UK Passport Office.
Approximate Turnaround Time:
1 week except Premium Renewals, which can usually be obtained in two working days
Please read the following carefully and fully before applying for your visa(s) / passport(s).
Applicants are strongly advised to obtain visa(s) prior to making firm travel and accommodation bookings.
If the purpose of your travel is other than tourism or business, please contact us for details.
Price Overview
Birch Visas Fee
(excl. VAT)
Birch Visas Handling Fee (Per visa)
£120.00
Royal Mail special delivery, if required
£12.50
Consular Charge
(VAT excluded)
£193.50 (Standard) £204.50 (Jumbo) Per Visa£122.00 Per Visa£142 Per VisaNotes: Consular charges are estimates based on latest information held by Birch Visas Ltd and may be varied without notice by the issuing consular authority.
Requirements
- Completed application form (available for download above or from a Post Office).
- For first time applicants, your form will need to be countersigned by an appropriate person*.
- 2 passport-sized photos will be required, one of which should be countersigned.
- Birth certificate.
- For those born after 31st December 1982, a full birth certificate is required showing parents names.
- Renewals require a completed application form, the expiring passport and 2 passport – sized photos. A countersignature is not generally required unless the applicant’s appearance has changed considerably.
- A completed authorisation form (download on this page) is required so we can collect the passport on your behalf.
- We also offer a service for the replacement of Lost or Damaged Passports.
- Additionally we can arrange 2nd Passports for business people required to travel extensively by their companies.
- Please contact our office for further information.
*Applicants applying for first time 2nd Passports must provide photocopy of EACH page of original passport – providing just a copy of the detail page will result in rejection at the passport office*
*The counter signatory must be a professional person or a person of standing in the community. Examples include bank or building society officials, police officers, civil servants, ministers of religion and people with professional qualifications (teachers, accountants, engineers, solicitors and so on)
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FAQ.
When we lodge your application, we will pay any consular or passport office charges on your behalf. When we have obtained your visa and/or passport we will provide you with a VAT invoice which will include: our handling fee, postage/courier charges and any up-front payments we have outlaid on your behalf. Our invoice is then payable on receipt. We can accept payment by: cash, cheque, credit/debit card, or bank transfer.
Yes. Visit the UK page via “Destinations” on this website for details and requirements. Alternatively, contact us and we will explain the process.
As a UK passport holder, you do not currently need a visa to visit any EU country and to remain for less than 90 days. If travelling for any reason other than tourism or wishing to stay longer than 90 days, you may need a visa.
Yes, as a UK passport holder you will need a visa to travel to most commonwealth countries. Some commonwealth countries such as: Canada, Australia, and New Zealand will issue UK passport holders with Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) which will permit entry on production.
If your visa is in the form of a physical stamp or attachment to your passport then we will collect your passport and visa from the consular office and return it in accordance with your instructions; usually by Royal mail special delivery service, courier, or retain at our London office for you to collect in person. Electronic visas (E-Visas) will be sent to you via email. New/replacement passports and USA visas will usually be dispatched to you directly by the issuing authority.
If posting your passport and documents to us, for security we strongly recommend you use the Royal Mail tracked special delivery service. Alternatively, you can visit our London office and deliver the materials in person. We will use dedicated and trusted couriers to transport your passport and documents between our office and the appropriate consular facilities. Once we have obtained your visa and/or passport we will return your property using a means of your choice, usually Royal Mail special delivery, courier, or personal collection from our London office.
While a few countries will issue visas on arrival, this is a particularly uncertain way to gain entry. To securely gain entry, it is advisable to obtain your visa in the UK country ahead of travelling.
No. We show a “best case” turn round period (usually a few days) on this website but this is no guarantee that the issuing authority will respond in this time frame. We therefor strongly recommend that you obtain your visa/passport prior to booking travel and accommodation.
On rare occasions an application may be rejected for an error or omission on the application form or supporting documentation. Usually, the application can be re-submitter once the error or omission is corrected, and the visa is then issued at no additional cost and with just a few days delay.
You will never be required to attend our offices but a few countries such as: USA, China, Nigeria, and Russia, will require you to attend their consular facilities for the purpose of fingerprinting and/or interview. We will tell you if this is the case and arrange your appointment.
