Urgent UK passport: the Premium and Fast Track services

If you need a passport urgently, HM Passport Office offers two fast services — but both require an in-person appointment booked in advance, and neither hands you a passport within the hour.

The 1 day service (Online Premium)

The fastest option is the Online Premium service. The earliest appointment is 2 days after you apply, and the new passport is ready to collect 4 hours after that appointment. It costs £239.50 (£253.50 for a 54-page frequent-traveller passport). The key limit: it is only for renewing an adult passport. Bring your old passport, a digital photo and a payment card.

The 1 week service (Fast Track)

The second option is the Fast Track service. You can be seen the day after you apply, and the passport is couriered to you one week after the appointment. It costs £192 for an adult (£206 for 54 pages) and £156.50 for a child (£170.50 for 54 pages). It is broader: it covers renewals, changing personal details, replacing a lost, stolen or damaged passport, and child passports.

Who cannot use them

Neither Premium nor Fast Track can be used for a first adult passport — that needs the standard service. They are also not available from outside the UK, where you apply for an emergency travel document instead.

The 54-page option and booking

Both Premium and Fast Track let you choose a 54-page "frequent traveller" passport — useful if you travel often and fill pages with stamps quickly; it costs £14 more than the standard book. Urgent services can only be booked online at GOV.UK: you pick an office and a slot, pay, then attend in person on the day. There are only a handful of in-person offices, and slots are scarce at peak holiday times, so book as soon as you know you need a passport urgently.

What the standard service costs

For comparison, a standard online application is £102 for an adult and £66.50 for a child; a paper application by post costs more, £115.50 and £80. Choose the standard service when the trip is not imminent: apply well ahead, and check the current turnaround times published on GOV.UK.

How to prepare

For any service you need a compliant digital photo, a valid payment card and, for a renewal, your old passport. Urgent appointments can only be booked online; in-person offices are in a handful of cities and slots are scarce in peak season, so book early. Always check the exact fees and conditions on GOV.UK before paying.