£102
Standard adult online fee
The paper-form adult fee is £115.50. There is no separate HM Passport Office charge for changing the name.
Changing the name means getting a new passport
For most adults, the easiest route is to apply online, upload a new passport photo, pay £102, then post the old passport and original supporting evidence to the address supplied. A personal name change by deed poll will usually need both the deed poll and evidence that the new name is already in use.
3 weeks
Usual standard timescale
It can take longer if HM Passport Office needs more information or additional checks.
2 parts
Name-change evidence
Many deed poll applications need evidence of the change and separate proof that you use the new name.
10 years
Fresh adult passport
Unused validity from the old passport is not added to the replacement passport.
Choose the right evidence
Do you need a deed poll for your passport?
Not every change uses the same documents. The table below gives the usual route, but HM Passport Office can ask for extra evidence where the link between names is unclear.
| Your situation | Deed poll? | What HM Passport Office normally needs |
|---|---|---|
| Personal choice, new first name, new middle name or completely new surname | Usually yes | An original signed deed poll, evidence of any earlier name changes, and evidence that you are using the new name. |
| Taking a spouse's or civil partner's surname after the ceremony | Usually no | Your official marriage or civil partnership certificate. This also covers a straightforward double-barrelled surname using both partners' surnames. |
| Creating a blended surname, adding another name or making a change not clear from the certificate | Often | A deed poll gives a direct link between the old and exact new name and can be the clearest route. |
| Returning to a previous surname after divorce or dissolution | Not always | GOV.UK lists a birth certificate, signed statement, proof of using the previous surname, and the marriage or civil partnership certificate showing both names. |
| Changing name and gender marker together | Often | Gender evidence plus name-change evidence and proof of use where required. A deed poll is commonly used for the name. |
| Slight spelling change, reordering forenames or removing middle names | May not be | GOV.UK says two documents showing use of the new version can be accepted for these limited changes. |
| Changing a child's name | Usually yes | A deed poll or similar document, proof the child uses the name, the old passport, and written consent from everyone with parental responsibility. |
Important: If you have changed your name more than once, keep the full paper trail. HM Passport Office may need documents linking each name back to the name in your current passport or original identity documents.
Your two deed poll routes
Choose a printed original or make one free
Both routes can create a valid unenrolled deed poll. The paid option is for people who want a professionally presented original prepared for them; the free option is for people comfortable printing and completing it themselves.
Printed, checked and posted
We prepare your deed poll from the details you provide, check it, print it on premium certificate paper, add an embossed seal and send it with clear signing instructions.
- Clean, legible original to send with the application
- Correctly structured name-change wording
- Less risk of poor printing, missing fields or signing in the wrong place
- Free UK delivery included
HM Passport Office makes the final decision on every application. Our printed format does not have extra legal force, but it reduces common avoidable errors that can lead to questions or delay.
Create and print it yourself
Generate the deed poll wording online, print it at home and sign it correctly in front of an independent adult witness.
- No payment and no account required
- Same legal validity when correctly completed
- Download immediately
- You are responsible for print quality and execution
Use a clear original printout. Sign in wet ink and do not send HM Passport Office an unsigned copy or a scan.
How to change your passport name step by step
The online application is usually the cheapest and simplest route. You still need to post physical documents after completing the form online.
Prepare the document that proves the name change
This might be your original signed deed poll, marriage or civil partnership certificate, or the evidence required for divorce, gender change or a limited forename change. Make sure every name is spelled exactly as intended.
Obtain proof that you use the new name, where required
For a deed poll route, HM Passport Office usually wants separate evidence that the name is already being used. A recent bank statement, employer letter, payslip, council letter or other accepted official record can be suitable.
Start the official online application on GOV.UK
Apply in the exact name you want printed. Answer that your name has changed since the current passport was issued and give the reason accurately.
Upload a compliant digital passport photo and pay
You can use a photo taken by a participating shop or upload a suitable digital image. The online service checks the image, but HM Passport Office makes the final decision.
Post your current passport and original evidence
The online service gives you the correct postal address and a checklist. Send the old passport, original name-change document, proof of use and any earlier name-change evidence requested. Keep photographs or scans for your own records.
Track the application and wait for the new passport
You receive an application reference and progress updates. Your new passport and supporting documents may arrive separately. The old passport is returned cancelled if HM Passport Office returns it to you.
Do not send the application just before a trip. You normally have to post your current passport, and the replacement will have a new passport number. GOV.UK advises you not to book travel until you have a valid passport.
Evidence by circumstance
Documents needed for each type of passport name change
Use the section that matches your reason for changing your name. These are practical summaries of GOV.UK guidance, not a substitute for the personalised checklist shown during your application.
Changing to a new name by choice
This covers most changes to first names, middle names or surnames that are not directly evidenced by another official certificate.
- Original deed poll, statutory declaration or affidavit
- Proof of any previous name changes
- Evidence that you use the new name, such as a payslip or council letter
- Your current passport
Taking a partner's surname
You can apply after the ceremony in the new surname, including a straightforward double-barrelled surname formed from both partners' surnames.
- Official marriage or civil partnership certificate
- Your current passport
- Any additional evidence requested where the exact name is not clearly supported by the certificate
Returning to a previous surname
Do not assume the final order alone is enough. The current GOV.UK page lists a broader set of documents.
- Your birth certificate
- A signed statement that you have returned to the previous surname for all purposes
- Evidence that you use the previous surname
- Marriage or civil partnership certificate showing both names
Changing name and gender marker
Send one accepted form of evidence for the gender marker. If you use the medical-letter route and change your name too, include name evidence and proof of use.
- Gender Recognition Certificate, or
- New birth or adoption certificate showing acquired gender, or
- Doctor or medical consultant letter confirming the change is likely to be permanent
- Deed poll and proof of use where required
Small spelling or order changes
GOV.UK has a specific route for changing a spelling slightly, reordering forenames or removing middle names.
- Two documents showing use of the new version
- Examples include a driving licence, bank statement, council or government letter, or baptism/confirmation certificate
- Your current passport
Changing a child's name
The name-change evidence and consent requirements are additional to the usual child passport application.
- Current child passport
- Deed poll or other name-change document
- At least one document showing the child uses the new name
- Written consent from everyone with parental responsibility
Not sure whether your change needs a deed poll?
Our free guide explains the main routes. Where a deed poll is the right evidence, the printed service gives you a prepared original ready to sign and use.
Getting the deed poll right
What makes an unenrolled deed poll acceptable?
HM Passport Office guidance recognises that an unenrolled deed poll may be prepared online or drawn up at home. It is not the price, paper or seal that creates validity. The crucial point is that the document looks genuine and has been correctly executed.
Our printed service is more likely to avoid preventable queries because the original is professionally prepared, clear and durable. It removes the risks of poor print quality, incomplete wording and uncertainty about where to sign. It cannot guarantee acceptance, and it does not make the deed poll more legally valid than a correct free version.
Get a prepared originalOriginal documentSend the contemporaneous original, not an unsigned copy, photocopy or scan.
Old and new signaturesSign in the old and new names in wet ink as the document requires.
Independent witnessThe witness must sign in wet ink and provide the requested identifying details.
Correct date and clear name linkThe deed poll must clearly connect the former name with the exact new name requested.
Separate proof of useFor many applications, the deed poll proves the change while another document proves the new name is already in use.
Budget and timing
Passport name change cost and processing time
These are the official fees shown on GOV.UK when this guide was reviewed on 31 July 2026. Check again immediately before applying.
| Application | Online | Paper form |
|---|---|---|
| Standard adult passport | £102 | £115.50 |
| Standard child passport | £66.50 | £80 |
| Adult frequent traveller passport | £116 | £129.50 |
| Child frequent traveller passport | £80.50 | £94 |
Usually within
3 weeks
It may take longer if HM Passport Office needs more evidence, an interview or additional checks. Time the application from when the documents reach the Passport Office, not only from the moment the online form is submitted.
Urgent route: the 1 week Fast Track service can handle a change of personal details. It costs £192 for an adult and £156.50 for a child. The 1 day Online Premium service is not available for a name change.
Avoid an airport nightmare
Travel planning before and after changing your passport name
The key rule is brutally simple: the name on the booking must match the passport used for the journey.
01
Do not mix old and new names
Book flights, packages and cruises in the exact name printed in the passport you will present. Carrying a deed poll does not guarantee that an airline will accept a mismatch.
02
Leave time with no overseas travel
You normally send the old passport away. It is cancelled when the new passport is authorised, and the replacement has a different number.
03
Check visas and travel authorities
Unexpired visas may cease to work after a passport or name change. Check with the country or authority that issued each visa before applying.
04
Applying before a wedding
You can apply up to 3 months before the ceremony using the PD2 route. The new passport is post-dated and cannot be used until the ceremony date.
05
Dual nationality
GOV.UK says a non-British passport should normally show the same name and gender requested on the British passport. Change the other passport first where required.
06
Documents may return separately
Your deed poll or certificate may arrive in a different delivery from the new passport. Do not panic if one arrives first, but use the tracking information provided.
Honeymoon planning: either travel in the old name using the old passport before applying, or complete the official pre-ceremony process and book in the future name. The dangerous middle ground is booking in one name while holding a passport in the other.
First-time acceptance
Common reasons a passport name change is delayed
Most problems are not about the right to change a name. They are about incomplete evidence, mismatched details or documents that do not clearly connect the identity trail.
Sending a copy instead of the original
A scan or photocopy may be useful for your records, but HM Passport Office normally needs original change-of-name evidence.
Forgetting proof of use
A deed poll proves the declaration. Many applications also need a separate document showing that the new name is already used officially.
Incorrect or missing signatures
The applicant and witness signatures must follow the deed poll instructions. Missing wet signatures can stop the document being accepted.
An incomplete chain of names
Where there have been several name changes, provide evidence connecting every stage back to the current passport or source identity documents.
Different spelling across documents
Check spaces, hyphens, apostrophes, middle names and order. Small differences can trigger a request for clarification.
Applying too close to travel
Even a straightforward application can take longer than expected. Extra evidence or a document return issue can push it beyond the usual timescale.
When you do not need a new passport
According to GOV.UK, you do not need a replacement passport merely because one of the following changes. You do need a replacement when the name printed in the passport changes.
- You change your address or contact details
- You get a new job
- Your appearance changes slightly
- You marry, divorce or form a civil partnership but keep the same name
- You change an ordinary social title only
- You become a national of another country as well as the UK
- You emigrate
What happens to your old passport?
You send it as part of the application. HM Passport Office cancels it when authorising the replacement. The new passport has a different passport number and, for an adult, normally a fresh 10-year validity period. Unused time from the old passport is not carried over.
Can you use an enrolled deed poll?
Yes, but enrolment is not normally needed simply to update a passport. An unenrolled deed poll can be accepted when it is genuine and correctly signed. Enrolment creates a public record, so it is not automatically the better route for an everyday name change.
Clear answers
Passport name change FAQs
These answers mirror the practical guidance above and are marked up for search engines and answer systems.
Apply for a new passport through GOV.UK in the name you want printed. You will normally upload a new digital photo, pay the passport fee, then post your current passport and the original evidence linking your old and new names. If you changed your name by deed poll, HM Passport Office will usually also require evidence that you are already using the new name.
Yes. Most people apply online through the official GOV.UK passport service. At the end of the application, you are given the address and instructions for sending your old passport and supporting evidence.
You need a new passport. HM Passport Office does not alter the personal details printed in an existing passport. The new adult passport is normally valid for 10 years, and unused time from the old passport is not added.
A deed poll is commonly used for a personal name change, a new first or middle name, or a surname change that is not fully evidenced by a marriage or civil partnership certificate. Straightforward changes after marriage or civil partnership can usually use the official certificate instead. Other routes have their own evidence requirements.
Yes, an unenrolled deed poll can be accepted. It should be an original document, dated and signed in both the old and new names, with the required witness signature. Enrolment is not normally required for a standard passport name change.
No. Certificate paper and a seal are not legal requirements. HM Passport Office focuses on whether the document is genuine and properly executed. A professionally prepared printed original can still be useful because it is clear, durable and less prone to avoidable printing, wording or signing errors.
Examples listed in GOV.UK guidance include a payslip or employer letter, a bank statement, a letter from a government department or local council, a utility bill, a medical card or a valid driving licence. Use a recent document where the guidance requires one.
The name change itself has no separate HM Passport Office fee. As checked on 31 July 2026, a standard adult application costs £102 online or £115.50 using a paper form. A child application costs £66.50 online or £80 using a paper form. Always check GOV.UK before paying because fees can change.
GOV.UK says a standard passport usually arrives within 3 weeks after the application is received, although it can take longer if more information is needed. The site owner's own online name-change application, including posting the old passport and deed poll, took around 3 to 4 weeks. This is an individual experience, not a guaranteed timescale.
Yes, GOV.UK says the 1 week Fast Track service can be used to change personal details. As checked on 31 July 2026, it costs £192 for an adult passport and £156.50 for a child passport. The 1 day Online Premium service is for simple adult renewals and is not available for a name change.
Do not plan to travel during the application. You will normally have to send your current passport to HM Passport Office, and it will be cancelled as part of issuing the new one. GOV.UK advises not to book travel until you have a valid passport.
Yes. Book travel in exactly the name printed on the passport you will use. A deed poll or marriage certificate does not normally make up for a mismatch between the booking and passport at the airport.
An unexpired visa may become invalid when the passport is cancelled or the name changes. Check with the embassy, consulate or authority that issued the visa before applying. Your new passport will also have a different passport number.
You can apply up to 3 months before the ceremony using the official PD2 process. Your old passport is cancelled and the new one is post-dated, so it cannot be used before the ceremony. Some countries will not issue visas for a post-dated passport.
Current GOV.UK guidance asks for your birth certificate, a signed statement confirming that you have returned to the previous surname for all purposes, evidence that you are using that name, and a marriage or civil partnership certificate showing both names. Follow the live GOV.UK checklist for your circumstances.
Yes. GOV.UK accepts specified evidence for the gender change, such as a Gender Recognition Certificate, a new birth or adoption certificate, or a letter from a doctor or medical consultant confirming the change is likely to be permanent. If you use the medical-letter route and also change your name, you normally need evidence of the name change and proof that you use it.
Yes. A child application normally needs the current passport, the deed poll or other name-change document, evidence that the child uses the new name, and written consent from everyone with parental responsibility. Apply for a new child passport through GOV.UK.
GOV.UK says the name and gender on a non-British passport should match the details requested on the British passport. Where they differ, the non-British passport usually needs to be changed first, subject to the other country's rules.
Official reference points
GOV.UK passport name change guidance
Every public reference in this information hub links to official government guidance.
Official pages used to review this guide
Rules can change, and the personalised document list generated during your official passport application takes priority over any general guide.
Get your evidence ready
Start with a deed poll made for real-world use
Choose the printed service for a prepared original delivered to your door, or use the free generator and print it yourself.