If you are in Venezuela and need to apply for a full UK passport, then you should apply directly to the UK Passport Service Centre for the Americas and the Caribbean in Washington D.C., USA. The British Embassy Caracas is no longer able to accept full UK passport applications.

Visit UKinUSAto find out more about the application process and see the “Applying for your UK passport in Venezuela” section below for a summary of the application process and how to pay for the passport.

Customers are advised to keep their passports in a safe place at all times and to check the validity. Passports can be renewed up to 9 months in advance; the additional time will be added to the period of validity of their new passport.

You may apply for a renewal up to 9 months in advance of your passport expiring without losing any validity (i.e. a passport can be issued for 10 years and 9 months). You can apply earlier than 9 months in advance of the expiry of your passport, but we will not be able to add further validity to your passport.

Passport application forms are available, free of charge to download from the UKinUSA website.

What do I need to submit?

To apply for an UK passport you must submit:

• your completed application form * - (Important - please ensure you add your e-mail address when completing section 1a of the application form)
• your supporting documentation (not required for renewal of valid or recently expired passports. The exception is where you have naturalised or registered as a British citizen; in this case we require a copy of your certificate of naturalisation or registration)
• proof of payment of the correct fee (see below)
• your previous passport - (if your passport has been lost or stolen please see our Lost or stolen passports page).
• 2 photographs that meet the standards, one countersigned. Please note that when you are making an application for a British passport overseas, the background of the passport photograph required can be white. The photographs also do not have to be printed on plain white photographic paper. This differs from IPS requirements, but otherwise the information in the link is correct.

Please note: If you are renewing an old blue passport or a red passport, which has expired more than ten years ago, then your application will be treated like a first-time application.

* A complete application is defined as one that includes a correctly completed application form, all the required supporting documents and the correct fee. If customers do not complete the application form correctly, or fail to provide all the required documents, or if a customer's credit card is rejected, the 10 day processing time will not start until the form is complete, the documents are received and/or a credit card payment has been accepted. These processing times do not include the time it takes to post/courier the passport to and from the UK Passport Service for the Americas and the Caribbean.

Application process for a UK passport when applying within Venezuela (6 easy steps)

1. Print and complete the correct application form. Use the guidance notes to help you. We accept forms printed in black and white.
2. Make sure you write your initials in the box on each page of the form that says ‘Please initial here’. We will not be able to process your application if you do not do this. If the applicant is unable to write, they can use their thumbprint instead. However, they must also provide a letter from a responsible counter-signatory such as a doctor or a relative, giving the reasons why the applicant cannot sign their initials.
3. Provide 2 identical passport photographs taken within the last month. The photographs must meet the Identity and Passport Service standards
4. All passport applications should include ORIGINALS and PHOTOCOPIES of supporting documents. If you do not provide the full documentation, your application may be refused.
5. Submit your completed applications form, your 2 passport photographs, your supporting documents, your return courier envelope and your previous passport (this is mandatory) along with proof of payment.
   
   NB: before sending your completed application to Washington, ensure you have paid the passport fee using one of the two methods as outlined below. Submit with your application a pre-paid completed return courier envelope.
   
6. Completed applications should be sent to:
   
   UK Passport Service for the Americas and Caribbean
   British Embassy
   19 Observatory Circle, NW
   Washington, DC 20008, USA

(Please ensure you add your e-mail address when completing section 1a of the passport application form)

Payment types accepted

You can pay for your passport in one of two ways:

1. By credit card: You can use an international or Venezuelan 'CADIVI authorised' Visa or MasterCard credit card. You will need to print out a Card Payment Authorisation Form , fill in your card details as instructed on the form and enclose it with your application. You card will be charged once your application is received in Washington. DO NOT send your actual credit card. You will be charged in DOLLARS.
    
2. By cash deposit at Banco Exterior: Pay the passport fee IN CASH ONLY (in BOLIVARES) at any of the BANCO EXTERIOR agencies nation-wide via bank account No. 0115-0021-86-3000301411. Please see the fees page on this website for the correct fee to be paid. Once you have made your payment at the bank please enclose the receipt with your application.

Each application form must have a separate payment for only the passport fee and the receipt must be included with that application. For example: a family of four (2 adults and 2 children) must make four different payments into the bank - one payment per application.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
The UK Passport Service for the Americas and Caribbean will not be able to process your application or there may be a delay in issuing your passport if:

• you have used the wrong form or completed it incorrectly
• you do not provide the correct fee
• you do not include a pre-paid return courier envelope
• your photographs do not meet the standards

Passport information helpline

Unable to find what you're looking for on this website or the one of UKinUSA? Try calling Careline Services (the UK Passport Helpline service) on +44 208 082 4721, between 8:30am and 8:30pm GMT, Monday to Friday.

A TextPhone service is available for customers with hearing difficulties.

Passport enquiries

All passport enquiries are handled by our Passport Information Helpline.

Postage and insurance

We recommend that you send the application by registered courier service such as DHL. In the event that your passport application is rejected, all documentation will be returned to you via your enclosed pre-paid courier envelope to ensure safe and timely return.

Downloading passport application forms

We have recently been made aware of web sites that charge a fee for the download of British Passport application forms and information leaflets. Please be aware that application forms and information can be downloaded from our web site or from UKinUSA and printed free of charge.

Waiting time

If Washington has received from you the properly completed application form, together with all supporting documentation and the correct fee, they can issue a new passport within the next 10 working days, although every effort will be made to have it ready as soon as time and circumstances permit.