Applying for first British Passport with expired foreign passport

[GU9Will]

My application to be a British Citizen has been approved but due to Covid-19 I am unlikely to get the invitation to attend the citizenship ceremony before my foreign passport expires in September.

My question is do I need to renew my foreign passport or will my (uncancelled) expired foreign passport be an acceptable document when I apply for a British passport after I receive my certificate.

I am reluctant to renew my foreign passport unless I really have to as the country I am from does not allow dual citizenship.

I have sent emails to the Passport Office and the Home Office but neither have given me an answer after a month of waiting.

I hope someone with the same experience can shed some light on this for me.

Many thanks!

[CR001]

Why don't you phone the HMPO offices. They are very helpful. Don't rely on email response for emails you send to a generic inbox.

Home Office doesn't deal with passports. It is only HMPO that does.

[vinny]

I doubt that HMPO requires a British citizen to renew a foreign passport. However, they normally require both British and foreign passports of the same person to be in the same name.

[GU9Will]

thank you CR001 and Vinny.

I have today received a reply from Home Office which confirmed that I do not have to renew my foreign passport to apply for a British passport>

You’ll need both:

your naturalisation certificate, and
the passport you used to come into the UK or the foreign passport you’re included on

Your expired passport would therefore be sufficient.

If you have any further queries you would be advised to contact HM Passport Office directly. They may be contacted on 0300 222 0000.