When Does HM Passport Office Require a Translation?
HM Passport Office asks for translations when a document required for a passport application is not in English or Welsh. Current GOV.UK guidance for first adult passports states that a certified translation must be sent with foreign-language documents. The online passport document service also tells applicants to send the original document together with the certified translation.
The important point is that the documents you need depend on the type of passport application and your circumstances. Do not assume that every birth certificate, marriage certificate, identity document or other record must be supplied simply because it exists. Follow the document checklist generated for your application.
What Does the Translation Need to Include?
HM Passport Office guidance differs slightly depending on the application route. Current paper-application and overseas-passport guidance is explicit: where a supplied document is not in English or Welsh, the applicant should provide an official translation that is signed and stamped by a translator who is a member of a recognised professional organisation.
For online applications, GOV.UK tells applicants to provide a certified translation with the original foreign-language document. Because the passport service may give application-specific instructions, those instructions should take priority over generic translation advice.
If you have been given a checklist or request from HM Passport Office, send it with the document so the translation can be prepared to the required format.
Which Passport Documents May Need Translation?
Only documents that are actually required for your application need to be considered. Depending on the application, examples can include civil-status, identity, nationality, adoption, name-change or parental documents.
For example, a first adult passport application may require birth or adoption evidence and, depending on the applicant’s circumstances, documents relating to parents, nationality or other status. A name-change application can require evidence such as a marriage certificate, deed poll, statutory declaration or other accepted proof. If a required document is not in English or Welsh, translation requirements then apply.
Academic records are not a standard passport requirement simply because someone is applying for a passport. Always use the checklist for the actual application rather than a generic list from a translation website.
Original Document and Translation
Current HM Passport Office guidance generally tells applicants to send the original document together with the certified translation where the supporting document is not in English or Welsh. The precise document format can vary by application, so check whether the passport service has asked for an original, official copy, colour copy or another form of evidence.
How to Prepare a Passport Translation
- Complete the passport application far enough to identify the documents HM Passport Office actually requires.
- Identify any required documents that are not in English or Welsh.
- Check whether your application instructions specify an official or certified translation format.
- Provide the translator with a complete, legible document and any HM Passport Office instructions.
- Check names, dates, places, document numbers, stamps and annotations carefully before submission.
- Submit the original or other required source document together with the translation as instructed.
For commercial support, see our passport translation service or certified translation service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all foreign-language documents need translation for a passport application?
A document needs translation when HM Passport Office requires that document for your application and it is not in English or Welsh. Do not translate unrelated documents that are not part of the application unless you have been asked to provide them.
Does a passport translation need a professional-body member?
Current HM Passport Office paper and overseas guidance says an official translation should be signed and stamped by a translator who is a member of a recognised professional organisation. Follow the instructions for the application method you are actually using.
How long does a passport translation take?
Turnaround depends on the language pair, document length, legibility, certification format and provider capacity. Check the required deadline before ordering rather than relying on a universal timeframe.
Sources and Review
Last reviewed: 17 September 2026. Primary sources checked: GOV.UK — First adult passport: documents you need, the current HM Passport Office online document guidance, and GOV.UK — Guidance for paper passport applications.
