Passport application has failed

[TodaysFishIsTroutALaCreme]

My friends passport application has failed due to me not meeting the requirements as a counter signatory.

Thing is, I do have a profession that is on the list...almost. I have a profession that is very close to one of the ones listed but I have Registered in my title as I am governed by a professional body. I've signed loads of passports for people. My passport is in date etc so I don't know why it has failed. My friend doesn't really know anyone else who can countersign it for her and we go on holiday in 3.5 weeks. (She was a last minute addition to our booking)

Had this happened to anyone else and us there anything I can do to help? I'm going to be calling the passport office but I doubt they will speak to me.

Tia

If she’s desperate to get it done ASAP then she could get a notary public to countersign for her - costs around £50 but would likely be worth it in the circumstances

Oooh, tell me more please. How would she go about that. Money not an issue

Are you sure that that is the reason? I have countersigned a lot of passports and, when I made a mistake as I put my old passport number down having forgotten I’d just had a new one issued (and I knew my old passport number so just wrote it automatically without looking at the actual passport), they called me, asked a few questions and then issues the passport. This was a few years ago so perhaps they have tightened things up.

Maybe it’s because you’ve signed too many? Raised a flag somewhere?
They have her application and old passport I assume? Can’t she just nominate someone else or have they sent everything back to her with “computer says no”?

I’d ring and query it. It happened to me once as a counter signatory (like you, I had counter signed many previously without issue). Turns out there had been a cock-up at their end - someone had been, shall we say, ‘inefficient’ with the digital processing of my passport number.

Edited to add: @WanderingWisteria is correct - the passport office rang me, not the other way round. But you could ring them if you want.

Thanks all.

It came back as counter signatory failed and to choose someone else.

When I say loads, it's only half a dozen in the past 10 years or so

Definitely going to ring just in case they have made an error and they don't realise my profession is the same as one listed but with different titles.

I had this and I’m sure my manager from work made a cock up of my address or something . Could you redo it making definite sure you’ve got all the details right .

Good Luck .

Can she get her GP to sign it (I’m sure that used to be a thing)

GP not a thing anymore.

@SamDeanCasits been over 15 years,since a gp around here would sign that

Don’t think a notary is a thing either for passports (in England)

DH had countersigned for a few passports without problem, then he failed one. Turned out Passport Office had made an admin error in respect of his passport. Would be good to check with the Passport Office. Who can counter sign now is very wide so I would be surprised you have failed

For a GP to counter sign they have to be doing that as your friend not as your GP (the GP bit just being the professional qualified to counter sign)

Our neighbour signed dd's passport application and it was rejected. God knows why, he was in the right sort of profession and had signed other passports previously. We had to start all over again.

This has happened to me, my countersignature failed due to the amount of passports they have previously signed.

They didn't mention this in the reply back but when I called the passport office, this is what I was told.

Once had counter signatory rejected as whoever was processing it thought "godparent" relationship was an actual blood relative 🙄 only figured this out when they called to ask why it had been rejected. Resubmitted as "family friend" and it was fine....

My oldest friend signed mine as a local government officer.
Are there any friend or neighbours on the list of accepted positions?

My oldest friend signed mine as a local government officer.
Are there any friend or neighbours on the list of accepted positions?

In reality the list of "professionals" are simply ones where the passport office can cross check the information.
Does she know any self employed people who appear on Companies House?

My friend gets asked to sign loads because of her profession and it failed on my kids passport and we thought it was because she’s done 4 others that year so they didn’t like it. People ask neighbours - she could ask on her local page?

Not surprised. They don't know you and never see you.

Called the passport office. They won't tell me why I am not eligible but they will tell her. So will meet up with her and we will call together. I'm hoping that it's a simple issue and we can make it right. In the meantime, if we can't meet in the next day or so, will ask her to think of someone else.

I think the whole passport system is out of date.
Its to dated its 2025 not 1996.
Passport office thinks its made things easier but i think its harder now.
Im in the process of applying and its such a faff.
I dont know anyone on the list to countersign for me.

Im in no rush but just looking at the form is bad enough.

Some ideas of people to try:

Dentist
Optician
Pharmacist
Old schoolteacher
Anyone self-employed who has their own limited company

Any mates who work as a teacher? It can be an hourly FE lecturer in plumbing, it doesn't need to be a school teacher?
Or your kids teachers at school?

Don't ask a teacher unless they are friend outside school. I think many schools tell teachers not to do this. But people counter signing do not need to be in professions, used to be the case, but much wider options now.