To think it could be really tricky for some people to get a passport

[dogscatsandbabies]

Excluding the cost of the thing. Just applied for DD's first passport and her photos have to be certified by a professional person... Doctor, lawyer, teacher, bank manager etc. It specifies that this must be someone who knows you as a neighbour, friend, colleague or similar and NOT someone who only knows you professionally I.e your own GP. This person must hold a British or Irish passport.

I had no bother accessing such a professional but it struck me that it might be a total nightmare for some people from lower socioeconomic areas whose neighbours / friends etc are unemployed or work in "unskilled" or more manual jobs which aren't counted as professional.

Anybody found this?

Yes, civil servants can sign - can get it done next time they pop to job centre - two birds n all that

Toast why don't you fuck off with your nasty and disgusting comments! And you |Saucy how absolutely disgusting you are.

And how do you know that the person in front of you, who has no photo ID, is the person they say they are, Expat? Anyone can get hold of a certified copy of a British birth certificate.

i dont know anyone and my kids school wont do it. looks like im stuck here for ever cant even go on holiday ffs

I think GPs still sign them. Most charge a fee, maybe £20, but worth it to get it signed.

I find this sort of thing tough. I have professional friends but none that close that sorting signatures isn't a pain.

I recently had a go at the manager of the local branch of my bank for saying he didn't know me. I pointed out I'd lived here for four years and his staff juggling really shouldn't be my problem. He signed to make me go away

You have to put your passport number on as counter signer so not something someone can do on the spur of the moment unless you know your passport number offhand - did the deputy have their passport at work with them surlycue

THey also do check up. I did one for my friend's mum (have known her mum years) and they wrote to me at work to check I had countersigned.

Well I had loads of problems finding someone to do the kids!

GP hadn't known me for two years, neither had DS1's teacher - anyway, it's supposed to be someone who knows you personally not professionally.

'And how do you know that the person in front of you, who has no photo ID, is the person they say they are, Expat? Anyone can get hold of a certified copy of a British birth certificate.'

Because you have to use a number of other documents to establish entitlement to British nationality in the first place and then, if they have any doubt at all, they call you in for in person interview.

Toast why don't you fuck off with your nasty and disgusting comments! And you |Saucy how absolutely disgusting you are.

You forgot Pipbin!

Yes, they definitely do spot checks.

the chemist did dd's and my neighbour did ds's
we living in sh but managed

Ah I am glad they are doing that now, Expat. A few years ago, you used to be able to pick an identity out of the birth register, get a copy birth certificate and obtain a passport that way. Which is what that man who faked his own death from Seaton Carew did.

Were toast and saucy not taking the piss out of the OP's ridiculous assumption that the poor old poor people wouldn't know anyone of suitable standing? That was how I read it anyway - and even if I'm wrong is it really worthy of such a vehement 'FUCK OFF'? Christ - it's hard work on here these days, really it is.

My BIL got called in. So did all three kids of a good friend. DD1's entitlement to nationality was queried, as was my SIL's partner's.

did the deputy have their passport at work with them surlycue

He had the PP number and i assume date of issue? Saved on his computer. I guess he does it a lot.

Is this just for children's first passports? I'm abroad and didn't have to get any signatures for mine; it was also a renewal.

Took a motherfucking age last summer, though

Were toast and saucy not taking the piss out of the OP's ridiculous assumption that the poor old poor people wouldn't know anyone of suitable standing? That was how I read it anyway

Yes thats how i read it too.

'Is this just for children's first passports? I'm abroad and didn't have to get any signatures for mine; it was also a renewal. '

No. BIL was called in on adult renewal.

Yeah I think toast and saucy were joking to be fair.

The OP didn't phrase it well but tbh I looked at the list of acceptable countersignatories and didn't know anyone like that in a personal capacity. I doubt many of my neighbours do either.

Yes, definitely an issue around here - not that it's a poor area, but very rural, not many professional jobs. I've asked school in the past (dd born abroad, so I like to keep her passport up to date), luckily we now have a social worker living next door!

Our neighbour did one for us a couple of years ago - he's a retired army officer and I've signed a few for friends ( registered nurse) . I'm sure most people know a nurse or a teacher .

I have a degree. My sister is an accountant, married to a doctor. My parents are both teachers.

I had to track down the lady who taught me piano when I was 13 to countersign mine, who was also an English teacher. It's not the socioeconomic group, it's just finding someone who isn't related to you who has known you more than two years and fits the criteria.

I found this difficult with my DD passport. My boss didn't want to do it because he couldn't be bothered to find his passport number. None of my friends have the right kind of job and we have only been at our GP for 2 years, it didn't occur to me to ask a teacher.

In the end my friends sister did it for us as she works in a bank. I agree, There must be a better way of verifying someone's identity than this outdated system.

My friend was going to get a passport and has trouble with this. She literally knows no one suitable. In the end my dad signed it for her, although he didn't want to!