ladygwennie

Hi,

Please forgive me if this has been asked before. I am married to a USC and in america, i want to change my passport to my married name (most of my american paperwork is already in it). I have a valid 10 year passport and has quite some time left on it, having read the british embassy/consulate's website it says that you have to the photo signed on back by british professional etc. I remember having to do that when i got my last passport. My question is this, i don't really know british nationals over here, let alone for over 2 years, for them to sign the back of photos, it is not like i need a brand new passport, i just want to change the name. If i have to i would send it over to england and back again, but it seems a little extreme, has anyone been through the process and knows what to do? I would call the number, but it definitely seems like a rip off lol. Anyway thank you very much!

Big D

From memory (and it might have changed) as long as the new photo looks like the old then you dont need it signing on the back.

Not sure if you can do it without it going back to UK though...

Neathborn

I don't know about a name change, but I do know that when I came to renew my passport I did not have to countersign my photo -- which was good as I had only just moved within the U.S. and didn't know anyone locally.

Bob

The countersigned photo is really for people that are applying for a new passport that dont' have an old one to send in, or unless they have changed appearance significantly since old passport, like a kid or sex change so you shouldn' have a problem...

antjen

if you really want to get it counter-signed, the british consulates do offer a notary service, but ive heard its not cheap!

Ant

kevntrace

Since our daughter was only 4 months old at the time of the application, no-one had known her for two years.

We just got my wife's OB-GYN to sign it for us. I believe it can be a Brit, or someone in an "outstanding" profession such as doctor, copper, banker(!)

frrussre

I am positive, when I last renewed mine via Brit Embassy, I got my GP to sign the photo & or the form. I am sure without checking the WEB site, it says USA Pro, can sign "Doc/Lawyer/Cpa"
Reg. Frank R.

Elvira

That is true but the OP doesn't need to get her photos countersigned - unless yer appearance has changed drastically.

antjen

- just call the 900 number, its only $2.10 a minute - bargain!!

Ant

ladygwennie

Hahaha well i called my family in england and they called the free passport line and they said that should be ok to just send it in without it being signed n such, unless ive seriously changed, which i dont think so lol. But is kinda an old picture lol. Who knows, i guess i will just have to find out and see, thank you all for the info! cheers

Englishmum

I'm allowed to sign passport applications too, as I was an ('Established' ie. completed the one year probationary period satisfactorily) Civil Servant in the UK. I was told by the consular official at the British High Commission in Singapore that this status continues indefinitely, even though I'm no longer working in the Civil Service.....pleased my Scottish next-door-neighbour there no end LOL as he was panicking about having his passport application signed when he needed to travel urgently and his original passport was held up in the visa section at another Embassy.

I think Woodsey also worked in the Civil Service so I think she is probably able to sign passport applications as well.