How to Renew a British Passport in New Mexico

Updated February 19, 2021 -- Please see COVID-19 section on the bottom of the page for the latest information regarding British passport renewals in New Mexico.

New Mexico is located in the Southwestern United States and is the fifth largest of the 50 states by area.  At 121,590 square miles, the “Land of Enchantment” is 1.3 times the size of the United Kingdom but has a population of only 2.1 million residents, making this one of America’s least densely populated states.  Albuquerque is New Mexico’s most populous city followed by Las Cruces, Santa Fe, Roswell, and Farmington.  New Mexico is well known for its natural beauty boasting deserts, snow-capped mountains, alpine forests, and grasslands.  The state also has a unique history and culture that combines Native American, Hispanic, and Anglo traditions.

New Mexico is not necessarily the first place that British think about when moving to America, however, cities like Santa Fe and the town of Taos have gained recognition around the globe as important destinations for art enthusiasts.  Santa Fe has nearly 250 art dealers and galleries, along with plenty of outdoor festivals, performance art venues, and unique architecture.  Taos is also famous for being an art colony that attracts British and other international visitors to its numerous art galleries, workshops, classes, and retreats.  Taos, and the entire state of New Mexico, have loads of recreational activities that include snow skiing, mountain biking, fly fishing, horseback riding, rafting, and hot air ballooning.   

Renewing a British Passport in New Mexico

The British consulate dedicated to assisting U.K. citizens in New Mexico is located in Houston, however, the eight British consulates in the United States (and embassy in Washington, D.C.) no longer issue 10-year British passports.  British passports are issued by Her Majesty’s Passport Office in the United Kingdom and British living in New Mexico must renew their passport online through the U.K. government website and then ship all the necessary documents to Durham, England.    

The online application is easy to complete.  The government provides a checklist of the documents required to renew your passport once you have completed their application.  They will also provide you with their shipping address in the United Kingdom.  Please note that a digital photo is now required for your British passport and paper photos are no longer accepted.  The following video created by the government explains how to take a digital photo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&time_continue=1&v=JWbfnOYmx6I&feature=emb_logo

Emergency Assistance for British Citizens in New Mexico

If you are a U.K. citizen with an emergency or require urgent assistance, you can reach the consulate by calling +1 713-210-4000.  Although the British consulate in Houston does not issue 10-year passports, they can provide a limited validity emergency passport if you are stuck abroad and need to return quickly to the United Kingdom.  

Here is their physical address:

British Consulate General Houston
1301 Fannin Street
Suite 2400
Houston TX 77002
USA

We Can Help if You Need Assistance

If you have difficulty applying online for a British passport and require assistance with this process, please give our office a call at 404-682-5445 or schedule an appointment with our company.  We are a private agency in the United States providing British passport services to U.K citizens living in North America.  Our number one goal is to ensure your application documents for a passport are submitted accurately to Her Majesty’s Passport Office in the United Kingdom.  Our services eliminate delays and give you the peace of mind to focus on your travel plans.  

We provide the following British passport services for our customers:

  • Adult Renewal Red UK Passport (age 16 and over)
  • Adult Name Change in an Existing Red UK Passport (age 16 and over)
  • Adult Damaged UK Passport Replacement (age 16 and over)
  • Adult Replacing a Lost or Stolen UK Passport (age 16 and over)
  • Adult First UK Passport or Renewing an Old Black/Blue Passport (age 16 and over)
  • Adult Secondary UK Passport (age 16 and over)
  • Child Damaged UK Passport (under the age of 16)
  • Child Replacing a Lost or Stolen UK Passport (under the age of 16)
  • Child Renewal UK Passport (under the age of 16)
  • Child First UK Passport (under the age of 16)
  • UK Emergency Travel Document (Emergency Passport)

 

COVID-19 Update

The current processing time for British passports is four to six weeks.  If you live in the state of New Mexico and cannot wait four to six weeks for a new passport because you have an emergency, your only option is to schedule an appointment at the British consulate in Houston and appear in person at their office to apply for an emergency travel document (emergency passport).  Please be aware that appointments are limited and restrictions apply.  You can review the U.K. government’s website for more details: Get an emergency travel document - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)