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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...to fake the passport application?

71 replies

passportissues123 · 07/03/2017 18:03

Sorry, posting here for traffic, I have no intention of faking the application but I'm stuck!

We moved abroad last summer, DD is about to turn 5 and her (UK) passport will expire. In order to renew it her photos need to be countersigned by someone who has known me for 2 years.... there is no one in this country that fits the bill! What do I do?!

It will expire before we are able to get back to the UK to sort it out, at which point she'll be stuck in this country with no valid travel documentation.

Any ideas? You used to be able to go to the embassy for passport renewals but I can't find any information on the website, only about online application forms....

OP posts:
Megatherium · 07/03/2017 18:53

You don't need photos countersigned if your appearance hasn't changed significantly since your last set of passport photos were taken. Presumably children always need them countersigned because inevitably their appearances will change a lot over time.

Moreisnnogedag · 07/03/2017 18:55

Do not fake the signature. They check online to make sure it matches their signature on their passport. I'd FedEx it and perhaps transfer money for signed delivery to the passport office. Is it a friend you're asking?

venetiaswirl · 07/03/2017 18:57

Don't fake it! I had the passport office ring me and then email me a copy of my alleged signature on a passport application of a student - who had forged my signature.
Silly girl as I regularly signed photos and would have done so for her - she just forgot and then forged my signature. I was very impressed that they knew - they then refused to issue her with a new passport in time for a family holiday.

Moreisnnogedag · 07/03/2017 18:57

I got contacted as I was a countersignature and my passport had my newly married signature which obviously changed over the years.

PigletWasPoohsFriend · 07/03/2017 18:59

Do not forget anything. They do check and it is illegal.

PigletWasPoohsFriend · 07/03/2017 18:59

*forge

Wallywobbles · 07/03/2017 19:00

The person doing the counter signature needs to also include a copy of their passport. ID card isn't enough. So you cannot forge it.

Justwantcookies · 07/03/2017 19:02

I've faked it before. The application allowed a counter signatory from the country we were in without the need for a passport number. I randomly picked a name out of the phone book , put they were a teacher and then hoped for the best Blush

It was a renewal so they already had all our passport info and everything. But this was when passports were issued at the embassy in that country I think they all have to go to the uk now, do not sure if they would allow a foreign signatory?

Original poster
passportissues123 · 07/03/2017 22:14

Thanks all. I'm not sure who I'll ask to do all the running around. The one I asked last time was complaining only today about how many people keep asking her (it's what triggered me to get my DDs application started!) I know another suitably qualified person but she works full time, is about to be made redundant so job hunting and just seems too darn busy to ask. I'm wracking my brains.

I was aware of this issue re: could have renewed before we moved but the move was just all encompassing for so long and the lead up was DH working away all the time, I was in bits by the time we got here. I had no bandwidth for 'optional' projects like this in the run up (plus I remembered a friend who'd previously got a renewal at an embassy and assumed there'd be no problem.

So I need to:

  • find a place that does photos the correct size and background colour to comply
  • find a reliable quick postal service to send it to 'countersignatory'
  • pay 'countersignatory' to post the stuff registered post
  • chase up the return courier in case it gets stuck at Customs...
  • find a 'countersignatory' willing to do this faff before I start the process

Fucking hell, might just be easier to put DD up for adoption!

OP posts:
eurochick · 07/03/2017 22:21

That doesn't sound that hard to sort really. I've been a countersignatory a few times. I'd happily post the application on afterwards for a friend. I'm sure it'll be fine.

Original poster
passportissues123 · 07/03/2017 22:38

How did you get to the post office if you worked full time? (that's the issue for the signatories I can think of so far) It just feels like an imposition/hassle instead of them just spending 5 minutes putting details on forms like last time.

OP posts:
TinfoilHattie · 07/03/2017 22:40

FedEx, DHL - any international courier company will get it there reliably and quickly.

MrsRhettButler · 07/03/2017 22:42

Just to be clear, the countersignatory only needs to live in the UK if the applicant is in the UK at the time of application.
Depending on which country you are in they don't even have to have a British passport.

BikeRunSki · 07/03/2017 22:43

passport a lot of POs are open until 10 pm now, and of course on Saturdays.

Original poster
passportissues123 · 07/03/2017 22:59

Thanks everyone. Really helpful suggestions and information on here.

I still haven't thought of a person who fits the required qualification that I know well enough to ask them to give me their bank details to transfer postal costs and get them to troop off the the post office for me. I'll keep thinking.

No-one here has known us 2 years so I need to send it to someone we know in the UK.

OP posts:
lougle · 07/03/2017 23:06

Have you seen the online system? www.gov.uk/overseas-passports/y

MrsRhettButler · 07/03/2017 23:07

Sorry, I read again and realised you've only been there since the summer, my comment is totally irrelevant Blush

LoupGarou · 07/03/2017 23:44

Crikey what a nuisance, depending on where you are it might be easier to switch nationalities! I have changed citizenship twice and it seemed more straightforward than this Grin

oneplus2is3 · 08/03/2017 06:37

This is not gospel, so you will have to investigate, but my uncle travelled HOME on an expired passport. He was told that because he was returning to his country of origin it didn't matter so much. Obviously once he got back to Britain he was stuck until he got his renewal sorted (he was living abroad at the time too).

It might be worth checking with the embassy/airline- just a thought!

JessieMcJessie · 08/03/2017 09:20

If you pay for DHL or another courier they will collect from the countersignatory's home or workplace. Also, depending where they work their post room may be happy to arrange the postage/courier collection if they have it billed to them personally. My law firm is fine doing that.

JessieMcJessie · 08/03/2017 09:24

oneplusone it's highly unlikely that an airline would allow travel on a expired passport. The reason is that they get hit with a fine and repatriation costs if they let someone travel with the incorrect documentation and they would be unwilling to take any risk so will give a blanket "no" regardless of how nuanced the situation is. I know all the ins and outs of this as my job used to involve dealing with disputes with airlines who denied boarding due to incorrect documents.

InTheDessert · 08/03/2017 09:30

Alternative suggestion: take pictures at home against a white wall. Use paspics or similar to print, and send straight to counter signiture. They then write the required, and post to you. You can then do all the on line stuff, and apply from abroad. They added £10 to the price to courtier back to us. We paid DHL to send to HMPO. New passports were back in a week. We too live somewhere that normal post takes weeks.

JessieMcJessie · 08/03/2017 09:36

Do you know the countersignatory can be retired? That might help with availability. Presume you've seen the list of professions? It's pretty wide these days. Also don't forget that the countersignatory could be someone who knows your husband it but not you- does he work for an international company and have any UK colleagues who might help? Yes, they need to say the photo is a true likeness but Ifir example would be OK doing this for a longstanding colleague without meeting the kid if he showed me a few family holiday pics as well as the passport photo.

SpoofersAreLosers · 08/03/2017 10:10

When we had to do similar we ended up getting someone to sign who hadn't known us for two years although technically could have know about us. It was a work colleague of DH and DH had been working for the same huge company in our previous secondment so he would have heard of Mr Spoofers beforehand. Iyswim

He was counter signing some of the kids photos who he hadn't met.

Hmm sounds a bit dodgy on reflection.

EveOnline2016 · 08/03/2017 10:12

Post the application to someone in the uk and get them to post it back. Provide a SAE so not cost involved for that person