Mail items sent by USPS take a few days to reach Washington.

Interview with a passport control official. Some renewal applicants are asked to come in for an interview once their paperwork has been received. State who you are, your business or other reason for residing in the US and verify addresses and other personal details. The interview prevents fraud and forgery, protects UK citizens from identity theft and ensures international passport security.