Passport counter signatory rejected

wheldcj

Maybe.  I qualify under three different criteria.  I am a financial services intermediary,  an insurance broker and also chartered member of my society.  The later could be checked on database but the other two are simply a job.  There is no central register.

Hemibruxx

I've just applied for 2 renewal passports.  My brothers best mate signed both, a registered nurse that's known me and my kids for 9 years. Lives at a different address  never dated etc.  All criteria met according to passport website..  one passport has been accepted. The other, rejected.  They won't tell me how only one has been accepted and told me to find someone else to sign.  I informed them that if I have someone that meets the criteria being rejected, how can I be certain someone else will be accepted, without knowing the rejected criteria.  They asked me to get a teacher to sign.  The teachers, I have met once at parents evenings. They have known  my children since September.  Its an absolute farce!

aussiescall

Similar for us. Three kids passports, two approved, one rejected "due to counter signee not meeting the criteria" but not explaining which criteria. Won't tell us why over the phone either. Logically to me at least, either they all get approved or all get rejected everything else being equal.

DullGreyGuy

aussiescall said:

Similar for us. Three kids passports, two approved, one rejected "due to counter signee not meeting the criteria" but not explaining which criteria. Won't tell us why over the phone either. Logically to me at least, either they all get approved or all get rejected everything else being equal.

Likely three different people looking at the three applications and inevitably different people come to different conclusions especially if anything is close to being borderline... the world is full of greys but their decision has to be black or white. 

Organisations dont want people gaming the rules and so its common that you won't be told why somethings been rejected (or accepted for that matter) else those with ill intent could improve their fakes

Nirmayi415

Hi all, 

I know that this is an old thread but I’m experiencing rejections too - have been rejected twice and having called the help centre they are not of much help”help” lets just say (probably not their fault) - this is my daughters first application and had approached a director of a VAT registered company and then an optician and both times rejected - am trying again with a dentist and keeping everything crossed. Do you know when this was introduced ie the online completion of data? I did my first daughters passport application in 2021 with no issues and don’t remember this - if it gets rejected a third time honestly not sure what to do! 

sheramber

Nirmayi415 said:

Hi all, 

I know that this is an old thread but I’m experiencing rejections too - have been rejected twice and having called the help centre they are not of much help”help” lets just say (probably not their fault) - this is my daughters first application and had approached a director of a VAT registered company and then an optician and both times rejected - am trying again with a dentist and keeping everything crossed. Do you know when this was introduced ie the online completion of data? I did my first daughters passport application in 2021 with no issues and don’t remember this - if it gets rejected a third time honestly not sure what to do! 

Do these people have a current passport?

cannugec5

Are these technical issues? For example the signature exceeding the box or being blurred if online?  That might explain why only one of three gets rejected. Not because WHO signs it but HOW. I can imagine one being less careful on the third repeat … 

Qew

aussiescall said:

Similar for us. Three kids passports, two approved, one rejected "due to counter signee not meeting the criteria" but not explaining which criteria. Won't tell us why over the phone either. Logically to me at least, either they all get approved or all get rejected everything else being equal.

My wife and I applied for passport renewal online back in 2021. We both used the same counter signatory (a qualified planning surveyor for a local council that we've known as a friend for decades) My passport application was accepted, but hers wasn't. She resubmitted again via the paper route  with the same counter signatory, but this time added a cover letter along with a letter from our friend saying that he was our only choice, as we knew no one who fitted the criteria and had a current passport, along with details of our friendship with him, etc. Her passport application was then accepted with the proviso of an online interview, which she passed and got her passport shortly afterwards.

My feeling is that as my passport application was sent to a different office than hers, it was seen by a different person. The appeal letter probably helped them investigate and change their minds. So, maybe it's worth appealing via letter with a resubmitted form. Bloody annoying and frustrating at the time, though.

Nirmayi415

Thank you all - finally approved!! approached a dentist - i honestly have no clue why the other two were rejected! The only thing I can think of is length of time known? That is the only difference - the dentist has known me for over 10 years - the people all have a current UK passport and the counter signatory process is all done online now