Expat Tips on How to Renew Your UK Passports When Living In Spain
Do you live in Spain and need to renew your British passport?
Well, it’s easy as a pie. With the introduction of the new digital passport application process, you can now renew your UK passport by applying to the Identity and passport service in the UK directly, hassle-free.
Expats living in Spain have two options when considering renewing their UK passports; apply via post or do it online.
At Health Insurance in Spain, we truly care.
For this reason, we have prepared the following expats’ passport renewal guidelines to make your life much easier:
1. Applying Online
The advancement in technology has somehow made things much easier for mankind.
Imagine, getting things done at the click of a button without having to leave the comfort of your office or home. Interestingly, renewing your passport online is a clinch.
In fact, doing it online is not only efficient but convenient provided you meet all the requirements.
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Requirements
For effectiveness; you’ll need to take a digital photo of yourself, which can be done using a photo booth or smartphone.
Selfies are highly discouraged.
For more information on digital photo rules, visit https://www.passport.service.gov.uk/help/photo-rules
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Fill out an application form online
To apply online, visit: www.gov.uk/overseas-passports
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Make an online payment
For information of fees visit: www.gov.uk/browse/abroad/passports
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Send them your old passport
The whole process takes a maximum of 10 minutes to complete.
After successful completion of the online application form, applicants should expect to receive their new passports sent back within three weeks.
For more information, Visit: https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports
2. Apply Via Post
The other alternative is to apply via post.
This is particularly effective when you have all the time to get yourself a new passport.
This is a classic method of having your UK passport renewed when living overseas. You can expect to get your new passport after about 4 weeks of waiting depending on when your documents were received.
All you have to do is:
- Fill in the online application form and go through all the details carefully.
- Make payment and print the complete declaration form.
- Sign declaration form, attach your old passport and send.
For more effectiveness, take advantage of the Passport Check and Send service offered in a good number of Post Offices. Alternatively; you can contact the Passport Adviceline on 0300 222 0000 for advice.
Conclusion
The expats’ tips are also applicable when your passport is damaged, stolen or even lost.
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I am lead to understand that as a result of Brexit, British citizens living in Spain are required to obtain a new passport. I have lived here in Spain since 1982 and am married to a Spaniard etc. Am I required to renew my passport if so, do I wait until my existing one it about to expire (2026) or can it be done now. Could you send me details of the procceedure or undicate to me where I can find the information online.
Thank you in advance
You can wait until your old UK passport expires.
I live in Spain can I renew my passport in UK whilst visiting my family
Can I renew my passport & have it sent to my daughters address while visiting her in England. My passport expires 07/05/2022 so it will only effect the return journey
I am in tenerife until 22nd January 2022 but my passport expires 29th April 2022. Can i still return to the uk on this passport
Yes! If still valid you can use it until the last day, the problem would arise if flying out of UK with a soon-to-expire passport. So fear not my friend, thou shall pass!!
No wonder they do whatever they want with us…
Recieved my passport today,many thanks excellent service.PEX 350 601 9564
Yet the uk passporr say up to 11 weeks to receive a passport after an online application.
I want to renew my passport online today and travel to UK on Friday, then post it to the passport office on Saturday. Will my passport still be valid for the week before I arrive or does the passport office cancel it as soon as I complete the online application?
All I want to know is the address to send my old passports from Spain.
Please……
2 hours of my life wasted
If I renew my passport how do I send my old one
HM Passport Office
PO Box 767
SOUTHPORT
PR8 9PW
United Kingdom
I am a UK national Spanish resident.
My passport was stolen whilst on an overnight stopover in Gandia Valencia returning to my home in Andalucia.
I have completed the renewal application for and have a PEX number.
In view of the circumstances – theft, Spanish residency etc is it possible for the Passport Office to fast track my renewal.
Also I need to apply for an exchange of Driving Licence, British to Spanish, before the end date August. This cannot be done without my passport.
I am asking the same question as Mike Gill +Catherine. I cant find where to send my passport + I am not prepared to phone the uk to find out,
Hi I am flying frim Spain to England on 8 July and Passport runs out 18 July. I dint plan to return as I’m doing a course I the uk. I plan to renew it in England. Can I fly to England,
HM Passport Office
PO Box 767
SOUTHPORT
PR8 9PW
United Kingdom
Thank God , at last. I have been an hour trying to find out where to send the old one.
Applied online through the UK gov website and then was given this address:
HM Passport Office
INT-DAP
PEX 355 635 2115
Freemans Reach
Riverside Place
Durham
DH1 1SL
UK
How far ahead of the expiry date can you apply to renew your passport?
What address do I use to send my old passport ?
My passport is due to expire on 10 Dec 2023 but it was issued 19 March 2013.
I am told you no longer get that extra 9 months credited to me by replacing my passport early.
If I go on a cruise in October 2022, I will only have 5 months validity on my passport, if the expiry date is March 2023.
Do I have to renew my passport soon?
Iam retiring to Spain in June, how much time do I need on my passport my issue date was February 2013 and expires April 23 was going to renew when I get to Spain.
Agree with commenters above. The Passport office keeps saying on its website that we have to send the old passport by mail, but never seems to have the common sense to actually tell us what address to send it to!!!
HM Passport Office
PO Box 767
SOUTHPORT
PR8 9PW
United Kingdom
So what is the address to send back your old passport…Southport or Durham. Lack of information from the Passport office
I am a British Citizen. My last passport was issued in Gibraltar as I worked there but lived in Spain. I still live in Spain, but I don’t work in Gibraltar anymore. With my existing Gibraltar passport, can I renew it again in Gibraltar once it expires, or do I have to do it through the UK?
We live in Spain as residents (since 1993) and are travelling to Australia within the next month. Our passports run out in May and the Passport Office state renewal time as 12 weeks. We have to return our existing passport with the application. Does that mean that we cannot travel for the next 12 weeks thereby not allowing us to go to Australia ?
Bloody hell, Passport Office – where do we send our old passort to? Southport or Durham.
Within a couple of months I shall need to renew my UK passport from Spain.
Online seems to be the way to go.
At the moment I do not have a digital photo.
So, a digital photo is needed, fill out the online application form, make online payment and send the expiring passport.
Without an immediate digital photo I cannot get far into the online document. Does it need further proof of identity and if so what is that? In the event of further proof of identity being needed will a NIE number suffice or maybe certified copies of recent utility bills (name and address on them) etc?
The data on this page states that the only thing to send by post is the expiring passport.
Berkeley FENNE on 19/06/2023 at 9:36 am
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
I am a UK national Spanish resident.
My passport was stolen whilst on an overnight stopover in Gandia Valencia returning to my home in Andalucia.
I have completed the renewal application for and have a PEX number.
In view of the circumstances – theft, Spanish residency etc is it possible for the Passport Office to fast track my renewal.
Also I need to apply for an exchange of Driving Licence, British to Spanish, before the end date August. This cannot be done without my passport.
I have just realised I have a month left on my passport and I am due to travel from Spain to France tomorrow. Will I still be able to travel? Is it best to change the dates until I get it?
If you apply on line for a new British passport in Spain do you still need to send your old passport back to the UK?
I’ve been looking into renewing my passport and this post has been super helpful! Thank you so much for breaking it down in such a clear and easy-to-understand way. I’ve been living in Spain for a few years now and I had no idea about some of the requirements for renewing my passport from abroad. The information about medical insurance was also really useful, I’ll definitely look into getting a good policy in place. Great blog!