Post Office Check and Send vs Applying for a Passport Online
You can apply online yourself, apply on paper, or use the Post Office Check and Send service. Here is how they differ on cost, speed and the photo, and how to choose without being upsold.
By Helal · Last updated
What are your options for applying for a UK passport?
There are three ordinary routes, and they differ more on cost and effort than on the passport you end up with:
- Apply online on GOV.UK, paying by card and uploading a digital photo.
- Apply on paper, picking up a form, attaching printed photos and posting it.
- Use the Post Office Check and Send service, where staff help with your application and can take your photo.
GOV.UK describes them plainly. The online service lets you "apply for, renew, replace or update your passport and pay for it online." On paper, you "pick up application forms at your local Post Office and apply by post." And Check and Send is Post Office help "for both online and paper applications," including staff who "can take your digital photo and help with forms," which "costs extra."
This guide compares the routes, describes what each involves for your photo, and helps you decide. It is an independent guide: DigitalPhotoPassport is not affiliated with HM Passport Office or the Post Office.
Applying online
What you need. GOV.UK says "You'll need a debit or credit card to use this service," plus a passport photo.
Cost. GOV.UK states: "It's £13.50 cheaper to apply for a passport online than by post." Check the current fees on GOV.UK when you apply, as they change.
Speed. Online is the quicker route. GOV.UK says "It takes longer to apply by post than online." For the timings that apply to a standard application and what can extend them, see how long a UK passport takes.
The photo. A digital photo is uploaded as part of the application. GOV.UK asks for at least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall, between 50KB and 10MB, clear, in focus, in colour and unaltered by computer software, and taken in the last month. You can take it yourself with help, since GOV.UK's digital rules ask for "someone to help you take a photo during your application."
Best for. Most people who are comfortable with a computer or phone and have a way to take or obtain a good digital photo.
Applying on paper
What you need. A paper form from the Post Office and two identical printed photos.
Cost and speed. More expensive and slower than online, by GOV.UK's own account: £13.50 more, and longer processing.
The photo. Printed photos have to be exactly right: 45mm high by 35mm wide, your face 29mm to 34mm high, on plain white photographic paper with no border, unmarked and left loose in the envelope. Everything is covered in printed UK passport photos: size, paper and the back-of-photo rules.
Countersignature. Some paper applications, including first-time passports and replacements, need someone to countersign the photo. The rules are in who can countersign your passport photo.
Best for. People who cannot or prefer not to apply online, or whose application needs a paper route.
Post Office Check and Send
What it is. A Post Office service where staff help with your application. GOV.UK says assistance is available "for both online and paper applications," and that staff "can take your digital photo and help with forms." It "costs extra."
What it offers. A second pair of eyes on the form, and a photo taken in person. For someone anxious about making an error, or without a way to take a photo at home, it is a reasonable convenience.
What it does not change. It does not make the passport faster than the standard service, and it does not change the photo rules, so the photo still has to meet exactly the same requirements. It is a paid service on top of the application fee, so check the extra cost at the counter before you agree.
Best for. People who want help with the form and the photo in one visit and are happy to pay for it.
How to choose
A short decision path:
- Comfortable online, with a way to take a photo? Apply online. It is cheaper and quicker.
- Want a person to check the form and take the photo? Consider Check and Send, knowing it costs extra.
- Cannot apply online? Apply on paper, and get the printed photos exactly right.
- Need it quickly? Look at the urgent services in 1 week Fast Track versus 1 day Premium.
The main saving is the £13.50 difference between online and paper, which you give up if you apply on paper. Check and Send adds a fee on top. Whether that is worth it depends on how much you value someone else checking your form.
Getting a photo without a counter
If you are applying online and do not want to pay for a counter service, the photo is the part most people worry about, and the good news is that you can check it yourself.
Take it in daylight, facing a window, with a plain light background and some distance between you and the wall. Ask someone else to take it at eye height, since a selfie tends to distort your face; passport photo selfie rules explains why. If the framing is off, the passport photo resizer sets a photo to the UK passport size. Then check the result against GOV.UK's requirements before you upload.
A photo that does not meet the rules will be rejected and costs you time, so it pays to check first. The passport photo checker reads a photo against the main requirements before you submit it, and digital versus printed passport photos compares the formats if you are not sure which you need.
Common mistakes when choosing
Paying for a service you do not need. If you are comfortable online, Check and Send is an extra cost for help you may not need.
Applying on paper by default. Paper is dearer and slower. Do it because you must, not out of habit.
Assuming a counter check guarantees the photo. It gives a second opinion, not a guarantee. The photo still has to meet the rules.
Leaving the photo to the last minute. Whichever route you pick, take the photo early.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to apply online or by post?
Online. GOV.UK states it is £13.50 cheaper to apply for a passport online than by post.
What is Post Office Check and Send?
A Post Office service where staff help with your application form and can take your digital photo. GOV.UK says it costs extra.
Does Check and Send make my passport arrive faster?
Nothing in GOV.UK's guidance says it does. The processing time depends on the application, not on where you submitted it.
Do I need a card to apply online?
Yes. GOV.UK says you need a debit or credit card to use the online service.
Can I take my own passport photo for an online application?
Yes, with help. GOV.UK's digital rules ask for "someone to help you take a photo during your application."
Is DigitalPhotoPassport part of HM Passport Office?
No. It is an independent service, not affiliated with or endorsed by HM Passport Office, the Post Office or any government body.
Sources
- GOV.UK, Apply for or renew a passport
- GOV.UK, Get a passport photo
- GOV.UK, Get a passport photo: printed photos
- GOV.UK, Get a passport urgently