Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Passport countersignaturies AIBU to think it's a ridiculous system

82 replies

cadburyegg · 30/08/2024 14:21

I'm trying to get a new passport, I lost my old one so need a countersignatory.

I asked my friend who is a GP to do it. I've known her for 20 years so i don't know her professionally. She agreed but the system couldn't recognise her details and she thinks it might be because she got married and her passport is in her maiden name. She tried to put her old name in but that didn't work. So she said to ask her dad, who I do know, who is a retired solicitor. The system couldn't recognise him either - he called them and they suggested trying his old address as he moved a few years ago. But that didn't work either.

I do have a couple of other people I can ask but it sounds like they need to have a current passport, be in a recognised profession obvs, not changed their name in the last 10 years and not moved in that time?? AIBU to think this is utterly ridiculous??

OP posts:
IReallyCouldntThinkOfAUsername · 30/08/2024 14:24

It's not that they haven't changed their name, it's people you need to ask who have updated their passport like they should have. Someone married years ago with a passport in their maiden name has shit admin.

I sign passports on a regular basis.

IdLikeToBeAFraser · 30/08/2024 14:24

The recognised profession is a bit of a ridiculous one based on the fact that in the old days it needed to be all regulated. Anyone who is in good standing can sign and they must have a non-expired passport. It doesn't have to be a lawyer or director or doctor anymore and a pet bug bear of mine is that the home office attempts to provide examples of professions and only creates more chaos as people get very fixated on them.

The address thing seems a bit odd but I guess technically, when you move, you're supposed to let the passport office know. ditto, when you change your name, you should be getting a new passport so I guess that might mess with the system.

TheRealSlimShandy · 30/08/2024 14:24

Doesn’t sound right - I’ve been a counter signer quite a few times and would definitely have moved within 10 years.

it’s been a while, but from memory i had to enter my passport number - so it sounds more like an issue with thatt

IdLikeToBeAFraser · 30/08/2024 14:26

Also, what system is she talking about? Or is it that she fill sin the form and then gets an email to say, "you're not recognised?" Because I've always done it online and it's all gone through and I never hear another thing again.

Serencwtch · 30/08/2024 14:33

I do quite a few for colleagues, friends etc (retail management/licensee) and never had that problem. The counter signer need to have a valid passport & enter the passport number.
If the person's passport is not in their current name/address then that's the problem not the system.
It would be a pointless process if it was allowed to go through after failing the ID check.

Aposterhasnoname · 30/08/2024 14:36

She just needs to use the name on her passport when she signs. It’s no big deal.

CaptainClover · 30/08/2024 14:38

The system has a mind of it's own.

I had a request from a friend to countersign her son's passport. I have a new UK passport which I've used to travel abroad 3 times since I got it in January. I've also had the same name and lived at the same address for decades etc.

The system didn't recognise me. I tried my husband's, exactly the same details as mine, it accepted him.

Next week the same family asked me to do the big sister's passport. Tried myself again, nope. Tried husband, nope, his profession (economist) wasn't a recognised one this time. 😖

Original poster
cadburyegg · 30/08/2024 14:38

They are entering their details then getting a message to say "check your details and try again". They can only attempt it twice.

My friend was told to put in her maiden name but that didn't work.
Her dad was told to put in his old address, after attempting his new one, but that didn't work either.

I can't see anywhere online that says you need to let the passport office know of a change of address.

OP posts:
Precipice · 30/08/2024 14:40

I agree that it's ridiculous, but for another reason: the whole signatory system and sending off your existing, expiring passport. In my home country, we go to the Passport Office, fill out the form, they confirm our identity because we're physically there and showing existing ID, and you keep your old documents until you go to pick up the new one, at which point it gets cut. No searching around for signatories or worrying about the mail.

(The other ridiculous thing is that they demand your passport from another country to, which if they lose will be troublesome and expensive for you. At least they say now that they accept full colour photocopies of every page (🙄) and not your actual document.

LaCerbiatta · 30/08/2024 14:42

The system doesn't recognise me either. Been married and living in the same place for over 10 yearss. Called them once to ask what the issue could be and they said they can't access my personal details for security reasons.... So it's a problem without a solution ...

CuriousGeorge80 · 30/08/2024 14:42

It’s definitely not about changing address and notifying the passport office. I moved 18 months ago and have done about five since then with no issue at all, not having notified anybody!

TickingAlongNicely · 30/08/2024 14:46

The address thing is rubbish as passports aren't linked to addresses!
Theres no requirement to update the name on your passport either.

Also the list says "upstanding member of community"... I can do it as a Scout Leader but that's not my profession!

BashfulClam · 30/08/2024 14:52

My friend can do them as a carer. Not on the list…the list is useless.

DappledThings · 30/08/2024 14:59

Sounds like a temporary glitch. I've signed easily before as have many of my friends.

People get hung up about not knowing anyone on the list but the list is just ideas, it isn't insistent on them.

pointythings · 30/08/2024 15:01

It's a stupid system. The whole UK system is stupid. Where I come from (Netherlands), issuing of passports is devolved to local authorities. There are clear requirements for what you need to bring for a first passport or a renewal, slightly different ones for a child passport. It's standard stuff with no countersignatories needed, no nonsense about 'recognised professions' - just an efficient pragmatic setup. And the lead time is infinitely quicker than the UK too - next day for an urgent passport, 3 working days for standard.

High time the UK changed its ways.

dudsville · 30/08/2024 15:02

I've moved and not told the passport people and I regularly sign. Like a pp said, must be a glitch.

Rhayader · 30/08/2024 15:04

I’ve done it a bunch of times but it’s just happy with my .gov.uk email address.

LittleGreenDragons · 30/08/2024 15:12

When you do not need a new passport
You do not need to get a new passport if you:

  • change your address or contact details
  • get a new job
  • change your appearance slightly - for example, dye your hair or grow a beard
  • change your marital status (divorce, marry or form a civil partnership) but keep your name
  • change your title, for example, doctor or professor
  • become a national of another country as well as the UK
  • emigrate

I think it's just you. Employ a new hamster/wheel and find a lucky clover next time 🍀

FinanceLPlates · 30/08/2024 15:23

Everything to do with proving identity in the U.K. is totally absurd! Don’t even get me started on having to show paper copies of electricity bills and such like if you ever need to “prove” your address…

KimberleyClark · 30/08/2024 15:26

Do you have a line manager at work? They can sign it.

TickingAlongNicely · 30/08/2024 15:28

Its almost like life would be easier with ID cards like other European countries...

JingsMahBucket · 30/08/2024 15:28

The signing procedure is stupid anyway. Is there another country that does this?

Catza · 30/08/2024 15:41

pointythings · 30/08/2024 15:01

It's a stupid system. The whole UK system is stupid. Where I come from (Netherlands), issuing of passports is devolved to local authorities. There are clear requirements for what you need to bring for a first passport or a renewal, slightly different ones for a child passport. It's standard stuff with no countersignatories needed, no nonsense about 'recognised professions' - just an efficient pragmatic setup. And the lead time is infinitely quicker than the UK too - next day for an urgent passport, 3 working days for standard.

High time the UK changed its ways.

Pigs will fly before the UK will let go of its pointless bureaucracy. From experience, only Spanish bureaucracy is worse.
I can complete an entire process online and then just go the embassy or local consulate to pick it up in the UK, or it will be sent to my home address within 3 days in my home country if applying from there. Zero need for "outstanding member of community" to verify my identity. They don't care if my passport was lost or expired. I just need a photo and 60 euros.

Agapornis · 30/08/2024 15:50

pointythings · 30/08/2024 15:01

It's a stupid system. The whole UK system is stupid. Where I come from (Netherlands), issuing of passports is devolved to local authorities. There are clear requirements for what you need to bring for a first passport or a renewal, slightly different ones for a child passport. It's standard stuff with no countersignatories needed, no nonsense about 'recognised professions' - just an efficient pragmatic setup. And the lead time is infinitely quicker than the UK too - next day for an urgent passport, 3 working days for standard.

High time the UK changed its ways.

Indeed, I'm from there too (hoi) and even my once-in-a-decade trip to the embassy for renewal is less hassle than a British passport seems to be.

I feel it's reinforcing a class-based Who You Know society - if you don't have any Professionals (expensive qualifications, Career jobs) or Upstanding Members of Society (whatever that means) in your network, then you're not allowed to travel abroad Hmm

Surely it disproportionately affects people on minimum wage, without a higher level education, no family connections etc.

Figment1982 · 30/08/2024 16:05

This really does seem to be a glitch on the system, nothing to do with who you have chosen. Can you start a new form or have you already paid the fee (presumably you have if you are at that stage?)