Potential Problems Verifying Identity for New Passport Application

smudge56

jasonwatkins said:

theoretica said:

Neighbours? Friends of relative who know you by sight well enough to say your name and picture go together?

I don't think the list of professions matters too much, they are only examples - I am in a profession not on the list and have signed passports photos with no queries coming back.

Neighbours: No.
Friends of Relatives: No - for a myriad of reasons, I have no contact with my extended family outside of my mum and sister.

Archergirl said:

I think you are overthinking here. 

I wish I was.

Archergirl said:

I think you are overthinking here. have you filled in the form? Maybe go to the check and send in the post office and take it from there.Do you not have people you have known for more than 2 years? I'm sure they can sign for you if they are needed to. As long as they are reachable if necessary. 

I've made the application online and paid for it already.    The only people I've known for more than 2 years at this point in my life are my immediate family.

You won’t need a digital referee if you can be recognised from your old passport photo.  You should have completed the form with the names that are on you old passport.  If you have dropped a middle name you should include two pieces of evidence that you use that name for all purposes. If you have added a name then you will need a changed of name deed and 1 piece of evidence that you use that name for all purposes.  If you want the new passport to be in the same name as your old one and you haven’t included all your names just include a note stating that.

smudge56

jasonwatkins said:

eDicky said:

jasonwatkins said:

eDicky said:

Do you have your previous passport that's expired..?

Are you applying for a passport renewal..? If so, why do you need the countersignatory, has your appearance changed significantly in 23 years..?

Yes I do have the previous passport but it expired in 2008.   I was always under the impression that if a significant amount of time had passed then it would be seen as a new application. 

And aside from looking younger and having a few less chins, I don't think my appearance has changed that much

When you've had a passport previously you apply for its renewal, even if several years have elapsed since expiry. These days the records are kept digitally, and you have your old one to send in, so just renew it.

That's interesting.   I'm pretty sure I selected the option during the online application that I did have a previous passport and entered the passport number,  but I suppose there's the distinct possibility I did also choose "New" at the start of the application as well.

I'll speak to them again and see if i can get it changed from a new application to a renewal.  

Don’t waste your time trying to get through to the call centre. Just send your passport to the address given. If they need anything else you will be asked for it 

jasonwatkins

smudge56 said:

jasonwatkins said:

eDicky said:

jasonwatkins said:

eDicky said:

Do you have your previous passport that's expired..?

Are you applying for a passport renewal..? If so, why do you need the countersignatory, has your appearance changed significantly in 23 years..?

Yes I do have the previous passport but it expired in 2008.   I was always under the impression that if a significant amount of time had passed then it would be seen as a new application. 

And aside from looking younger and having a few less chins, I don't think my appearance has changed that much

When you've had a passport previously you apply for its renewal, even if several years have elapsed since expiry. These days the records are kept digitally, and you have your old one to send in, so just renew it.

That's interesting.   I'm pretty sure I selected the option during the online application that I did have a previous passport and entered the passport number,  but I suppose there's the distinct possibility I did also choose "New" at the start of the application as well.

I'll speak to them again and see if i can get it changed from a new application to a renewal.  

Don’t waste your time trying to get through to the call centre. Just send your passport to the address given. If they need anything else you will be asked for it 

I've just actually rung them and I was on hold for literally five minutes

But the long and the short of it is that they've confirmed what has been said that as long as I have my old passport, I can send it in with a covering letter explaining that I applied for a new passport when It should have been a renewal.   I can also ask them to just use my first and last name instead as I don't use my middle name either.

Hopefully it'll work out as it'll save me a massive headache and potentially losing the £75 quid fee.

Archergirl

I did say you were overthinking it didn't I lol...........

jasonwatkins

Well just thought I'd pop back with an update.    I'd sent in the covering letter and the old passport and I got a letter back about 6 weeks later saying that I had to submit new, up to date photographs as my "glasses obscured my face".   I was mildly amused because I wear glasses all the time anyway but I went to a local Timpsons to get them done.

Rather weirdly, the man who worked there said he actually used to be a professional photographer !.   Paid £10 to get the four done and he uploaded one of them to the passport website photo checker and it sailed through and said "This looks absolutely fine".

So I sent those in and last week I got another letter.  It was a form telling me that I had to get someone to countersign my application as my "appearance had changed significantly" since the picture on my old one.

It took about a week for one of them to actually call me back about this as I wanted to clarify whether or not it was exactly as they'd said or whether or not I could get the pictures re-done with my glasses, but he explained that because my old passport was basically 20 years old, it was exactly as was stated and it was about my appearance.   He explained that the glasses wouldn't have made any difference as many people with glasses, himself included, take their passport photos without them.

So that's that.  £75 up the wall and confirmation I'll never be able to have another passport.   It's frustrating but at least I know once and for all where I stand now I suppose.

martindow

jasonwatkins said:

So I sent those in and last week I got another letter.  It was a form telling me that I had to get someone to countersign my application as my "appearance had changed significantly" since the picture on my old one.

It took about a week for one of them to actually call me back about this as I wanted to clarify whether or not it was exactly as they'd said or whether or not I could get the pictures re-done with my glasses, but he explained that because my old passport was basically 20 years old, it was exactly as was stated and it was about my appearance.   He explained that the glasses wouldn't have made any difference as many people with glasses, himself included, take their passport photos without them.

So that's that.  £75 up the wall and confirmation I'll never be able to have another passport.   It's frustrating but at least I know once and for all where I stand now I suppose.

Why is that £75 up the wall?  Don't you just need to get the photo countersigned and then they'll issue a passport? 

I thought it was standard practice to have passport photos taken not wearing glasses (I also wear them all the time).

eDicky

jasonwatkins said:

Sandtree said:

jasonwatkins said:

Post Office and Bank were a bust so it’s looking like GP’s or no passport ever.

GPs are explicitly excluded unless they can state they know you well. 

The "professions" is exceptionally wide as it includes any director, manager or personnel officer of any limited company or VAT registered company... so your boss or HR team at work are all fine, your cornershop owner or manager, manager or owner at your local. Thats before you open up to the "person of good standing in the community"  

The only people that would come close would be the receptionists at my local GP's.   While we're certainly not best friends or anything, i know them well enough to have a joke with them if ever I need to go to the GP and they all know me well enough to recognise me on the phone.

These receptionists obviously know you well enough to have no doubt about your identity, how about asking whether one of them can countersign for you..?

jasonwatkins

martindow said:

Why is that £75 up the wall?  Don't you just need to get the photo countersigned and then they'll issue a passport? 

I thought it was standard practice to have passport photos taken not wearing glasses (I also wear them all the time).

It's £75 up the wall because I can't meet any of the ID requirements.  I don't know anybody on the list that is able to countersign the picture.

eDicky said:

These receptionists obviously know you well enough to have no doubt about your identity, how about asking whether one of them can countersign for you..?

Doctor's receptionists aren't accepted.   And while they know me enough that I can chat to them and make small talk quite comfortably, I don't know any of them on any kind of personal level and vice versa.   

onashoestring

@jasonwatkins - what about your optician will they counter-sign the photo for you ?  

jasonwatkins

onashoestring said:

@jasonwatkins - what about your optician will they counter-sign the photo for you ?  

I don't just have one optician as it is.   My local opticians is a branch of Specsavers and I've probably been there no more than twice in the last two years so I'm pretty sure that wouldn't be an option.