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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:
Original poster
TheChosenTwo · 11/04/2023 15:05

Dammit! Think you’re right though about sending them separately.
Will have to sort this out at the post office. Thanks.
Was planning on sending them recorded anyway.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 11/04/2023 15:06

Check the addresses each passport needs to be sent to as they might be different. The reference for each passport is included with the address too.

WhoHidTheCoffee · 11/04/2023 15:11

We did it within the last month and got them back within about ten days just before the strike (one renewal, one first application). We did fork out for photos at a Click Click as I wasn’t confident in my ability to manage both cooperation levels and light levels (DC1 is probably ND and hates photos). But did the rest digitally and it was all very smooth. Both needed countersigning.

Original poster
TheChosenTwo · 11/04/2023 15:11

Haha I didn’t even notice that the pax was different! They’re both due to go to the same address. I’m just buying a pack of envelopes now to split them and send both separately recorded/special or whatever.
Can’t bloody afford to go on the holiday now 😂

OP posts:
PuttingDownRoots · 11/04/2023 15:12

I did DDs at same time and they were allocated to different offices.

dementedpixie · 11/04/2023 15:14

TheChosenTwo · 11/04/2023 15:11

Haha I didn’t even notice that the pax was different! They’re both due to go to the same address. I’m just buying a pack of envelopes now to split them and send both separately recorded/special or whatever.
Can’t bloody afford to go on the holiday now 😂

If they are going to the same office then I guess you could put both PAX numbers on the same envelope.

When i did 3 renewals they went to 3 different offices

princesssugarless · 11/04/2023 15:17

Renewed online for a 10 year old - really quick and easy but did need a countersign. Email address of someone who can verify.

GobbieMaggie · 11/04/2023 15:18

justasking111 · 11/04/2023 11:07

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

No it's not. About 25% of passport workers are, 75% are not.

Thenoseymother · 11/04/2023 15:18

When I was sending off for my children’s there was a bit of information saying you can send them both off at the same time - if 2 different offices you can put the address of either on the envelope - as long as you add BOTH pax numbers on the front :)

Original poster
TheChosenTwo · 11/04/2023 15:24

Just in the queue now, I just separated them, can’t be arsed with any hold ups!

OP posts:
Original poster
TheChosenTwo · 11/04/2023 15:25

But thanks for sharing that bit about being able to send them off together if doing more than 1, might be useful to others who are yet to do them.

OP posts:
GuiltyPleasure · 11/04/2023 15:25

I sent my old one with DS's old one in the same envelope. The guidance said to do this (obviously both applications were being processed by the same office) and put both reference numbers on the envelope so they know that the applications were linked i.e same family.
So far ours have been 2 weeks from saying they received the old passports. I sent the old passports the day after completing the application but it took 10 days to show that they had been received.
If you've signed up to the text or email updates then they update you each step of the way. I got an email last night at 23:30 to say my new passport had been printed. We got the notification for DS about 30 minutes later.

Original poster
TheChosenTwo · 11/04/2023 15:49

All done (now thinking it would have been easier to just do it at the post office but never mind!), got the signed for recorded delivery thing, the post office man knew what I needed. Guesses for how long it takes to get them back?!

OP posts:
RJ57 · 11/04/2023 15:58

We sent ours 2 weeks ago and 1 was back in a week and the other should be here later this week. I was really surprised how quick its been

Thenoseymother · 12/04/2023 16:18

Just an update for you OP. I had an email today saying my dd’s renewal has been accepted and ready for printing now. That was sent April 1st so really quick turnaround! Hoping my other 2 will be just as quick.

Stressfordays · 12/04/2023 16:31

I've just done 3x first children's passports. 2 came yesterday, took 13 days. Including a bank holiday and the strikes. I had to send off some extra info for the 3rd coz of my name changes but hoping that is back in the next week or 2!

somethingischasingme · 12/04/2023 16:35

I renewed my tween and teen recently, passport code from Photo Booth, online application. No counter signature.

bellocchild · 12/04/2023 17:35

On getting the pics right - they let you keep uploading until you get them perfect, and explain what is wrong with those they reject. We used white wardrobe doors and drew the curtains slightly to even up the light. Tedious but doable.

Sartre · 12/04/2023 17:36

Renewed ours in January and did need a counter signature. Both were back within 3 weeks, one after 2 weeks actually so really rapid.

CecilyP · 12/04/2023 18:34

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.

Online renewal was very simple. I did mine just before the strike announcement. Got my photo done at Timsons rather than a booth, applied on Sunday, sent old passport registered on Monday and received my new passport on the Saturday. I was relieved not to need a countersignature as all my friends who used to do it are now retired!

Original poster
TheChosenTwo · 12/04/2023 20:53

Well I paid for the special delivery the bloke at the post office told me to get for passports yesterday, told me it would be guaranteed to arrive to them by 1pm today.
So far I haven’t had any kind of message to say they’ve been received, just emails advising me to send the old passports off!
I’m really not worrying by the way, I just thought I’d have had an automated message to say they’d been received today. Do they not do that? I ticked to get text and email updates for both.

OP posts:
Original poster
TheChosenTwo · 12/04/2023 20:55

Mostly though I’m very impressed with the fast turnarounds. Dd missed her holiday last year due to her passport taking over 3 months (think it was something like 14 weeks to come back which was terrible for her).

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 12/04/2023 20:55

It will probably take a few days for them to be registered as being received by the passport office. If you check the royal mail website ot should show that they've been received.

TeenagersAngst · 12/04/2023 21:17

I've done two online child renewals in last couple of months, one with counter signature and one without.

Both were incredibly fast, got new passports back within a couple of weeks. Having heard loads of horror stories last year, I was very impressed. The UK can work well when it puts its mind to it!

piedbeauty · 12/04/2023 21:25

Gash. Sent off DD's and ds's on 11 March. DD's arrived within a week. No update since 16 March on Ds's! Weird.

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