If you have applied for a passport this year...

[ChaosTrulyReigns]

Was your countersignatory contacted to confirm details?

2 our of my 4 countersignatories have Been contacted (so far), which seems statistically unlikely as just "random checks".

Just wondering what the bigger picture is?

Are more countersignatories being checked this year? Could htis be on of the reasons for massive delayd?

TIA.

I countersigned regularly and do get phone calls. Probably for around a third of them.

Haven't noticed change in frequency tbh.

Mine wasn't.

Mine countersigner hasn't said she was contacted.

My neighbour is a teacher who sometimes countersigns for kids at school says he regularly got contacted to make sure he knew the parents and not just the child.
Our passports took 3 weeks in June.

Mine wasn't, thank god, as it would have taken even longer to get the passport to me!!

Maybe I'm just being cynical?

I sent my sons renewal and my nephews first on 12th July both had the same counter signatory and she was contacted but didnt receive the letter on time and is on holiday herself, she said she has signed loads and has never been contacted before. Have sent a second counter signatory now and that is also being checked and so is my nephews who has a different one to my sons now has taken a long time with these checks x

Mine wasn't, and I countersigned about five passports and haven't been contacted.

my son renewal was sent on 25th June .
Our counter signatory is a police officer so he use his station address but the officer said they need more " specific" department address so the IPS office sent 2 letters to confirm his address. He has not received any letters and no phone contact. The 3rd letter was sent on 6th Aug , he has not received it yet. this is annoying as he has been doing countersigned for a lot of people and never have any problem with his address before.

i've found out about the hold situation last saturday after make some countless call to the useless 0300 and was given 0845 by Jul3kids to call Durham.

Mine was signed by a teacher friend. He hasn't been contacted AFAIK. My last passport was stolen, so I am astonished he wasn't.
I am a prime candidate for forgery.

Stolen, rip? Blimey. Were you abroad at the time?

I've just spoken to IPS today and ALL FOUR of my DC have had their countersignatories contacted.

We're obviously a dodgy family.

Nope, Tesco express.

I've lost count of the number of passports I've signed for over the years. (If only I could charge as GPs do!) I've only ever been contacted once, 14 years or so ago, when the new legislation came in about babies needing their own passport, yet the application form still asked the countersignatory if they'd known the applicant (meaning the child) for a minimum of 2 years. I assumed they meant the parent so ticked yes. They phoned me to ask about it and agreed that the form needed changing.

But nothing since then.

Yes, 1/2 contacted.

I've signed a few and never been contacted.