HM Passport Office (HMPO) has issued an alert to anyone applying for a new or replacement passport for a child, stressing that the application must be completed by a person with parental responsibility and that documentation must be provided to confirm this.
A valid passport is required for all travellers, including children, when heading abroad. Since October 5, 1998, every child, regardless of age, must hold their own individual passport for international travel. Before that date, children under 16 could be included on a parent's or family member's passport.
Parental Responsibility Rules
HMPO, the UK's sole passport issuer, shared the reminder on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday. The post reads: "A child's application must be completed by a person with parental responsibility. You'll also need to provide documentation to confirm this."
Parental responsibility is automatically granted to those who give birth to a child. Fathers or second female parents may also have automatic parental responsibility, depending on their individual circumstances. Automatic parental responsibility is also typically granted to those who are married to, or in a civil partnership with, the birth mother at the time of the child's birth.
Special Cases and Fertility Treatment
A child's biological father will automatically acquire parental responsibility if they subsequently marry or enter into a civil partnership with the child's birth mother after the child is born. If a child was conceived via fertility treatment, the parent automatically holds parental responsibility provided they consented to the procedure and have either married or entered into a civil partnership with the birth mother. If not married or in a civil partnership, parental responsibility can be obtained by jointly registering the birth alongside the mother.
Separate regulations apply when registering a birth for same-sex couples. If the birth is not registered together, an application for parental responsibility can be made.
Child Passport Costs
A new or replacement passport for a child costs £66.50 when applying online, or £80 when submitting a paper form, for a standard 34-page document. For a "frequent traveller" 54-page child's passport, the cost rises to £80.50 or £94 when applying online or via the paper form, respectively.
