Anyone managed to get a child passport renewed without the required countersignature?

[ToodelooMarylou]

I need to renew my child's passport (dc will be 5 in a few months) and we don't know anyone from the list of acceptable professions to countersign. My dcs first passport was countersigned by our dentist but we have changed dentist since. Has anyone been in similar circumstances? Has anyone managed to get a child's passport renewed without being countersigned?

Find someone who is a company owner or has a good job! ( and who has a passport) Nowadays it's much harder to find people who are in the lists of proffered signatories.

You'll need air to be countersigned as they have to agree your child is the person in the photo....as children change quickly

You could find someone of good standing in the community e.g. small business owner. What about your neighbours? One of mine is a nurse and she signed ours.

You need a countersignature of some description

I can't imagine that anyone gets a passport without a counter signatory, that's an absolute key part of the system

Can you put a message on Facebook or similar? Possibly ask on a class WhatsApp although you might not have known those people long enough. A school mum put it on Facebook and I offered, but 2 others had already offered.

If you could get a new passport for a child without a counter signature there would be no point having the requirement in the first place. It's an important security feature.

Good luck, hopefully you'll find someone to do it for you soon.

I don't know anyone of "good standing". I don't really know what my neighbours do. The couple on one side are retired and one has dementia. The lady used to be a childminder and the gentleman was some sort of warehouse type work I think. I don't know what the lady on the other side does but she is not a particularly friendly person so I don't want to ask.

School?

Pre-school teacher/teacher?

Holidays in the UK don't require passports. I've heard Cornwall is nice.

Friends?
Mums or dads of school friends?

Is your child in school and if so could their teacher do it?

The list of recognised professions is quite extensive, I'd be surprised anyone can't find a single person. Do you know anyone with their own business, works for your council, an engineer, someone in a professional body (gas safe maybe?), a teacher?

I can't imagine a scenario where a passport is issued without the counter signature.

Teachers can do it. I do about 10 a year and it is MUCH quicker now it's online. 10min job.

I used to charge a bottle of wine to do them, but I don't feel I can any more now it's so quick! (Which we would drink while filling the forms in...)

GP ? They will charge though.

Our school refuses to sign them
Hairdresser that owns own business?

It's possible to do it online so they don't need to be physically near you. The person is confirming that they have known you for 2/3? Years and the child looks like the photo.
Is there anyone from a previous place you could ask? Or a friend who is further away?
It's generally easier when the kids are older as you can always ask someone at school.

School? You can pay at the gp usually, anyone who is a company director? Bank clerk? My mum's friend worked for Barclays so always did mine, for my dc we never had an issue due to exh's job, plenty of drs on tap

i would say a childminder is a qualified person with standing in the community.

Have you known them for 2 years?

@newbiename

GP ? They will charge though.

GP can't do it unless they know you personally as a friend

I renewed two child passports and it only asked for photo approval on one (did it all online)

Do you know for certain what all of the parents in your child's year group at school do? If not, put a plea out on the class WhatsApp group. I'm sure I countersigned at least at quarter of those in the DC's class as, once word has got out that someone can do it, you get quite a few requests!

@Newnormal99

I renewed two child passports and it only asked for photo approval on one (did it all online)

Under 12s need a countersignature

@Changethetoner

Holidays in the UK don't require passports. I've heard Cornwall is nice.

Not nice.

OP, ‘good standing in the community’ covers lots of people. The people who run the corner shop/ a priest / anyone who works in a school would all be fine.

Instead of looking down the list, I’d think of the people you know, even just acquaintances. Who has the most secure job? Start there.

Good luck!

You need a counter-signatory for child passport renewals if they are 11 or under. That person has to have known you for 2 years.

And yes, they do check. DH counter-signed for our next door neighbours child (and we had known them for several years) and he got a phone call to check.

You must know someone! The list is quite a long one.

You will definitely need a counter signature to prove your child's identity.

Good luck!