Millions miss out on cheapest ways to get a passport – we've three quick tips to save as prices rise by up to £17.50 in April

Tip 1: Avoid the paper form if you can

Currently, it's £12.50 cheaper to apply for a passport online through Gov.uk, instead of using a paper form. Of course, this isn't an option for those excluded from, or who struggle to use, digital services – though if this is the case, you may want to consider the Post Office's 'Check & Send' service.

In 2025, nearly seven million Brits collectively saved an estimated £86.4 million by applying online – but over 200,000 missed out, the latest Passport Office figures show:

Bonus tip: Opt for the digital version if using Post Office 'Check & Send'

Nearly half a million people used the Post Office's Check & Send service last year. The idea behind this scheme is for the Post Office to check your passport application before it's sent to try to ensure you've included the correct documents, that your photos don't breach any restrictions, and that the forms have been filled in correctly. The aim of this is to minimise delays to your application.

Check & Send is an optional extra that costs £16 on top of the standard passport fee. (The Post Office told MSE that it is NOT increasing prices alongside the upcoming passport fee increase.)

There are two versions of Check & Send: digital and paper. Though the £16 fee is the same for both, the digital version still works out cheaper overall. For example, at the current rates, renewing an adult passport using digital Check & Send costs £110.50 (£94.50 + £16), while doing the same renewal using paper Check & Send costs £123 (£107 + £16, £12.50 more).

Crucially, if you opt for the digital Check & Send service, the Post Office will complete the online application form and take your digital photo for you – so you can save even if you aren't able or don't want to do this yourself.

Tip 2: Take your own photo for FREE

If it's been a while since you last applied for a passport, you may be surprised to learn that you can now take your passport photo yourself at home and upload it directly into your online application. This means you DON'T need to shell out for photos taken at high-street shops or photo booths, which can typically cost between £5 and £13 ish.

According to figures we obtained from the Passport Office using a Freedom of Information request:

• Last year, over two-thirds (67.5%) of those applying online uploaded their photo themselves.

• But nearly a third (32.5%) – equivalent to over 2.1 million people – paid for a photo from a booth or shop.

• Of those who used their own photo, the vast majority were accepted first time round. However, nearly one in seven (13.5%) faced delays to their application due to issues with their photo. See below for ways to minimise the risk of your photo being rejected.

How to ensure your photo is accepted

Here are some pointers to help you get your photo right first time:

Tip 3: Renew before fees rise on Wednesday 8 April

Passport fees will rise by up to £17.50 on Wednesday 8 April. So if your passport's already expired, applying ASAP is a no-brainer.

But be warned: if you renew your passport BEFORE it expires, the time left on it is no longer added on to the expiry date of your new passport. This means renewing early is not a straightforward decision.

As a rough guide, if you've less than 10 months left on your current passport, it could be worth renewing now. Here's why:

• A standard adult passport lasts for 10 years and currently costs £94.50 – which works out to around 79p per calendar month of ownership. In other words, each month you have left on your passport is 'worth' 79p.

• This means the closer your passport is to expiring, the more it's worth renewing before the new fees kick in.

• As an example, if you currently have six months left on your existing passport and choose to renew online now, you give up £4.74 but save £7.50 in increased application fees – a net gain.

• But if you still have 12 months left, you'd be giving up £9.48 and still only saving £7.50 – a net loss.

For more help and info, see our Passport renewal tips guide.