Passport renewal tips: Avoid shyster sites

When do I need to renew my passport? Passports are valid for 10 years but some countries require you to have at least six months left on yours. If you don't, you may be refused entry – we've heard one story of a family's four-year-old girl being refused entry to Turkey because she had less than two months left on her passport.

Countries that require at least six months from your date of entry left on your passport include China, Egypt, Fiji, Indonesia, Israel, Kenya, Pakistan, Thailand, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

New Zealand requires you have a least a month left from your date of exit, and many countries also require visas so check before you travel – Gov.uk has a full country-by-country list of entry requirements.

Okay then, what's the cheapest way to get a passport? The only site you'll ever need to go to is the Gov.uk website. It has options for getting your first passport, renewing an old one or getting one for your child.

You can apply online or by paper at the Post Office (although this is slightly more expensive). If you need to use a premium fast-track service, there's no online option and you'll need to use a paper application form. Here are the costs and how long it takes:

• Adult (three weeks) – £75.50 online (£85.50 for the jumbo 50-page passport) or £85 by paper (£95 for the 50-pager).
  
  
• Adult (one week) – £142 (£152 for the jumbo 50-page passport).
  
  
• Adult (one day) – £177 for the one-day premium service (£187 for the 50-pager).
  
  
• Child (three weeks) – £49 online or £58.50 by paper (there's no jumbo option).
  
  
• Child (one week) – £122 (there's no premium one-day service for child passports).

Renewing seems pretty straightforward. Why do I need a guide telling me how do it? Yes, it is pretty straightforward. But more than 300 people in our shyster sites poll were caught by one of several sites that look like the official Government site for passports, but charge people £20-£100 on top of the official passport fee. Many are just expensive form-filling services, though some also offer a 'checking' service.

If you do need help, the Post Office's Check & Send service ensures you've included the correct documents, that your photos don't breach any of the restrictions and that you've filled in the forms correctly. It'll also send your application by special delivery. It costs £9.75 on top of the passport fee.