Countersigning A Passport

[Smowball]

Before I get this wrong can I just check please - I’m renewing my passport which expired last month. I’ve read and reread the notes and from what I can see I only need the passport form countersigned if it’s my 1st passport, if it’s a lost stolen or damaged passport, if it’s a renewal and I cannot be recognised from current one. So as none of that’s valid I don’t need a counter signature...?
But what about my two photos? Do they have to be signed on the back or not by anyone??

[ummmm]

I believe you're right but I got mine counter signed anyway. My shopkeeper did it.

[Smowball]

Did they just put their name or how they knew you too?

[ummmm]

And their registration number.

[naomi24]

You don’t need a counter signature to renew a passport. You can do it on line very quickly and easily. You’ll need a new photo though which you can upload to the form.

[Smowball]

Can Mr Smow do it?

[naomi24]

You don’t need it.

[naomi24]

And no, he couldn’t do it even if you needed it.

[dannyk13]

Smow.
//You cannot ask someone to countersign your passport if you’re:

related to them by birth or marriage
in a relationship with or live at the same address as them//

[theshedman]

Just fill in the form on-line and add the photos. They won't need to be countersigned and it's now cheaper to it that way than by getting the form from the post office and sending it to them and much cheaper than getting the post office to check it first. My son used the post office check service and it was still sent back to him as a bit was wrong.

[Smowball]

So I don’t need these photos signed?

[Smowball]

I’ve already got the photos done so might as well use them

[Toorak]

There are guidelines for taking a digital photo to upload to online application - no countersignature required

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

[Peter Pedant]

yeah we have had this before
the answers were yes no not sure - yes deffo and no deffo

and I cant remember what the right answer was - sozza

[Peter Pedant]

// Can Mr Smow do it?//

of course he cant for chrissakes

[zebo]

Can you use a photo from a driving licence? When I renewed my driving licence they used my passport photo as it was within a certain time. It was all done on line.

[woofgang]

I think you can do passport to driving licence but not driving licence to passport.

[ummmm]

Def can do passport to driving licences.

[derek-33]

i understood it has to be signed by a professional like a doctor my pharmacist did mine for me

[naomi24]

//I cant remember what the right answer was //

The answer is no, you don't need a counter-signature - and you don't need the photos signed either. Just go to a photo booth in Boots, or the Post Office, or a supermarket, get some pictures, upload them, fill the form in - and there you are. Done. You'll have your new passport in a very short time. It's an excellent service.