Wanted to charge money for countersigning passport

[superoz]

Had to do do new passports for my two dc, so I asked dh if he could ask one of his colleagues to countersign their applications. He is a professional himself, it's a small business with only 4 people in the shop at one time.

He came back from work and said he had seriously peeved his colleague off as she was expecting to be paid for countersigning. This is someone he has worked with for more than 12 years, she is churchgoing, sends us Christmas cards and gave gifts when our dc were born! dh said they are his colleagues not friends, everyone is just out for themselves in his line of work and apparently it should go through the till.

I was seriously gobsmacked by this . They're going rate is £85 per passport which is more than the application fee itself! Where I used to work, pre-children we used to sign passports for each other and never expected anything in return. In the end she did actually sign them for free but rather grudgingly. Is this what people expect these days?

[pressone]

If asked as a professional I will charge for my time, if asked as a friend I won't.

Does DH's colleague actually know your children in a "friendly" capacity?

[VodkaJelly]

DP signed one at work last week, I shall wait till he returns home and slap him about for not charging £85 for it.

[WorraLiberty]

I think that's more than a Doctor would charge!

The woman who owns my local off licence signed ours

[CrystalCove]

I often countersign passports for friends as I'm a Nurse - would never dream of charging, never mind £85!! Someone gave me a jar of coffee recently for signing their DDs, which was gratefully received as it was Nescafé Gold Blend and I usually just buy cheap stuff!

[conquistador]

I would never dream of charging someone who's passport forms I've signed! It reeks of self importance to me!

[Treeceratops]

I charged if someone came into the office and asked (solicitor) but not for friends or colleagues. Although a friend and I agreed a fee of a cup of coffee when she needed to swear an oath

[DontTurnAround]

My husband just had his done by a friend of my mums whos a civil servant. I gave her a case of budwieser for a charitty raffle she was doing. Must let her know she''s undercharging!

[superoz]

Glad to hear this isn't normal!

She did actually sign them in the end for free but apparently she wasn't happy about it. I said to dh I just didn't understand that attitude and he shrugged his shoulders and said you don't have to understand, it's just the way it is. pressone she does know my children in a friendly capacity, I have often come to dh's work with them, and he does (or did) get on with her.

dh is going to sign one of my friend's passport but he wouldn't dream of charging her, I would be really annoyed if he did!

[Icimoi]

I'm really curious now as to what profession it is where she thinks that's an appropriate sum to charge. As pointed out upthread, other professionals charge around £5 or £10 at most.

[ItsTricky]

That's terrible, especially as you've known her a long time and are friendly. Very petty.

My children's headteacher did theirs and I gave £10 towards school fund.

[expatinscotland]

PMSL at £85. That's more than the cost of an adult passport. We did check and send for two children's passports at it was £55/each for the fees and the service.

[KoalaDownUnder]

That's completely bizarre. Everyone I know does it for nothing, including myself.

Presuming charging is reasonable, which I don't accept that it is, how the fuck would you justify 85 quid?!?

[BlackTrivet]

No, definitely not normal to charge friends or colleagues.
Charging £85 in a professional capacity is also ridiculous, unless it is done as a deterrent to asking in the first place.
I guess it could get irritating if you are asked a lot. Both DH and I are happy to countersign for friends, colleagues, neighbours - it has never got to irritating frequency though so I guess that makes a difference.

[MsAspreyDiamonds]

Can you anonymously report colleagues to the tax man for doing cash in hand work?! She has probably quietly built up a profitable business on the side charging an extortionate fee for ccountersigning so only fair that she pays tax on it. I doubt very much that your church going friend has declared this additional income stream to the tax man.

[CloserToFiftyThanTwenty]

I have never ever charged to counter sign and never ever paid to countersign

[Lewaney3]

That is absolutely shocking! Never crossed my mind to charge!

Also at my workplace(law firm) the senior solicitors charge £10 for it. So how on earth £85 could be justified!

[GooseyLoosey]

I'm a lawyer - the only lawyer so far as I know in the village I live in.

I have lost count of the number of passports I have signed and other documents I have witnessed over the years. I have never, ever asked for money.

At work if we witness docs for lawyers at another firm, the fee is only about £15 (it may have gone up by £5 since I last did this a few years ago though).

[Roseformeplease]

I am a teacher and sign them for free.

[fredfredgeorgejnr]

How can you countersign a passport for someone you're not a friend or colleague of though? You're not allowed to countersign a passport if you only know them professionally.

[HiawathaDidntBotherTooMuch]

I am a solicitor and have always dinged them for friends and colleagues for free

[Perfectlypurple]

I've signed for people before. Would not even dream of charging for it. Bloody cheek.

[balletgirlmum]

I'm fairly certain that's not correct fred

[Nolim]

I cannot understand the reasons for the countersigning requirement and this situation makes my objections more valid.

[alteredimages]

I think fred is right in that you can't sign an application for a stranger. The guidance is very clear that it has to be someone who has known you personally for at least two years.

I would be a bit peeved if someone I knew personally for that long asked for £85 to confirm that I am who I say I am.

Also, for child applications, they are confirming they know the person applying on behalf of the child, so whether they know the children or not is irrelevant.

[woodhill]

no greedy and not nice. could you ask someone else?