To think that if you pay for Check and Send they should actually check?

[badgermonkey]

I needed a new passport and I knew it was going to be complicated - my old one was expired and I've managed to lose it (albeit after it was out of date), AND I needed to change the name on it. I couldn't work out what I needed to do from the stuff the passport office sent me (it's allegedly passed by the Plain English people but I have an English degree and couldn't find any definitive answer about what I needed to include in the application) so I took my stuff to the PO and paid £7 for the Check and Send thing.

A nice lady from the Passport Office has just phoned me up and told me that the photos should have been countersigned (you don't necessarily need to do this for a renewal, which is WHY I TOOK IT TO THE POST OFFICE) and they might also need my birth certificate. So not only was their own advice obviously pretty poor - I sat and read through all the documents more than once without realising any of this - but I've paid £7 for nothing.

you can get a refund

Aha! Merci beaucoup. I wouldn't mind if it were a couple of quid but £7 is outrageous - I only paid it because I didn't want the hassle which I am now getting anyway.

But hadn't you lost your old one AND had a change of name? Of course you would need your photos countersigned to prove you are who you say you are.

I filled in a renewal form not that long ago as my passport had been water damaged, I read the instuctions and (sorry) thought it was pretty clear that I needed my photos countersigned, even though I was sending them the existing damaged one.

I agree with you though that the Check and Send service is a load of rubbish and waste of money, they don't know any more than we do.

I did check and send when i did dd's passport and they said the photo was fine only for the passport to come back pretty much blank as it was far too white! I had to send the passport back with a new photo, I still can't believe they issued it when you could barely see the person!! I don't use check and send anymore, IMO it's a complete waste of £7.

Muppets!

Just to update this, I never heard back from the passport people, and today my brand new passport came through the door, complete with uncountersigned photo . Not complaining, mind, but it seems not even they understand the rules properly.

Suppose I can't get my £7 back now though!

check and send is a waste of time.

I haven't known anyone thinking it was worthwhile after using it.

I has same as Edas, in that my photos where sent back as too white even after PO had checked them. Passport Office did change their rules on colour back in October but forgot to tell people in time.