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For UK Passport queries, please contact HMPO Passport office on 0300 222 0000 or visit gov.uk

UK LOST/REPLACEMENT PASSPORT

LOST, STOLEN, DAMAGED PASSPORT COUNTERSIGNING REQUIREMENTS

COUNTERSIGNING DOCUMENTATION

Click here to request application pack via email

Application Form

Overview

The process of countersigning a document is when a paper is signed by somebody when that paper has already had a signature from somebody else. In the United Kingdom passport application process, the person providing the second signature has to fulfil certain criteria as well as confirm the authenticity of the passport application.

Under Section 10 of the passport application form, as well as on the back of one of the applicant's passport photos, this second signature is a necessary requirement in all of the following cases

First Adult Passport
Second Passport
Passport Renewal for a child younger than 11 years of age or in the instance of the applicant no longer being recognisable from their existing photograph.
As a replacement for damaged, lost, or stolen passports.
To extend a passport's expiration date.

How to countersign

Who can countersign your document?

The person who provides the second signature on the application form and the passport photo must:

have been known to the applicant for a minimum of 24 months
be able to recognise them / identify them
have a permanent residence in the United Kingdom
Have ownership of a valid British or Irish passport. If the applicant does apply from outside of the UK then a US, EU or Commonwealth passport is sufficient but the provider of the second signature will have to provide a clear, colour photocopy of the main passport page of their passport which will need to contain their colour photograph and all personal details. This photocopy needs to be provided with the countersigned application. Please take note that your application will go more quickly through the system if the counter signatory has ownership of a passport from Great Britain or Ireland.
be employed as or in retirement from a recognised profession such as a building society or bank, the police force, local council, religious leader, teaching, accountancy, engineering or law.
Also be aware of the fact that they may be contacted and be willing to cooperate with this. This will involve giving his or her passport number on the application form.

For applications for children the second signature provider must also:

State that they have been an acquaintance of the adult who has provided a signature for Section 9 of the application form for a minimum of 24 months. They must also be willing to confirm that the adult has parental responsibility of that child. The second signature provider will also be needed to confirm the photo of the child.

The counter signatory is unable to perform this duty if they are:

related to the person lodging the application by either marriage or birth
in a romantic relationship with the person lodging the application, or living at the same address as that person
Working for Her Majesty's Passport Office.

Countersigning a photograph and passport application form

The application form

All details on the application form must be checked by the counter signatory once it has been fully completed. When signing and completing the form in Section 10 the counter signatory is confirming that all the details are correct.

The provider of the second signature (the counter signatory) needs to fill in their complete address and all other contact details that the form requires. The address can be from a business or from home, but the counter signatory must be available at this address.

The provider of the second signature needs to insert their initials beside any errors they might make in Section 10.

The counter signatory is confirming the following bullet points when they sign and complete Section 10.

The provider of the signature and the applicant has been known to each other for no less than 24 months.
The applicant is the individual who he or she claims they are
All the information on the form is true and correct, as far as the provider of the second signature is aware.

For applications for children, the person providing the second signature must be fully acquainted with the person in the parental role who is signing the application form rather than the child the application is for, along with confirming the child's passport photo.

The passport photo

The provider of the second signature must hand write the following statement on the back of one of the photographs:

I certify that this is a true likeness of the applicant [title and full name of the applicant].

A signature is then required from the counter signatory below this sentence, as well as the date.

Additional note

The counter signatory will be checked by the passport office to ensure it is genuine by checking either their profession and identity or their professional qualification.

Be sure to inform the counter signatory that they may be contacted by the passport office when the passport office is performing these checks.

If the passport office is dissatisfied with your choice of counter signatory, or for some reason cannot get hold of that person, they might request that you provide a new application form with a different person acting as the counter signatory.

LOST, STOLEN, DAMAGED PASSPORT PHOTO REQUIREMENTS

Two Passport Photos

Click here to request application pack via email

Application Form

Overview

When applying for your new passport you will not only have to provide an application form, but also two passport photos. To be considered valid, these two photographs will have to meet specific criteria. If these criteria are not met then your entire application could be postponed, stalled or rejected outright.

Where to have passport photos taken?

Finding a place to have your passport photos taken isn't always easy, especially when you need to meet such specific requirements! We strongly recommend Photo-Me booths. These are generally found in UK supermarkets and sometimes in post offices too. If you are unable to find a Photo-Me booth you do have the option of visiting a professional photographer.

For those of you who are applying for your passport outside of the UK it is important that you use a professional photographer as photo booths abroad are not necessarily going to meet the same standards as the ones in the UK.

How to get correct photo

What should your photos look like?

your photographs need to be 45mm high by 35mm wide
expertly printed
not in any way taken or cut out from other pictures
printed on plain white photographic paper and in colour
against a backdrop of plain cream or light grey
both exactly the same as each other
taken very recently, photographs older than 30 days may be rejected
not torn or creased
not marked in anyway (with the exception of signatures)
not manipulated or altered by a computer software, like Photoshop
Please click here for more information on the countersignature

What should your portrait display?

your hair, head and most of your shoulders
Eyes should be open, looking forward, free from the glare of glasses (or with no glasses at all) no red-eye with a closed mouth and plain expression.
there should be nothing else in the photograph except the subject, including no objects or other people (this rule applies to children too)
must be between 29mm and 34mm from chin to the top of the head
nothing on your head (unless whatever is being worn has religious or medical importance)
shadows are not permitted
a clear contrast is required between the face of the subject and their background

LOST, STOLEN OR DAMAGED UK PASSPORT APPLICATION FORM REQUIREMENTS:

Application Form

Click here to request application pack via email

Application Form

Overview

The Passport Application Form is the first requirement for any kind of British passport application. The form is an A3-sized brown document with 10 sections that is issued by Her Majesty's Passport Office. The same form is used for all types of passport applications, however the way it is completed differs. You will find guidance below on how to successfully complete it.

Where to obtain it

The passport application form can be obtained from:

Rapid British Passports UK: We can send the British passport application form to our clients by post. Please click here to request the passport application form.
Some post offices; to locate a post office that has the form go to: http://www.postoffice.co.uk/branch-finder and select “passport Check & Send” in the service drop down menu.

How to complete the application form

General requirements

The form must be completed in black ink.
Writing must be in block capital letters.
All written answers need to be within the white boxes on the form.
Minor mistakes can be crossed out in black ink. Correction fluid is not permitted.
If you make more than three mistakes on any line or do not provide a clear signature in Section 9, complete a new application form.

Guidance per section

Section 1:

You need to put a cross next to the ‘Replacement' box.
You will automatically receive a 32-page passport. If you would rather have a 48-page passport then make sure you cross the right box.

Section 2:

The name you provide should match one of the following certificates: birth, marriage or nationality.
Leave one box blank between your first name and your surname if you have a middle name.
You are only permitted to include 30 characters (including spaces) for your first and middles names, and 30 for your surname in the personal details section of the passport. If your name is too long to fit in these boxes, please write them in such a way that you want them to appear on your passport. In Section 8 you should then write your full name. This will later be added to the observation page in your passport.
You are required to provide a full residential United Kingdom address, as the Passport Office are likely to check that you do indeed live at the address you have provided. If for any reason they find out that that is not your permanent residence, your application could be delayed. To avoid this please provide an explanation of your circumstances in Section 8.
Your passport will be returned by the Passport Office to the address given. In the instance that you would like your passport delivered to a different address, you must give a reason and an address in Section 8 of the form.
Mark whether you are male or female in the box.
You are required to give the names of the town and country in which you were born. These details must should be the same as those stated on your birth, registration, or naturalisation certificate, or the details given on your previous British passport.
A UK telephone number only is required in this section as international contact information will not be allowed. In Section 8 you may provide a text relay number, if you have one and it does not already fit into one of the boxes given.
Please use Section 8 of the application form if you do not have enough room for any of your personal details.

Section 3:

In this section you are required to provide all the details of the passport that was lost, stolen or damaged.
Leave any sections blank if you are unsure of that information.
An LS01 form must also be provided and this can be obtained from most UK post offices.
You need to report your lost or stolen passport to your local police in order to receive your crime reference number. You will then put this number on your LS01 form.
As the LS01 form is received the passport office will cancel that passport.

Section 4:

Enter your parent's details as requested.
In the instance that both of your parents were born after 31 December 1982 or were both born outside of the United Kingdom, you are required to provide your grandparent's details in Section 8 (or on a separate piece of paper).
For nationality purposes parents are defined as ‘mother' and ‘father'. It is not guaranteed that nationality by birth can be achieved through either of the parent's national status. This rule also applies to parents of the same sex. Because of this rule, it is crucial that the ‘mother' and ‘father' are entered in the correct boxes on the form. Step-parents and any others who have taken on a parental role but who are not defined by ‘mother' or ‘father' should not fill in their personal details in Section 4.
If for any reason there is information that you are not able to provide, please refer to Section 8 or instead put together a letter that is addressed to the passport office which states all of the reasons why you unable to provide it.

Section 5:

If the applicant has been of British nationality since birth then please cross the ‘no' box. There are no other details that you need to fill in in Section 5.
If it is applicable to you, complete the section and make a copy of your certificate of registration or naturalisation to provide alongside your passport application.

Section 6:

Not applicable.

Section 7:

Leave blank.

Section 8:

Section 8 is provided so you can:

Fill out a section which you were not able to complete fully or properly because of a shortage of space
Provide a note which explains why you do not have sufficient information for one part of the application form.
Give a reason as to why a signature was not inserted in Sections 6 or 9. It is also possible for you to attach a letter of explanation from an appropriate person such as a career, doctor, parent or social worker.
Include any extra information to support your application that you were unable to provide elsewhere on the form.
In the instance that your passport has been stolen or you have lost it and you have already sent a completed LS01 form, it is important that you write here that the form has already been sent.
In the instance that your passport has become damanged, explain in this section briefly how it was damaged.

Section 9:

Please ensure your signature does not touch the borders of the box.

Section 10:

Section 10 needs to be filled out by the counter signatory.

Who is the person who provides the countersignature? A counter signatory is a person who is able to confirm your identity and confirm to the best of their knowledge that all of the information provided is accurate, correct and true. They will also verify that that the photograph provided is of you. The person providing the countersignature must be a valid United Kingdom passport holder, have a residence in the UK and have been acquainted with the applicant for at least 2 years. They should hold a role in a professional capacity and be in no way related to you (by birth or marriage), be in a romantic or personal relationship with you or have employment with the HM Passport Office. For more details on who exactly qualifies to be your counter signatory, please click on the link here.

The counter signatory is required to provide their full address and full contact details of where they can be reached whether this could be at home or work.
The counter signatory must be able and willing to certify one of the applicant's passport photographs, and confirm that they certify it is a true likeness of ‘applicant's name' before signing and dating it.
The counter signatory needs to write their initials next to any errors they have made in Section 10.
The counter signatory will be checked by the Passport Office that they are genuine. If however they are not satisfied with the counter signatory that you have provided then they may require a new application form to be submitted.
The signature of the counter signatory should not touch the edges of the box.

Please click here for more information on the countersignature

UK Lost, Stolen or Damaged Passport Application Process

Click here to request application pack via email

Application Form

What to do

In case you cannot find your passport, you must report your lost or stolen passport with a LS01 form as soon as possible to Her Majesty's Passport Office. We strongly recommend that you replace the passport by applying for a new one as soon as possible.

In the instance that your passport is damaged, you will need to replace it to be able to travel again.

Length of application process

Her Majesty's Passport Office

The standard length of the application process with Her Majesty's Passport Office is 3 weeks, assuming that your application is submitted correctly the first time and is processed without delay.

Rapid British Passports

If you would like to avoid the hassle, you can apply with Rapid British Passports and have it processed in one week.

Important Note

If you are applying from outside of the UK, click here.
We are required by the passport office to pay for all applications prior to booking. We book all our submissions once all documents have arrived to ensure that no risk of fee loss occurs. Note that our processing time will begin from the booked appointment date.

Required documents

Service Fee

One Week

£ 180*

This service takes 6 business days to deliver your passport, from the moment when your documents have been submitted to British Passport.

*Service fees listed above are subject to VAT and do not include Passport fees to Her Majesty's Passport Office (32-page/48-page passport - £128/137).

Order your passport now

Benefits of applying with us

You don't have to go anywhere.

By using us as your acting agency, all you have to do is send us your application from your local post office or by courier.

Your application is processed immediately.

As a specialised passport agency we are authorised to submit applications on our clients' behalf at Her Majesty's Passport office without the need to book any appointments.

Your documents are checked before sending.

Your agent will check your items before applying for your passport in order to avoid delays and rejection.

We provide professional customer service.

Our agents are on-hand via email and phone to assist with any type of query you might have.

British Passport Application Form Request

Important: Please read the points and instructions below before requesting your application form and instructions from us

Please ensure you understand the different points before requesting application pack as per the request link below:

How our process works

Rapid British Passports provide one of the United Kingdom's most reliable and efficient passport processing services. We offer all clients wishing to use our service the documentation needed, pre checking of all information, submission and collection at the Passport office (we have daily submissions), and the safe return of your new passport.

People who use our services

We provide a top class passport application service to businesses requiring assistance for their staff along with the general public whohave heard about our trusted name or have found us online. We have processed passports and visa applications for nearly every Fortune 500 company.

Please see our table below of the different application types and processing times available:

Application Type	Processing Times^*
Renewal of Passport (Current and expired)	Same day, Next day, 1 week
Second Passport (New and Renewal)	Same day, Next day, 1 week

What application types do you help with

Change of details to existing passport	Same day, Next day, 1 week
Replacement of lost, stolen or damaged passport	1 week only
Child Passport Renewal	1 week only
First Passport Application	Scanning Precheck only

^*Subject to availability

How the process works

1. Complete the application form and start compiling the documentation needed. You can either obtain the form from a major post office or alternatively if you are planning on using our service, you can request us to send you an application pack which includes:
a. The British Passport Application Form
b. Guidance on how to complete the form
c. Detailed information on additional requirements and how to complete them
d. Templates for any additional letters or authorisation forms

Please note: We charge a nominal fee of £5.00 + VAT plus the postage fee to send out the application form and instruction pack to ensure it is with you by 1pm the next day using royal mail special delivery

2. Once you receive the documentation, you are advised to start compiling the information as per our instructions. You can call or email us at any stage with any queries you may have. Our application pack also includes a draft form which we check.
3. You are then requested to scan all your items to us for a final pre check of your documents.
4. Once these have been approved, you can then send us the information which we check again upon arrival into our offices. We then submit, process and collect your application based on the service selected. We then send it back safely to you via the selected method.

Request Application Form and Pack

Please click on the link here or below to request the application form and instructions, which will be with you on a next day service directly to your doorstep.

Order Form

When completing the form, please start the process by selecting the Request of Application Form option as shown by the screen shot:

^*If you do not have the details of your existing passport, then please select the date you make the application form request.

We will send you the application pack and details out on the same day we receive your request providing that you make the request by 3pm GMT.

If you wish to make your passport application using our submission and same day service, and you are on a tight deadline, then we advise you to obtain a passport application form from one of your local major post offices and use the information from our website to complete the form accurately.

Useful Links

Types of Application
Application Process for a Second British Passport
Application Process for a British Passport renewal
Application Process for a change of details on passport
Application Process for the replacement of a lost, stolen or damaged passport
Application Process for a renewal of a child passport
Application Process for a first adult passport

UK LOST/REPLACEMENT PASSPORT

LOST, STOLEN, DAMAGED PASSPORT COUNTERSIGNING REQUIREMENTS

COUNTERSIGNING DOCUMENTATION

Application Form

Overview

How to countersign

Who can countersign your document?

Countersigning a photograph and passport application form

The application form

The passport photo

Additional note

LOST, STOLEN, DAMAGED PASSPORT PHOTO REQUIREMENTS

Two Passport Photos

Application Form

Overview

Where to have passport photos taken?

How to get correct photo

What should your photos look like?

What should your portrait display?

LOST, STOLEN OR DAMAGED UK PASSPORT APPLICATION FORM REQUIREMENTS:

Application Form

Application Form

Overview

Where to obtain it

How to complete the application form

General requirements

Guidance per section

Section 1:

Section 2:

Section 3:

Section 4:

Section 5:

Section 6:

Section 7:

Section 8:

Section 9:

Section 10:

UK Lost, Stolen or Damaged Passport Application Process

Application Form

What to do

Length of application process

Her Majesty's Passport Office

Rapid British Passports

Important Note

Required documents

Service Fee

One Week

£ 180*

Benefits of applying with us

You don't have to go anywhere.

Your application is processed immediately.

Your documents are checked before sending.

We provide professional customer service.

British Passport Application Form Request

Important: Please read the points and instructions below before requesting your application form and instructions from us

QUICK SCROLL DOWN LINK

How our process works

People who use our services

What application types do you help with

How the process works

Request Application Form and Pack

Useful Links

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