UK Sets Minimum Age Requirement for Applicants Seeking 5-Year British Passport

• The UK government confirmed that children under 16 are required to apply for a separate child passport rather than a standard adult passport
• A child passport costs £66.50 (about ₦139,000) online or £80 (about ₦167,000) through a Post Office paper form, with different rules for overseas applicants
• Unlike adult passports, a UK child passport is only valid for 5 years, meaning parents must renew it more frequently

The UK government has confirmed that children under the age of 16 must apply for a dedicated child passport, setting a clear age threshold that separates younger applicants from the standard adult passport process.

According to the official guidance published by the UK government, the child passport is valid for five years, which is notably shorter than the ten-year validity period attached to adult passports.

This means parents and guardians will need to renew their child's travel document more frequently throughout the child's early years.

How much a UK child passport costs

The cost of obtaining a child passport depends on how the application is submitted. Applying online costs £66.50 (about ₦139,000), while choosing to submit a paper form through the Post Office raises the fee to £80 (about ₦167,000). The government has not indicated any grace period or exemption from these charges.

Families applying from outside the United Kingdom are subject to separate rules, and the government advises those applicants to check the specific requirements that apply to overseas applications before proceeding.

UK child passport: What parents need to know before applying

The age threshold of 16 is the key determining factor. Any child who has not yet reached their 16th birthday at the time of application falls under the child passport category and cannot use the adult passport route. Once a child turns 16, they become eligible to apply for a standard adult passport.

The five-year validity period also has practical implications for families who travel frequently, as the passport may expire well before the child reaches adulthood, requiring at least two renewals before they qualify for an adult document.

Parents are encouraged to review the full application requirements on the UK government's child passport page before submitting, particularly if applying from abroad, where additional documentation or processing steps may apply.

In a related story, Legit.ng reported that the UK published the official cost of its 10-year British passport.

Conditions for UK 10-year passport

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the UK shared three conditions for applicants seeking its 10-year British passport.

According to the official guidance published on the UK government's website, applicants must meet a specific set of criteria before they are eligible to submit a first adult passport application.

There is also a separate category of people who must apply even if they have held a passport previously.