There are probably more people around than you realise Cyber that can countersign a passport . Anybody that has their own business or self employed and trades as a limited company can do it . Comes under the "managing director" catagory .

My hubby has done loads of our friends . Well I do them and he just signs

The couriers take responsibility for the passport that they are delivering.

If they believe there is no risk in posting the passport without a signature then they can do so.

Photos of doors etc. can be taken by the couriers when the passport is posted without a signature from the addressee so that the courier can confirm which door he posted it through in case of disputes.

Clown boy, I have just had this confirmed by the courier depot.
Photo's are taken of doors incase people dispute the package has been delivered but I still can't see this standing up in a court of law, anyone can take a photo of a door.
I did ask why the bairns was posted through without a signature being asked for and they did say the courier took a photo of the door

When I renewed my passport, I would be unable to sign for it at my home, because of work, and the time they would have delivered it.

I contacted the corrier company and asked them to deliver my passport to my work, as there is no way I can sign for it at home

So I rearranged for it to be delivered to my work place, told them where to deliver it, and all of the names of the colleagues on the customer service desk, and my managers name

When the courrier arrived, there where two girls on the desk, and the courrier asked them there names, and asked them both to sign for the passport

lynwestie wrote:

There are probably more people around than you realise Cyber that can countersign a passport . Anybody that has their own business or self employed and trades as a limited company can do it . Comes under the "managing director" catagory

I don't actually know anyone of that description, but anyway my friend (teacher) will do it this weekend. Surprisingly, since then, one of the governors at the school where I work said they would do it as well, so I have two definite offers now and can cancel the doctor's appointment and hopefully not have to make a last-minute dash to Liverpool for it.
Just hoping now that once the application is sent (early next week), the courier will just post it through while I'm out at work. I think my front door and garden look "respectable"...

Just remember that whoever signs it must add their own passport number and most of us don't carry that around with us! My deputy head signed all of ours last week. He gets asked to sign so many that he has his passport number written on a postit note attached to the noticebourd in his office!

According to the notes you get with the passport applications, passports must only be signed
for in particular post code areas ???

While I'm here, can I ask if anyone can clarify this for me please?

A child received a new 5 year passport at 6 years of age and then 11 years of age.
The child is now a 16 year old teenager who may be going abroad this Summer (2009).
The passport does not run out until the summer of 2010.

As the child is now of the *adult* passport age, does the teenager have to surrender the 5 year
child passport and buy a 10 year adult passport (also losing 12 mths on the old one)

Can the teenager continue to use the child passport until it expires, by which time the
teenager will be 17 years of age?

I have read through note/passport website etc but I am still unclear as to the correct way to go.
I did think I had read it as though the teenager could continue with the child
passport until it expired.
But then further along I read somehtign else that made me doubt that.

If anyone could clarify this for me I would be extremely grateful.
Thank you in advance.

Hi Milly_Molly .... when a child reaches 16 years of age, the next passport that they would apply for is a 10 year adult passport. But they do not need to apply for that passport until their 5 year child passport expires.

A teenager renewing a child passport at 15 years of age could continue to use it until aged 20.

David

Thank you David!

You have just saved me £72!

I'm going to gran canaria in october on the twelth, my passpost runs out april 17th 2010, will i be okay?

cos i know some places you have to have at least 6 months, this will be that more or less exact, so will ihave to renew?

do you have to pay to renew?

thank you

Hi BIGDENNIS ... the minimum 6 month passport validity rule is an entry or immigration requirement for some countries, but not for mainland Spain or its islands, where passports require to be valid only for the duration of your stay.

However, some airlines and tour operators stipulate the 6 month validity rule for all destinations, including Spain. If you are travelling with one of those companies, you would have to comply with their rules, which you should be able to find within their booking terms and conditions.

Yes, there is a fee for renewal, click here for more details.

David

ahhhhhh 72 quid it is
ah well, spose it lasts for ten years

BigDennis, have you checked with your airline? I'm flying with Thomas Cook and contacted them with a similar query and they informed me that they do not have their own regulations, they just follow the immigration requirements for the country you're travelling to. Might be worth a phone call?

Just a quick update on my predicament re daughter's passport - I got an appropriate person at work to countersign it, we sent it through Check and Send last Thursday late afternoon and it was on the doormat when I got home this evening The courier had just posted it through the letterbox without wanting someone to sign for it, which is fine by me as I'm at work all week! So now I can finally get excited about my holiday, two weeks on Saturday!

That's good news cyber

Had to renew 2 children's passports, one is now an adult. Received them back within a week. Didn't bother with check and send and tbh thought I might have them sent back. Daughter's photo looked nothing like the one 5 years ago and I didn't get it countersigned but it came through ok

Just a bit of a general moan about passports in general really. I have recently got married, so needed to change my passport - travelled on my maiden name for honeymoon as we got married abroad. I have 5 years remaining on my passport, so presumed it would be just a case of changing the name on my existing passport, but no! Had to pay £72 for the passport as if it was a complete renewal, and get a new photo - as it will be a new 10 year passport, so that was another £4.20, then I needed to use the check and send service as we are moving house in 2 weeks so needed to get it done before we go and check & send guarantees a 2 week turnaround AND THEN... had to send my original marriage certificate off to the passport agency, and had to use the secure service (£3.25) to send back as I don't want my marriage certificate to go missing in the post as we were married in Oz and I would have to apply to Canberra for a replacement!! So all in all it was the best part of £90 just to change my name!! It feels a bit expensive considering I have 5 years left on the original passport! Now I am just hoping my new one comes back before Easter weekend when we move! Oh - I got a social worker who I work with to countersign - I am presuming that is ok? I hope that doesn't cause a hold-up.

I have recently got married, so needed to change my passport - travelled on my maiden name for honeymoon as we got married abroad.

And could have continued to travel under your old name until your passport needed renewing. As long as the name on your passport matches the name on any fight tickets/holiday bookings you're OK. There was no legal need to spend any of this money for another 5 years!

SM

But needed to change it as we are travelling to Australia under a WHV and bank accounts proving we have funds for outward ticket are in my married name, so presumed I needed to change it?

The check and send service from the post office is not a guaranteed 2 week turnaround. (You should still get it well within 2 weeks)

Unlikely that you actually needed the application countersigned at all.