Farra is a death administration assistant for UK families. Get step-by-step guidance for registering a death, applying for probate, notifying banks, and managing bereavement admin. From essential documents to practical checklists, Farra simplifies estate paperwork and funeral-related tasks so you can focus on what matters.
When someone dies, notifying Passport Office is one of the key tasks for the executor or next of kin. This guide explains exactly who to contact, what to say, what documents you will need, and how long Passport Office takes to process a bereavement notification.
Passport Office bereavement contact details
Online: GOV.UK — form D1, what to do when a passport holder dies
Post: Customer Service Management Team, HM Passport Office, PO Box 767, Southport, PR8 9PW
Last verified: May 2026
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Tell Us Once (gov.uk/tell-us-once) reports the death to HM Passport Office and the passport is cancelled without you sending anything in. HM Passport Office says that if you have already used Tell Us Once you do not need to fill in the D1 form as well. You can only cancel the passport this way if you know the passport number.
If Tell Us Once was not used, or you did not have the passport number, fill in form D1, ‘What to do when a British passport holder dies’, which you can download from GOV.UK. It asks for the passport holder's details, your details and your relationship to them, and it has to be signed and dated.
HM Passport Office asks you to cut off the top right-hand corner of the passport before sending it, so it cannot be used fraudulently. Send it with the D1 form to Customer Service Management Team, HM Passport Office, PO Box 767, Southport, PR8 9PW. From outside the UK, send or take the form to the nearest British embassy, high commission or consulate.
The D1 form asks you to choose one of two things: HM Passport Office can cancel the passport and dispose of it safely, or cancel it and return it to you. Families often keep the cancelled passport, so tick the option you want rather than leaving it blank.
Send the D1 form with an original death certificate instead of the passport. HM Passport Office will send the certificate back to you once the passport has been cancelled on its system. If the passport was stolen and reported to the police, put the crime reference number on the form.
Have multiple certified copies of the death certificate ready. Banks and financial institutions each require an original or certified copy — you cannot usually pass a single copy between organisations. See our guide to how many death certificates you need.
Passport Office does not publish a processing time, so we do not give one. Ask when you notify them, and ask for a reference so you can chase it.
Records are updated rather than frozen — there is no account to hold.
HM Passport Office publishes no processing time for a death notification, so the figure above is indicative only. Tell Us Once can only cancel a passport if you know the passport number — if you do not, use form D1 with an original death certificate.
Once Passport Office receives your notification and confirms receipt, the account or service will be frozen and no new transactions will be authorised. Estate administration can then begin.
Passport Office will confirm receipt of your notification and advise you of any next steps required to close or transfer the account or policy. Keep a record of all correspondence and reference numbers for the estate file.
Do not delay notifying Passport Office
Direct debits and standing orders may continue to be charged after death. Some organisations treat the estate as the debtor for any charges incurred before notification. Notifying Passport Office promptly protects the estate from unnecessary costs.