Passport query

[FeelingGuilty151]

My passport expired in 2013, it was a children’s one so the picture was me as a 6 year old. Now my question is, my mum was saying that the post office passport service would accept my old passport and believe it’s me if I show them 3 forms of ID to be on the safe side they’d be able to confirm it is me and that they would take my passport photo for me and scan everything digitally to receive a renewal in a few weeks time.

whereas I was thinking that due to my old passport looking nothing like me, they would need me to get someone known to us to certify my pictures, but my mum is saying they would be my countersignatory as it’s part of their service

who is right? I hope it is my mum as it’s less faff for me

I think you need a new counter-signatory for a current picture and apply for a new adult passport.

You need your own counter signatory sorry. The post office service does not include certifying they've known you for two years, that it's a likeness and providing the post masters own passport number which is what counter signatories have to do. Unless they're your mate of course.

www.postoffice.co.uk/identity/renew-adult-passport-digital

it’s this service I’m talking about. My mum said As I have already had a (child’s) passport and it’s not been lost or stolen, it said it goes off the information in the passport so classes it as an adult renewal therefore not needing anyone to verify my identity as it’s been done before?

I have a countersignatory which is not a problem but how do we do it with this service?

It says at the bottom that for lost and stolen they ask for a countersignatories email and name, so will they ask me for that as my face has changed?

Mine isn’t lost or stolen so I’m just asking beforehand so we don’t assume we don’t need him to be contacted

It does not say they verify your id or photo though, just that their check ensures the image is compliant to rules ( which is done when you upload a photo anyway).

I think the link you've shared just applies to renewing an adult passport (as in, you had an adult passport and this would be a renewal of that adult passport). The government and post office guidelines for a first adult passport are the crucial ones in your situation. From past experience, check and send service mostly just helps make sure you've filled in all the right info in the right sections.

I needed counter signatures for my childrens photos when renewing their passports as they aged. The answer here is to just go to the post office and ask!

No you need a new picture. The easiest way to do a renewal is online. Take a picture on your phone and upload it with the application. Give your counter signature’s email address and they can complete their part online too. I have just done my sons renewal and it took 3 weeks from when I applied to when it was delivered

Over 12's don't need a countersignature unless they look different from their previous passport photo. I only know this as recently had my ds's done. So yes, you definitely will need to get a photo countersigned. As pp said, you can do it all online and they will email the person signing for you

I’d ditch the PO service, not worth it IMO as long as you do what’s asked.

do it online. You may need a counter signature but they get emailed and it takes them 10 seconds, done.
And don’t make the mistake I made of spending time and effort with the Photos. Just use your phone.

You have to send a new picture even fir a renewal. As your child passport expired and the picture was even older(13 years?) it is unlikely they could verify it now.

I agree with @Frazzled2207. Doing it online is so easy.

they would be my countersignatory as it’s part of their service
She's wrong, you are right.

If you can't be recognised from the old photo then you will need a countersignature to verify its you. The countersignature can be done online if you do an online application. Online is cheaper and faster and a new photo can be uploaded during the application

I wouldn't pay the extra to go to the post office

My daughter is 16, her child passport (picture aged 11) ran out, and we have just got her first Adult passport. We did not need any counter-signatures, we filled it all in on-line, went to the photo booth (where you get a code, that you input into your application) - 10 days later, new passport arrived

it's a renewal not a first adult passport.

First adult passport means an adult getting their first ever passport - a lot more hoops to jump through.

Photo I don't know about but I expect you are going to need a counter signatory.

@ExtraOnion In 5 years there won't be a huge amount of difference. The OPs photo is of a 6 year old and she is now an adult so of course they will look completely different.

Very weirdly my dd has never need hers countersigning - first passport at 2.5, photo still looked recognisable at 7 when renewed, still recognisable at 12 when renewed again, and still recognisable when for first adult one at 17!

It'll be a renewal as you have held a passport before.

I think you need to arrange someone of good standing who has known you for to countersign. Because as you were 6 when passport was issued (2008, expiring 2013) you will now be around 20 and won't look similar enough.

(A PO counter employee cannot countersign, unless they also happen to be a personal friend of long enough standing)

Under 12s are supposed to have a countersignature as standard. Only over 12s wouldn't need one if they can be recognised from the old photo so maybe you are misremembering

You will likely need a counter signature. If you know someone on the lists, it's really easy. It's trickier if your social network doesn't obviously include someone who can countersign.

The postoffice check and send is a waste of money. Do it on line. They won't let you make any mistakes the postoffice would pick up.

Yeah I thought so, thanks for the clarification. I’ll just do it online if the passport service is quite expensive and useless