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Original poster

Renewing passports

80 replies

TheChosenTwo · 11/04/2023 11:02

I need to renew 2 of my dcs passports. Sil did her 2 recently and said she didn’t need a counter signature, is this no longer a thing then? I’m going to the post office where they do the application for you, take the photos and send off the old one. She did hers online. Haven’t really looked into it to be honest so could google and find out for myself but just curious to know if anyone else has done this recently and not needed it countersigned?

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 11/04/2023 11:04

My DC's needed a counter signature in Feb. I applied online and had to give them the email address of the person countersigning the photo, they then had to fill in a form.

justasking111 · 11/04/2023 11:07

The passport office is on strike now for five weeks so I would look into that

PuttingDownRoots · 11/04/2023 11:12

The post office messed up my mothers renewal... I would use the online system!

My DDs needed a countersignature as they had changed a lot from their 5yo and 2yo pictures

Original poster
TheChosenTwo · 11/04/2023 11:12

Thanks noble. We are going to the post office in a bit so will find out one way or another. Quick google seems to suggest they need a counter signature for a first adult passport or if they are 11.
I know @justasking111 - we don’t need them until the end of august so fingers crossed!

OP posts:
Original poster
TheChosenTwo · 11/04/2023 11:12

Oh no @PuttingDownRoots - what happened?!

OP posts:
Original poster
TheChosenTwo · 11/04/2023 11:14

I don’t have the patience with this sort of stuff and am bound to fuck it up or hit a stumbling block and then just give up for a week and this cycle will repeat for the next 3 months so would rather just get someone else to do it.
my mum used the service last year and they had no problems and my other dc used it last year and apart from it taking a while it was a smooth process.

OP posts:
PuttingDownRoots · 11/04/2023 11:16

TheChosenTwo · 11/04/2023 11:12

Oh no @PuttingDownRoots - what happened?!

Somehow suggested she wasn't actually British. It took weeks to sort out.

thimblewomgee247 · 11/04/2023 11:20

The online renewal is really simple. I'm not kidding it took me about ten min to do it a few months ago.

MsMarple · 11/04/2023 11:22

Online was very simple to do for all our renewals: you take the photos yourself with your phone and upload them, and your counter-signatory (for the kids ones) gets an email link which takes about 5 minutes for them to do.

You then need to send them the old passports and get helpful tracking emails confirming receipt and updating you when your application is renewed and new ones dispatched. Updates made it much less stressful than just waiting. We had new passports within 2 weeks, so it was super quick in January this year - although obviously if they are striking now it might take longer.

Original poster
TheChosenTwo · 11/04/2023 11:27

Okay, I’m tempted to have a go at the renewals myself now…

OP posts:
Original poster
TheChosenTwo · 11/04/2023 11:29

We don’t have any white walls in our house for the photos 😂
hopefully I can get some good light and a light enough background…

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 11/04/2023 11:31

Doing the photos myself was a ballache, especially with the requirements for no shadows etc. You can also get the photos done in a photo-booth that is passport approved, which gives you a digital code to enter in the online application. I'd probably do that next time tbh.

The online application process was really easy.

rainbowssky · 11/04/2023 11:37

Watching as in similar situation needing renewal - let us know how it goes.

rogueone · 11/04/2023 11:40

I would do it online as it is quicker. You can upload a phone from your mobile. I haven't required a counter signature as they were not 'first' passports. I recently applied for my 16yr olds new passport on line on the 28th March and it arrived on the 4th April without requiring a counter signature

milkysmum · 11/04/2023 11:41

The online application is so simple. You do need a 'counter signature', as such but it's not an actual signature, you just provide the details and email of someone who can confirm identity and they get sent a link to complete rather than physically signing anything.
I downloaded a passport photo app onto my phone, and then I just added the link to the online application. So much simpler than the old system.

rogueone · 11/04/2023 11:42

As for photos hang a white sheet behind the person if you don't have white walls.

lemonsaretheonlyfruit · 11/04/2023 11:43

Odd. I renewed my teen DDs about 3 weeks ago and did not need a counter signature. Just a new photo and old passport details. Really quick and easy and the new passport arrived last week. It took 2.5 weeks in total.

thimblewomgee247 · 11/04/2023 11:44

TheChosenTwo · 11/04/2023 11:29

We don’t have any white walls in our house for the photos 😂
hopefully I can get some good light and a light enough background…

We used a white towel for my youngest

EmilyGilmoresSass · 11/04/2023 11:45

TheChosenTwo · 11/04/2023 11:14

I don’t have the patience with this sort of stuff and am bound to fuck it up or hit a stumbling block and then just give up for a week and this cycle will repeat for the next 3 months so would rather just get someone else to do it.
my mum used the service last year and they had no problems and my other dc used it last year and apart from it taking a while it was a smooth process.

Hardly difficult to do it online. It asks you for the exact information it needs and all guidelines are available online anyway and up to date. Normal time frame is to allow ten weeks before considering the strike action so if you need it by the end of August you'd need to send soon.

TonTonMacoute · 11/04/2023 11:45

I renewed mine last month and had the photo done at a local photo shop.

They take the photo, they can check online straight away that it will be accepted (if it isn't they will retake it free of charge) and you get 4 hard copies and a code to use for online application.

RoseBucket · 11/04/2023 11:47

I renewed ours last year and my daughter was over a year expired (child passport) to an adult, photo from Timpsons who check it’ll be accepted and no counter signature was needed.

arethereanyleftatall · 11/04/2023 11:48

Are no passports happening for 5 weeks or will it just be slower?

Thethingswedoforlove · 11/04/2023 11:52

@arethereanyleftatall they are saying it won’t even be slower….. business expected to be within the 10 week limit.

ColdAsAWitchsTit · 11/04/2023 11:53

I've just renewed my DC's. We did it online and uploaded a just taken on phone. They came back after about 2 weeks and said it needed countersigned which could also be done online. My friend countersigned about an hour later and another hour later it was approved. Appeared in post about 4 days later. Was a very easy process but obviously the strikes might slow things down.

arethereanyleftatall · 11/04/2023 11:54

Fabulous. Thank you so much @Thethingswedoforlove

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