To wonder how I'll get my DC's passport legally?!

[justwanttolookgood]

I don't know anyone who can counter sign!

And on top of that, I don't know anyone professionally who has known me for over 6/12 months really. GP included. The person needs to have known the parent for over 2 years.

What am I going to do?

Someone that DH or Mum or dad works with that knows of your existence? X

Just do the application in DH's name instead then? It asks for details of both parents anyway, and once it's arrived it doesn't matter who applied, either one of you can use it.

Bert The application has already arrived and I've paid £60 or so for it

Also doesn't resolve the issue of my own passport. I need someone to sign that too

Hmm, I know a trainee nurse. Would that do?

Partners of your or DH’s siblings? Old school friends, employers current or former?

You must know someone unless you are living off grid and have no friends or relatives at all (I say relatives because they will have friends etc who know you enough to confirm you exist).

The passport countersignatory list is not very inclusive for people at the lower end of society, whose children probably don't go to nursery, parents don't know professional people, rent so probably move a lot so don't know people for 2 years. Obviously OP may not fall into these categories.

This is a little bit insulting, "lower end of society?" people on low income do also see doctors/dentists, may be in council housing so do have a fixed address, free hours for 2 yo and up for nursery and may have professional background/friends.

For what its worth OP, I had a similar issue with my youngest DC, in the end my dad's colleague signed it he had actually only met me a couple of times and when I was much younger but knew my face and knew the family enough to sign. Could your DH's collegue do the same? Surely you have met/seen atleast one even if briefly.

So what is the issue.
Why is there no one that has known you for 2 years? Not doubting you just trying to see what the solution can be.

bank or building society where you have account - neighbours (even old ones from before)

Matilda My SIL is a manager? Would that work?

She's my DH's brother's wife. So no blood relation to me or DS/DH, just through marriage

But we do have the same surname

It is a very difficult system for people. For a start you have to ask someone and most people don't want to do it. I hate doing it and like the solicitor above would only ever do it if I met every last requirement exactly as stated on the form. They do check by the way. They contact some (not all) of those who countersign and if you've done it when you should not then you can lose your whole career and livelihood so why would I want to risk that?

I think there should be an alternative system where you can take loads of ID such as birth certs, originals, driving l,icence council tax school reports family photos, the works - even 10 documents with photos and you and the children go and see someone at Royal Mail who do the certification a kind of alternative to the other system although I suppose there is a risk then that someone forges all that paperwork.

People don't seem to realise how few people some people know. Not all children are in school, not everyone even has known a local shop owner registered for VAT (who is prepared to sign the forms) for 2 years. I have not even seen my GP for about 8 years.

Do you not have a dentist or a job? There must be someone you’ve known for two years at any one time in the past five years? Even if it’s an old school friend.
You can’t get people to sign if you are linked through marriage either. You hold the same surname that’s enough for them to say no because you have to put your husbands details on your child’s form.

OP write a list of all the occupations people you have known for more than 2 years do, then we can tell you which ones can sign.

I think they key thing is to remember that they need to have known you two years ago - so say you had a friend from 2.5 years ago, but you haven't seen them in 18 months, then that would be okay. Then you can think of every person you used to know from school etc etc, and list out what they do now (if you can find out from facebook) and then you can ask the passport helpline about the most likely ones. You can always even post them the form if they don't live nearby.

Go through your address book/phone contacts/facebook friends and seriously think about what they do for a living, or their spouses even.

Chances are there will be someone who you may not have yet considered.

It can be tricky to find someone to countersign - there should be a simpler way.

Good luck.

Friends from school is a complete no go. I know two who would still know me in passing in the street but they're both young mums who've never worked.

People I can think of that I know that aren't family...

Trainee nurse
Nanny (although not speaking to her)
Shop assistant
Loads of stay at home mums
Medical receptionist
PA
Warehouse operative

That's it, by a long stretch. Most of those people I'm not even friendly with as such

You don't need to be friendly with them they just need to have known you for 2 years. Ring the medical receptionist and PA and offer them a bottle of wine to sign your form, I'm sure they won't say no.

I don't think your SIL can sign.

I think it's a ridiculously antiquated system that needs an overhaul.

I've got a good friend who used to be journalist by profession, so she can always do ours - also had a friends who were GPs and probation officers, who have signed in the past.

I agree it's a difficult system for some people - I know some people hate signing, and one of my relations is a teacher and refuses point blank to sign anyone's Not quite sure why.

Our school charges £15, and our GP surgery has a sign up saying they won't do it at all. Not many people go to church anymore - the vicar was always a safe bet in the past.

Think through all your old friends and neighbours - and those of your parents and DH - people can sign even if they've retired, so can just about anyone with a professional qualification.

Why can’t any of those people sign then? Surely at least one of those SAH mums once had a job?

Maybe just don’t travel for a while?

OP you can even go to your previous GP or your HV. Alternatively, your current one can sign it anyway. It's a load of bollocks and they are never checked if both your parents are British.

Maybe just don’t travel for a while?

Candy the stay at home mums I know have always been unemployed really, and one or two have worked but only in New Look or something

The Medical Receptionist I know might be able to if I bargain her with something horse related didn't think that was a 'professional' though? (Same job title as me)

The PA is quite sniffy so I don't think she will do it, but worth an ask in any case. Also, didn't think that was a qualified professional

As I say, I don't have a HV and I never really had a previous GP. I saw 'locum' Drs for years on end... For context, it was a poorly run and over populated GP surgery in London

What about one of the SAHMs husbands if they don't have a career? They only have to know you not be best mates with you, any old friends of your parents? Work colleagues of DH?
Have you never been to the dentist or anything?

What is the actual wording on the countersignatory section? Do they need to know the applicant - you- or either parent of the child being applied for?

OP

Are you sure you are thinking about this the right way.

You don't need to be a friend or on friendly terms with anyone they just need to now you exist.

You must have:

gone to school, been to hospital, go to a dentist, go to a Dr, bought things from an independent shop, met a manager or civil servant.

When did you get married? How many guests where there? Assuming you got married 2 years ago then one of your guests must fall into one of the catagories.

Apologies if you did the register office and 2 witnesses from the street.

As people have pointed out they have used people working at the Post Office, hairdressers, dentists, husbands/wives of friends, neighbours. It is really just not possible that you don’t know anyone to sign. My uncle is a publican, he is always the first to be asked.