How to Renew a British Passport in South Carolina

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

Nestled between Georgia and North Carolina along the Atlantic coast, South Carolina is one of America’s great southern states.  Named after King Charles I of England (Carolus is Latin for Charles), the state has historic ties to Great Britain and was one of the 13 British colonies.  South Carolina is made up of three geographical regions: Upstate (located in the western part of the state containing the Appalachian Mountains), the central Piedmont region, and the eastern Atlantic Coastal Plain (split between the Lowcountry and the Pee Dee region).  South Carolina’s most-populous metropolitan area is Greenville, followed by Columbia, Charleston, Myrtle Beach, and Spartanburg.  

Having 187 miles of coastline filled with white sandy beaches, South Carolina may be one of the most underrated of America’s 50 states.  South Carolina beaches are often overlooked by international visitors with those of Florida, however, the secret may not last long: British Airways has twice-weekly service between Charleston International Airport and London-Heathrow.  One of America’s oldest and most historic cities, Charleston is packed with cultural attractions and is just a few miles drive to Folly Beach, Sullivan’s Island, Isle of Palms, and Kiawah Island.  Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach are South Carolina’s other popular tourist destinations, but those seeking more tranquility will enjoy Murrells Inlet and Pawleys Island.  

Renewing a British Passport in South Carolina

The British consulate dedicated to assisting U.K. citizens in South Carolina is located in Atlanta, 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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina

If you are a U.K. citizen with an emergency or require urgent assistance, you can reach the consulate by calling +1 404-954-7700.  Although the British consulate in Atlanta 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 Atlanta
133 Peachtree Street, NE
Suite 3400
Atlanta GA 30303
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 South Carolina 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 Atlanta 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)