Countersignatory (probably) rejected

[Bonz]

I have a strong feeling the countersignatory for my child’s first passport will be rejected. I wondered if anyone had experienced this and whether it led to any notable delay?

Looking at some timelines, it seems when something like a photo is rejected and you upload a new one, they are very quick to approve and move the process along. I have this (perhaps sanguine!) hope that hearing back from them is a good thing, even if it is just to say they’ve rejected some part of your application. The exception appears to be if they’re requesting new documents that require posting (e.g. marriage certificate), as we all know they’re taking around two weeks to acknowledge receipt, even if you do signed-for next-day delivery!

The timeline thus far for this one is:

Documents received 11:49am on 9 May 2022
Application received 8:25pm on 26 April 2022
Identity details received 8:24pm on 26 April 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 8:08pm on 26 April 2022
Ask someone to confirm your identity 8:02pm on 26 April 2022
Application submitted 8:02pm on 26 April 2022

Passport needed by July 20… how do you like our chances?!

• This topic was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by Bonz.

[stolenpassport]

Hi! I’m still in ‘identity details received’ so unfortunately I don’t know – but I was wondering what it says on your online tracker?

I’m panicking that it’s taking so long for them to check the identity details!

[RachMac]

Im not sure if it’s exactly the same but can share my experience of applying for my child’s list passport.

I applied online 14th March and my friend received the email to countersign the same day. Unfortunately I had put one digit wrong in my own date of birth. I phoned the next day as soon as notified and was told on the phone it shouldn’t matter as I’d phoned to notify the mistake.

So my application moved to processing 21/03/22 where it sat. On Saturday 7th May finally got through to someone at HMPO and was told I should have been told to put it on writing when I first called. I put it all in writing and sent first class recorded to arrive Tuesday 10th and also fired off a complaint email in case it delayed the renewal and they had given me incorrect information.

I don’t know if the conversation on the Saturday to the very lovely lady made a difference or whether it was almost processed anyway but first thing Tuesday I got notification of passport being approved and passport arrived on my hand today!

My advice if you think there’s an issue with countersignatory is chase as soon as you can

[Upsidedown]

Surely the fact that it says identity details received means they accepted your countersignatory?

[Bonz]

I thought that meant my friend had filled in the form, not that all the details had been checked and confirmed. But could it in fact mean I’ve ‘passed’ that stage?

@rachmac thank you – I had considered it might be best to be proactive, but then I didn’t want to flag a potential issue if they were ready to let it slide… I think they do have discretion, as the point is to avoid fraudulent applications and not to be sticklers where all other details tally (of course it’s different with incorrect info, but in my case it’s about the profession of the person who countersigned my docs).

And @stolenpassport – the full timeline for mine is in my initial post. That’s where I’m at for now.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by Bonz.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by Bonz.

[Upsidedown]

@Bonz if you look at the experiences when people have shown their complete timelines that’s what it says “identity details received”. So I would say the countersignature has passed, and hopefully you will get notification it is approved shortly and skip the dreaded “processing” stage.

[Bonz]

I certainly hope so. Thank you!

[wrightstar]

Identity details received doesn’t mean they have everything they need, because we got that message twice and yet still had to do more.
They rejected our counter signature time and time again, in the end we had to do it by paper instead.
This is our current time line below. I spoke to someone great on the online chat today who checked the application and said he can see there’s nothing outstanding on the application. Everything they need has been received.

Application history
Application being processed 12:18pm on 22 April 2022
Use paper form to confirm identity 1:56pm on 12 April 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 1:46pm on 12 April 2022
Ask someone to confirm your identity 1:39pm on 12 April 2022
Identity details received 12:49pm on 12 April 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 12:45pm on 12 April 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 4:09pm on 11 April 2022
Ask someone to confirm your identity 4:06pm on 11 April 2022
New photo received 2:23pm on 11 April 2022
Photo rejected 2:03pm on 11 April 2022
Documents received 4:41pm on 7 April 2022
Application received 8:19pm on 30 March 2022
Identity details received 8:19pm on 30 March 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 1:28pm on 30 March 2022
Ask someone to confirm your identity 11:00am on 30 March 2022
Application submitted 11:00am on 30 March 2022

[Bonz]

Are you able to shed any light on why the various countersignatories may have been rejected?

[wrightstar]

no idea at all, no explanation. It was the same person 3 times, then again same person on the paper version.

[Bonz]

Strange. It seems like if they do reject it, they’re quick to check when you submit again – it appears to mean someone is basically on the case so things will move. I’m braced and ready with a different countersignatory and photo.

Incidentally, I applied for a passport renewal myself on the same day as applying for my daughter’s first – mine has been approved today. I was hoping hers came first, but I guess that was never likely!

[Author]

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