Countersigning A Passport

[Smowball]

Ive got the forms from post office and have also looked at doing form online which you can as long as you upload appropriate photos. But..... if I do it online I obviously can’t get it countersigned, but am not sure I even have to with the written form? I’ve read and re read it and am just confusing myself. I’m reneweing it 6 months early. Do I need to get it countersigned??

[naomi24]

You don't need a counter-signature now. Very easy to do it on-line.

[Smowball]

Oh really?? Have you done it online? I just need to get someone to take pics I think, has to be against a plain pale wall...

[naomi24]

Yes, I renewed mine recently - on-line. Pop into your local supermarket for your pictures. £5 for four I think.

[Rockrose]

Very easy online I think the counter signature is for first times and significant changes in appearance

[Flonska]

Have a look at this link.

It tells you the requirements for passport photos:-

https://www.gov.uk/photos-for-passports

[New Judge]

Beware the photo requirements are now very rigid (as they are used in automatic gates). Best get a photographer to do them as they know the rules. Probably cost about a tenner but money well spent.

[Rockrose]

Some hi tech photos booths give you a reference and it magically sends your pictures to the relevant agencies

[Smowball]

I’m being really thick here but how can photo booth photos be sent on an online form??

[fiction-factory]

I agree that it's worth spending money to get the photos right. I used the service in a supermarket but even that was rejected because my head was slightly too big/too small (forgotten which) even though I was sure I'd followed the instruction, and so i had to have them done again at a cost of another £5. It also meant a delay of a few weeks.
I'd probably use a supermarket again but I'd make absolutely sure my head fits exactly into the specified area.

[AuntLydia]

Smowball, you scan the photos into your PC then copy/paste them into the form. We renewed all our passports last year and used photos taken by ourselves with a phone. They were accepted .

[Flonska]

Smow - when you complete the online application you will be asked to enter the code (if you have one) for your photographs. It is very easy to complete.

[Smowball]

Ah right ok. So either get someone to take my photo with my phone or else go to one of these booths that give you a code. Ok that should be easy enough lol. Thankyou everyone. BTW how long does it take to get the passport if you do it online??

[naomi24]

You don't have to go to a booth that gives you a code. You can just get your pictures, scan one in to your computer, and attach it to the on-line form. From memory the whole process takes probably no more than 5 or 10 minutes. It's a doddle - it really is.

[Smowball]

I was going to do the form on my iPad. Would it work if I carefully took a photo of the photo booth pics with the iPad and then carefully cropped them??

[naomi24]

I don't know if that would work, but I wouldn't think it's a good idea. If you can't scan them in properly, best to apply by post and send the pictures with your application.

[B00]

If at all possible, do it in person at the post office (they usually have photo booths too)and do Check & Send, they go through the forms and photos and advise if anything needs changing/re-doing. It's a little bit extra but worth it, nowt more frustrating than getting your forms back from the passport office telling you to redo them as a teeny weeny mistake was made somewhere.

[jackthehat]

I did it all at the PO; I paid a bit extra for the 'Counter Check'.
I filled in the forms whilst I was there, the photographs from their booth were checked (to check that they conformed to the rules) and it was all done and dusted within about 10 minutes.
Doing it that way you can be confident that you won't get something back because it is wrong/insufficient, etc.

[jackthehat]

*Note to self.....

Type faster than B00!! :o)

[B00]

haha!! xx

[maggiebee]

If renewing on line just make sure your photographs are up to standard. Friend recently had her first two lots of photos rejected. No need for counter-signature.