sharkus

Good Morning/Afternoon all,
I need to get my adult british passport renewed. I'm currently living and working in canada as an intra-company transferee, so I'm not a PR (yet, have submitted an application for PR).

My current passport expires in June next year, but I feel it's prudent to renew it now, rather than wait, plus I will need a new passport for my next work permit renewal in April next year.

The real question I have comes down to the countersignature part of the process, and I doubt I'm alone, as it is very ambiguous as to wether you do or do not need a countersignature and if you do, who, in Canada, that is not a UK citizen is eligible to be a counter-signatory.

The first question is: Do I actually need a countersignature? I've read this on the wiki which seems to suggest that I don't need one. I've looked at this link, and the indications are that I don't need to countersign if my appearance has not dramatically changed, and I do not believe it has.

If I do need a countersignature, then is there a fuller list of whom is considered eligible for this? I've found this list on the Home Office Identity and Passport Service page. There seems to be no equivalent on the Canadian UK Embassy page about passports.

Any advice or suggestions most welcome.

MarkG

I got someone in England to countersign for me, no idea whether I really needed to because it's hard to tell from the forms!

Jerseygirl

It is true...if your appearance hasn't changed too much (if you can clearly see that it's the same person) you do not need to have your photos countersigned. I didn't and received my new PP without any problem.

sharkus

Fan-daby-dozy-tastic!

So, just to clarify, I simply need two British Passport sized photos. Do I need to put anything on the back? Maybe date and sign it myself?

Once again, thanks

Jerseygirl

Does it tell you to in the instructions? If not then the answer is no.

This is the official answer to your previous question.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...50&postcount=9

sharkus

Ok, thanks. That link is great, I don't think you can get better advise than when it comes from what is basically the Horse's mouth.

sharkus

Jerseygirl,
Just another bit of clarification. When you renewed your passport, you did not have any countersignature at all listed on the form, as in, you did not fill in that part of the form, and you just supplied two photos meeting the specs, nothing written on them at all.

Sorry for the trouble.

sharkus

** UPDATE **
I thought I'd add a little update to my thread with some good news.

I received my new (and old, cancelled) passport this morning (June 29th). It was sent off on the 26th May, so it's taken just over a month, not bad considering they state a backlog of six weeks.

Anyway, the real reason for the update is that as I have my passport I can comment on the situation regarding countersignatures, which was the primary reason for me starting this thread.

I submitted my application WITHOUT a countersignature on the application form, and WITHOUT a signature on the photographs.

Therefore, if you are renewing an existing valid (ie; it has not expired yet - mine was due to expire in June 2010) passport and your appearance has not drastically changed since the issue date of the passport (My photo was 10 years old, so apart from looking older and having a fuller face, and different hairstyle, it was still me), then you should NOT need to have your application form or photographs countersigned.

The information provided by others here was greatly appreciated, however, there didn't seem to be a concise answer on what was excluded from being countersigned, the form, the photos or both. As stated, it would appear it is both, which does make sense.

I hope this information will aid others who found themselves in the same position as I did.

Jerseygirl

It's in the Wiki http://britishexpats.com/wiki/UK_Passport_In_The_US and also here http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...50&postcount=9.

sharkus

Obviously I'm somewhat blind Thanks for putting the specific links in

Oakvillian

thanks to you, too, for the update on renewal times - as you say, better than some of the horror stories about backlogs that have been circulating. My son's passport went in the front end of the Washington sausage machine last week, I'm rather hoping to have it back before the end of July...

sharkus

If you have a valid reason for travel then you may be able to get an emergency passport issued. It could be worth phoning the passport line to find out if that is an option. It will obviously cost more than normal though.