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Original poster

Passport countersignaturies AIBU to think it's a ridiculous system

82 replies

cadburyegg · 30/08/2024 14:21

I'm trying to get a new passport, I lost my old one so need a countersignatory.

I asked my friend who is a GP to do it. I've known her for 20 years so i don't know her professionally. She agreed but the system couldn't recognise her details and she thinks it might be because she got married and her passport is in her maiden name. She tried to put her old name in but that didn't work. So she said to ask her dad, who I do know, who is a retired solicitor. The system couldn't recognise him either - he called them and they suggested trying his old address as he moved a few years ago. But that didn't work either.

I do have a couple of other people I can ask but it sounds like they need to have a current passport, be in a recognised profession obvs, not changed their name in the last 10 years and not moved in that time?? AIBU to think this is utterly ridiculous??

OP posts:
CaptainClover · 30/08/2024 14:38

The system has a mind of it's own.

I had a request from a friend to countersign her son's passport. I have a new UK passport which I've used to travel abroad 3 times since I got it in January. I've also had the same name and lived at the same address for decades etc.

The system didn't recognise me. I tried my husband's, exactly the same details as mine, it accepted him.

Next week the same family asked me to do the big sister's passport. Tried myself again, nope. Tried husband, nope, his profession (economist) wasn't a recognised one this time. 😖

Aposterhasnoname · 30/08/2024 14:36

She just needs to use the name on her passport when she signs. It’s no big deal.

Serencwtch · 30/08/2024 14:33

I do quite a few for colleagues, friends etc (retail management/licensee) and never had that problem. The counter signer need to have a valid passport & enter the passport number.
If the person's passport is not in their current name/address then that's the problem not the system.
It would be a pointless process if it was allowed to go through after failing the ID check.

IdLikeToBeAFraser · 30/08/2024 14:26

Also, what system is she talking about? Or is it that she fill sin the form and then gets an email to say, "you're not recognised?" Because I've always done it online and it's all gone through and I never hear another thing again.

TheRealSlimShandy · 30/08/2024 14:24

Doesn’t sound right - I’ve been a counter signer quite a few times and would definitely have moved within 10 years.

it’s been a while, but from memory i had to enter my passport number - so it sounds more like an issue with thatt

IdLikeToBeAFraser · 30/08/2024 14:24

The recognised profession is a bit of a ridiculous one based on the fact that in the old days it needed to be all regulated. Anyone who is in good standing can sign and they must have a non-expired passport. It doesn't have to be a lawyer or director or doctor anymore and a pet bug bear of mine is that the home office attempts to provide examples of professions and only creates more chaos as people get very fixated on them.

The address thing seems a bit odd but I guess technically, when you move, you're supposed to let the passport office know. ditto, when you change your name, you should be getting a new passport so I guess that might mess with the system.

IReallyCouldntThinkOfAUsername · 30/08/2024 14:24

It's not that they haven't changed their name, it's people you need to ask who have updated their passport like they should have. Someone married years ago with a passport in their maiden name has shit admin.

I sign passports on a regular basis.

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