Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not counter sign this passport

141 replies

DirtyDancing · 18/03/2015 22:29

I can counter sign passports.

A lady, call her Jo, at my DH's company has asked me to counter sign her sister's kid's passport.

I've know Jo for years & years. Never met her sister or sister's kid.

I've said no as I've never even met Jo's sister. Everyone saying ABU. just sign it she's clearly Jo's sister & not a terrorist.

AIBU?

OP posts:
Stripyhoglets · 22/03/2015 09:33

YANBU. I have said no to signing as witness to a signature that I wouldn't actually see applied to a document - too risky. I wouldn't countersign a passport if I didn't know someone for the required amount of time. They shouldn't be asking you.

TartinaTiara · 22/03/2015 09:36

Very weird that any director of any limited company can sign! Costs sod all to set up a company and anyone could be a director provided that they're not currently banned (and the bar is pretty high for getting a disqualification for any real length of time). Some of the directors I've encountered (in a professional capacity) are pretty dodgy characters, if not actually criminal...

But on the would you sign question - doesn't it come down to how you define "knowing" someone. I've met the siblings of my friends at weddings and the like, probably only met them once or twice, but I "know" about their lives because the friends will tell me that their DSis is pregnant, or has got a new job, or whatever. So I'd recognise them if I saw them (in context, probably not just on the street) and I know what's going on in their lives. So I'd probably count that as knowing. If I'd never met them in person, I probably wouldn't, but meeting them once years ago would make the difference. I can't figure out why that is; it doesn't seem logical, but it feels right.

giraffesNeedBigPoloNecks · 22/03/2015 09:45

yanbu at all

Lara2 · 22/03/2015 10:45

Definitely agree with everyone who said don't sign. You could end up with that awkward phonecall!
I really don't see why schools refuse to sign applications - I have no problem doing it. I've done 2 in the last week and it took 5 minutes for each one. Why on earth would Heads say its too much for busy teachers? So what? All of us teachers are busy - but we're also part of a community and why shouldn't we do something occassionally for free? It isn't exactly arduous and takes a few minutes. The parents concerned had asked their GP's and were told it was £40!! WTF??!! I also witnessed a change of name by deed poll that a GP had quoted £40 to witness. That took less than 5 minutes to do. Blimey - could have made £120 extra for less than 15 minutes work if I'd been a GP by all accounts.

dementedpixie · 22/03/2015 10:54

teachers have to put their own personal info on plus it says you have to know them outwith their professional capacity I.e. A neighbour that was a teacher would be fine but not someone who only knew you through the school.

They have to sign to say they have known the parent for 2 years as well, not the child

Haggisfish · 22/03/2015 13:24

Yes, that's true-no way would I want students knowing the amount of info you have to put on the form about me!

Groovee · 22/03/2015 13:35

No yanbu

FryOneFatManic · 22/03/2015 13:40

sPJPPp A sound engineer could sign:

Countersignatories must work in (or be retired from) a recognised profession or be ‘a person of good standing in their community’, eg: - note the eg, it's just an example list.

annielouise · 22/03/2015 13:50

I think it's rude of Jo to ask. Not sure why she didn't ask your DH if she works with him and not you either. When I've had to ask a person to sign a passport form I've made sure they have known us for more than two years as I wouldn't want to put them on the spot. Lara2 is lovely for doing it for people and not asking for money in her capacity as sometimes it is difficult to find someone that fits the criteria.

sPJPPp · 22/03/2015 14:19

Well still that list is stupid, only a professional travel agent and only a full time insurance worker

lastnightiwenttomanderley · 22/03/2015 21:51

sPJPP I'm an engineer and always took the 'professional qualification' bit to mean membership one of the professional bodies. (i.e. in my case CEng MIStructE or CEng MICE)

Agree it's a weird list though, I suspect it's a bit of a frankenstein concoction that has been added too over the years without a proper review. As fry says, it's just an example list (and therefore pretty meaningless anyway)

sPJPPp · 23/03/2015 18:00

I just find it a weird list. You can be a professional And not an upstanding person in the local community.

Jimmy savile could of signed passports with his obe right? Wonder if wolf Harris can?

AnneElliott · 23/03/2015 18:36

I wouldn't do it. They can and do check. I got sent two pictures of the children and was asked to write back with their full names and address. I would not lie if asked and so would only sign the form if I have known the parent for 2 years.

Lancelottie · 26/03/2015 09:27

Just been through this, and although our countersignatory lives on our road and has known the children practically since birth, she couldn't actually identify which boy was which from their (frankly scary) photos Hmm .

Lancelottie · 26/03/2015 09:28

Hoping now that no-one sends her an A4 photo and demands to know which child it is!

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 26/03/2015 09:33

Many people can countersign these. If you're not happy to do so, just tell her 'no' and she'll find somebody else.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread