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If your child falls into one of these groups you will need to follow the usual steps, but there are some additional things you'll need to think about.

The passport application form

If you apply for a child's passport, someone with parental responsibility needs to sign the application form.

If your child was adopted in the UK, anyone who legally adopted the child will have parental responsibility and can sign the form. If your child was adopted overseas, please call the IPS Passport Adviceline on 0300 222 0000.

If your child was born using assisted reproduction treatment performed by a licensed practitioner and a parental order has been granted in the UK after 6 April 2010, either parent named on the order will have parental responsibility. Otherwise, please call the IPS Passport Adviceline on 0300 222 0000.

When a child is born of a surrogacy arrangement and a parental order has been granted in the UK after 6 April 2010, anyone named on the order will also have parental responsibility. Otherwise, please call the IPS Passport Adviceline on 0300 222 0000.

• Who can apply for a child passport and when

• Application form, fee and supporting documents for a child passport

If your child was adopted in the UK

British citizenship can be taken through either British parent who was habitually resident in the UK at the time of adoption. IPS needs to see your child's adoption certificate showing parent's details and one of the following:

• section 4 of the application form completed with the British passport details for either parent
• UK birth certificate for either parent
• Home Office certificate of registration or naturalisation for either parent
• the passport that was valid at the time of the child's birth for either parent

For further information on how to complete the application form, please download a copy of the detailed guidance booklet that comes with the form.

• Download a guide to filling in your passport application form (PDF, 484K)

If your child was adopted overseas

For children adopted outside the UK before 1 June 2003, their adoption does not automatically confer British nationality even if one of the child's parents was a British citizen. These adoptions may be recognised in UK law for parental responsibility purposes depending on the country the adoption took place in, but not for nationality purposes. If you are unsure whether the adoption may be recognised, please call the IPS Passport Adviceline on 0300 222 0000.

For children adopted on or after 1 June 2023 outside the UK, citizenship can be taken through either British parent who was habitually resident in the UK at the time of adoption. IPS needs to see the child's full Hague Convention adoption certificate showing parent's details and one of the following:

• section 4 of the application form completed with the British passport details for either parent
• UK birth certificate for either parent
• Home Office certificate of registration or naturalisation for either parent
• the passport that was valid at the time of the child's birth for either parent

• Download a guide to filling in your passport application form (PDF, 484K)

If your child was born using an assisted reproduction treatment

When a child is born using assisted reproduction treatment performed by a licensed practitioner and a parental order has been granted in the UK after 6 April 2010, nationality can be gained through either parent named on the order.

When a child is born using assisted reproduction treatment performed by a licensed practitioner to a female couple that are in a civil partnership and the female giving birth has the agreement of her civil partner to have this treatment, nationality can be taken through the partner who gave birth to the child if the birth took place before 6 April 2009. If the birth took place on or after 6 April 2009, nationality can be taken through either parent named on the birth certificate.

In all of the above cases, IPS will need to see you child's full birth certificate showing parent's details, the parental order and one of the following:

• section 4 of the application form completed with the British passport details for either parent
• UK birth certificate for either parent
• Home Office certificate of registration or naturalisation for either parent
• the passport that was valid at the time of the child's birth for either parent

Additionally for couples in a civil partnership:

• parent's civil partnership document (where applicable)
• evidence of treatment in a UK licensed clinic or evidence of treatment overseas in a licensed clinic, for example a letter from the clinic where the treatment took place (if the person applying or passing on nationality is the second female partner)

Where a child is born using assisted reproduction treatment in any other circumstances, please call the IPS Passport Adviceline on 0300 222 0000.

If your child was born using a surrogacy arrangement

When a child is born by a surrogate and a parental order has been granted in the UK after 6 April 2010, nationality can be taken through either parent named on the order. IPS needs to see:

• the parental order
• the child's birth certificate
• section 4 of the application form completed with the British passport details for either parent named on the parental order

And also one of the following documents:

• UK birth certificate for either parent named on the parental order
• Home Office certificate of registration or naturalisation for either parent named on the parental order
• the passport that was valid at the time of the child's birth for either parent named on the parental order

Where a child is born using a surrogacy arrangement before 6 April 2010, please call the IPS Passport Adviceline on 0300 222 0000.

Useful contacts

• Foreign & Commonwealth Office Opens new window

• Identity and Passport Service Opens new window