UK Passport office. Passport for sixteen year old. Blunder on their part...

[beigebrownblue]

Not planning to go abroad, but DD will need a passport to go on A-Level field trip when it comes around so thought we would tick it off list.

She mainly did the application herself.
Went carefully through the list of people who could verify it online.

Lined up senior staff member who we'd asked for permission.

Verification email sent.

Rejected by passport office.

Explained once on the telephone last week.
Said they would get back to me in twenty four hours.

Sent again.
Rejected again.

Phoned up to complain.
Despite being a senior staff member who has known DD for the past six years in and out of school...as extra curricular stuff etc.

Passport office rep says 'no you can't use that as ...this person doesn't 'hang out with your DD out of school'.

I'm gobsmacked.

This application has now taken four months at least and they sent DD a letter saying if it is not verified in ten days we will lose the fee. (and have to start again presumably).

I literally don't have anyone else to verify.
Can't ask G.P as they are not doing it understandably due to Covid.
Dentist not doing it either.

Asked a few friends but can't use them as one doesn't have passport and the other does'nt have one of the professions stated on list.

Honestly, why isn't a senior staff member at secondary school good enough?

Do they assume everyone has a doctor or G.P in the family?

Anyone else had this,
it is a simple matter of clicking a link to verify photo.
I know the staff member at school said she had known DD for required number of years so

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?

Do you have any mates / DH or DP have any mates who run their own business? If they have registered it as a Ltd company, that will do.

A manager in any shop would be permitted to sign it.

Anyone who works in a government department, works in a local council etc?

Do they assume everyone has a doctor or G.P in the family? Relations can’t do it, regardless of profession.

Does your dd do any sports, music, drama, scouts etc out of school ?

Any nurses? Council workers? Anyone who runs their own business?

thanks but the bit I don't get is why the senior staff member isn't ok.
It says 'teacher' on the list!

And why did the woman at the passport office refuse this as
'they didn't hang out after school'...
what?
Surely hanging out after school would be inappropriate

I thought they’d loosened who could sign. I’ve had various friends sign for the kids. If they have a passport and a job it’s been good enough for me and passport people. Weirdly a nursery teacher signed for us once and that was also fine.

I’ve just looked at the guidance and teacher or lecturer seems acceptable. But it may be easier to find someone else. Are any of the parents of DD’s friends in acceptable occupations? They would have known her socially rather professionally so may be better.

I did sign for someone else when I was a council employee and you have to say you know them personally not just on a professional level on the confirmation email. I suspect your teacher has said he knows her professionally so it’s a fail.

It does say, for instance for doctors, that they can only sign if they are friends not just in professional capacity so maybe their in-house guidance says the same for teachers.

At 16, is the person signing to say they know YOU, or know your DD? I know for younger children the signatory has to know the parent, which might be what the Passport Office person is trying very clumsily to say??

We are not allowed to sign passports off for pupils we know only professionally so I'm not that surprised it's an issue. I can only sign for people I know personally.

I think we used the landlord of our local pub - licensee is an official enough person apparently, so as long as you are a booze hound and have been dragging the kid to the pub sufficiently that will do!

At 16 you can apply for adult passport so think it is countersigned for DD not OP.

Teachers can sign but only if they know the person personally and not only in a professional capacity so my best friend can sign for us as a teacher as it's unrelated to us knowing her but my daughter's teacher wouldn't be able to do so.

It does specifically say that the person has to be able to identify you personally and not just in a professional capacity. I’d try to find an alternative person to sign.

As others have said, you need to find family friends who fit the description - NOT professionals that your daughter uses (teacher, GP, dentist etc would not appropriate as they only know her professionally).

Any family friends who are teachers, lawyers, business owners?

it's about 'knowing someone in a private capacity'

it sucks.

do you have neighbours that fall into that category?

or a parent of dd's friends?

@Rhythmisadancer

I think we used the landlord of our local pub - licensee is an official enough person apparently, so as long as you are a booze hound and have been dragging the kid to the pub sufficiently that will do!

Oh great. At sixteen?

It's not a passport office blunder, but it might be a jobs worth.
Any of the other coaches who could do it? Not one who teaches her first and foremost.
Any friends parents self employed? Who is the person you thought of but whose job isnt on the list? If it's similar, it will be fine. The list is suggestions, not this or nothing.
Your best bet is to find someone else who can verify. They arent going to change their minds on the professional/personal relationship a teacher has with a pupil.

The list clearly says teachers.
After six years of secondary school, DD having known teachers and taken part in every ex curricular activity under the sun how come this isn't classed as knowing someone 'personally'?

There can't be many parents who go to the pub with their child's teachers surely.

And no, not everyone has personal friends who are lawyers etc....!

Did she not have a passport before?
A renewal at age 16 wouldn't need a countersignature

My neighbour is a nurse and did my dc's passports when they were younger and needed a countersignature.

They need to be a personal friend rather than in a teacher/pupil capacity maybe

I've made a complaint.

By telephone.
They said they would ring me back in 24 hours.
The forgot.

Second phone call. Calmly voiced complaint.
Followed up with complaint in writing.
Thought it was a bit off not to get a response automatically.

Third phone call.

Took complaint down again,
they said they had 'forgotton' to respond to phone call and previous complaints.

Apparently they have no complaints procedure in place at all.

The person on the phone advised me to approach another teacher.

So that can't be the problem

sure all the teachers at DD's secondary school will appreciate me bothering them yet again with an email when they all have better things to do.

If passport office is giving duff information who is holding them to account then?

You are not limited to the list as someone 'of good standing in the community' can do it e.g. small business owner, etc