Passport help!!!!

[Tulinayo1]

We are travelling 30th may 7am.

Passport applications have been with office for 5 weeks. One replacement and 2 first child passports.
Got husbands uncle(not blood. Married to his mums sister) to countersign. Been ringing for weeks to be told “going through standard checks”
Finally got a reason for delay yesterday, they’ve sent countersign a form in post, he said he didn’t get it so passport office sent him it via email yesterday, he’s refusing to sign it, says he will be investigated and could lose his job, I know, total nut job, definitely won’t be sending him any more Christmas cards.
So we rang passport office and told us to send new counter signature so sent it off yesterday special delivery so they will get it today.
Has anyone experienced similar? How likely is it we can get passports back by 29th? We don’t care if we have to pay/travel to get them. When we ring it seems it’s luck of the draw with who answers. Some have been no help at all and wouldn’t even tell us what was happening 🤷🏽‍♀️

Why is he refusing?
It is literally confirming that you know the person you have countersigned for? Surely he shouldn’t have done it in the first place if he didn’t want to?! It’s just a random spot check. I’ve had to sign a couple.
I recently did a babies first passport and it came in the post the following week.

They can, and do, turn them round in a short time - and you have nearly 2 weeks.
Just make sure the new countersignitory knows what is happening and responds promptly.

What a pain. The passport office are generally pretty good though, as soon as they get the new form it will be processed and back to you.
They had a lot of bad press a few years ago but things have really improved.

I’ve no idea. He just was so calm on the phone, said he could be investigated and lose his job and said you’ll just have to reapply. Wasn’t bothered at all that we could lose all that money. Hubby isn’t coming as can’t get time off work and his mum can be hard work so I suspect she’s upset “we’re leaving him behind” and therefore she has been moaning to countersign and maybe that’s why 🤷🏽‍♀️ I’m furious. I’m going with my sister as she’s a single mum of 3 and ones disabled so she needs the help and don’t want her to be on her own. She got her and her kids back within a week, that was the week before we sent ours off. Looks like we just got unlucky.
Now I’m worried they’re going to want to do more security checks as my application probably looks really suspicious now the countersign is refusing to send the form back. I’m sure that doesn’t happen usually

I've counter-signed a lot of applications and v occasionally I get sent a form afterwards that literally asks you a number of questions - eg if you remember doing the original form, whether it was completed before you signed it, which parent did the rest of the form etc. It's very odd that your countersig wasn't willing to do that having filled in the original forms. Either he's being totally unreasonable (why do the form in the first place if he's now behaving like this) - or is there something that was a bit odd about the application that's he's worried about having to lie about? You not having completed the form before he did his section is the one that I am wondering about? If that's the case then I can see why he's worried.

WobblyLondoner, it was definitely all filled out before he signed it. He filled out forms then when we went to send them he’d written kids names instead of mine in the “known this person” section so we had to fill out brand new forms but we triple checked everything to avoid delays and even used check and send. There was no lies in the form or anything, it was all legit so it just seems so odd that he’s refusing to it. I’ve known him for over 10 years. He did his nieces boyfriends a few months ago apparently and had no issues doing that one 🤷🏽‍♀️

Right, so he's an idiot then! Really sorry to hear this and hope you get them sorted in time.

You do know you cannot be relate to the counter signatory through birth OR marriage? Your husbands uncle falls into the 'through marriage' category.

Thanks wobblylondoner, we sent new counter signature yesterday special delivery so should of got there today but passport office has requested it be held at mail centre so looks like it will be Monday now. Fingers crossed we can speed it up once they get the new info

A further thought - are you sure he can countersign given that he is a relative (albeit by marriage). The passport site simply says you can't counter sign if you are related by marriage or birth - maybe that's the issue for him?

If you are related including by marriage you cannot sign, he's correct. You need to ask a teacher, priest, bank clerk or someone with professional qualifications.

Possibly. We’ve known many people who have had a distant in-laws sign so assumed any relative that was closely related couldn’t sign. It’s not OH blood uncle but by marriage so we’re “related” by marriage then marriage again. The new counter sign isn’t related at all so should be ok with new one

It’s not OH blood uncle but by marriage so we’re “related” by marriage then marriage again

Related by marriage is just that.

Thanks Nwybhs. We were told it would be fine as they are not closely related but now we know otherwise