Can't get a passport or driving licence

[NoPoshMates]

NC for obvious reasons.

I'm getting really worried about my driving licence. It's still the old paper sort, but I've moved house and married since it was issued. I can now afford to send off for the photocard version, but since the new type came in, I haven't known anyone who's qualified to countersign it. I was born in England, as were my parents, but I can't get a passport for the same reason.

Two years ago I only knew 2 friends who were not relations and they are not 'posh enough' for the DVLA or Passport Office - a barmaid and the unemployed wife of a train driver. Literally just those two people, no acquaintances or anything.

I am a shy person and up to last year I rarely went out (for about 20 years) because we had no money. Although I have some more friends now, I only met them when we moved here a year ago and I don't know them well enough to expect them to lie for me, and I wouldn't want to do something like that anyway.

I'm worried sick that my driving licence isn't legal, and I want to put it right, but what can I do? I can't stop driving because my DH is disabled.

I managed to get married without needing a passport or driving licence. And I honestly don't see why I shouldn't be allowed to drive or leave the country, just because I don't have any friends who are librarians or magistrates.

What can I do?

[Sandinyourshoes]

I think I’m in the same situation - we only moved here 3 months ago. I have a paper driving licence with old address and my passport expired five years ago. I don’t have a dentist yet in my new area. My only photo ID is my bus pass. I don’t know anyone yet other than neighbours of three months acquaintance. When our previous house sells I’ll need to get a photo driving licence with the new address somehow. It’s quite concerning.

[soapona]

If I have documents to get witnessed or signed (happens regular for me). I either turn up at my neighbours door (my neighbours are all professionals round here doctors on both sides), Get a client to sign for me (I'm a hairdresser) or get a teacher to sign. Failing that if you go to church a priest will do.

[expat101]

Doctor. When our Daughter was born and we needed a passport for her, our GP signed off on it which was acceptable (despite the paragraph of having to know the person for X amount of years).

[SofiaAmes]

If you are self-employed, how about the person who did your taxes for the last 10 years. They don't have to be near you. Just mail them the form. I had a friend who had his own company sign the passport form for my ds when he was born (he has known me a long time which is what he had to vouch for) - he lives far from me, so we just did the whole thing by mail.

[MaybeitsMaybelline]

I’ve signed loads of passports. I have a non professional job in a large well known company. I don’t fall into the posh friends category.

[IgotApositive]

Barmaid friend signed mine, wasn't a problem

[IgotApositive]

it says on the GOV.UK page that a dr is not accepted unless they know you well.
Yet people are still suggesting this option!

[ColaFreezePop]

Builders can countersign if they are a director of a limited company. Some of the tradesmen I know and I've used are, so they can sign passports. And they aren't posh.

[Amber2018]

The list is an example of people. In reality so many people can sign, if they have responsibility over other staff they generally can. So yes, managers/assistant managers of shops. I have signed many as an assistant manager, those people have their passports. I also had mums office manager sign mine. My friend works in the offices of the water board, no major title/qualification, she can sign.

[RingtheBells]

Hopefully the train driver will be ok, I’m sure they will be, if not it just shows that the professionals needed to sign it are quite limited. Good luck OP and hopefully you can get your licence sorted. Possibly if you can afford it get the passport at the same time using the same person, as once you have one you can just renew.

[AllMagicComesWithAPrice]

Surely your barmaid friend can do it? If she holds a personal licence, no?

[taylorowmu]

Doctor. When our Daughter was born and we needed a passport for her, our GP signed off on it which was acceptable (despite the paragraph of having to know the person for X amount of years).

Doctors are not allowed to do it anymore. The GOV website is very specific about this.

It's also you they are stating they have known for X amount of years, not the child.

[TheInvestigator]

@Sandinyourshoes

You need the signature for a passport. You don't need it for a driving license. You just need a birth certificate plus one other document from the approved list.

[TheInvestigator]

@WorraLiberty

They need to be in an approved profession OR be s person of good standing in the local community. A manager of s local shop does qualify as a person of good standing.

[BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou]

Mine was signed by a GP but because he s a very good friend (not my GP) who has known me since our DCs were small BUT he wouldn’t be allowed to do for someone he only knew as a patient.

When our Daughter was born and we needed a passport for her, our GP signed off on it which was acceptable (despite the paragraph of having to know the person for X amount of years).

The counter signatory is confirming they’ve known the APPLICANT for X years. The applicant on a child passport is (usually) the parent.

It IS important that the counter-signatory genuinely can recognise the person from the photograph. My head teacher is happy to sign passport applications and for, I’d say, 80% of them we then get back a grainy monochrome copy of the photo with a form asking her to name the person, confirm she recalls countersigning and confirm that the form was complete before she signed it. There is nothing on that paperwork to give the name and the quality of the copy photos is very bad so we have taken to keeping copies of the photos and names for one month after signing as sometimes she had to reply saying that the copy was too unclear for her to name that person.

[BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou]

Photo from gov website

[DotOnTheHorizon]

@NoPoshMates - anyone can countersign your photocard application as long as long as they know you personally (ie could pick you out of a line up) and have a UK licence, are not a relative are resident in the U.K. and don't live at the same address.

If you are self employed do you have any clients who meet this criteria?

The list of occupations they give are for illustrative purposes and the list is not exhaustive......you can chose people with other jobs. Same goes for passport counter signatories- but they must have known you for a minimum of 2 years, but anyone of good standing in the community can sign. So for a passport application do you belong to any groups/clubs a if so, the treasurer or secretary could sign.

You are possibly overthinking this.

[silverystream]

If your husband is disabled would any of the professionals you see at his appointments have known you for long enough?

[coconuttelegraph]

There's some crap advice on this thread, why do people insist on saying things that are totally wrong.

Do they think they know the rules better than the passpot office?

Just because someone once had a passport issued with a signature that didn't meet the rules doesn't mean that it's good advice for anyone else, how many times does it need to be posted that GPs can't sign anymore?

Ring the passport office and ask them, they must get the same question every day, they will have an answer and, unlike those from posters who don't know the rules, it will be one that will help you

[coconuttelegraph]

You are possibly overthinking this

She's not overthinking it, she's explained quite clearly why she doesn't have anyone she's known for 2 years to sign the application, it is a long thread but the OP hasn't posted too many times to read her posts

[taylorowmu]

If your husband is disabled would any of the professionals you see at his appointments have known you for long enough?

I know you mean well, but being disabled doesn't automatically mean having ongoing appointments. DH became disabled a few years ago and was basically told 'this is your life now'

[OtraCosaMariposa]

The other requirement for a countersignatory is that they have a current UK passport themselves - they need to fill in the number. And yes the passport office do check. That's often why teachers are reluctant as they aren't really in the job to answer lengthy questions about their pupils' parents and their passport application.

Agree that the list of jobs is fairly lengthy. And there needs to be some way of verifying that the person applying for the passport is who they say they are, it's a very important piece of ID which can then be used as key identity proof to apply for loads of other stuff.

[DobbinsVeil]

Checking the list of recognised professions, DH would be under 2 categories as he is a Director of a Ltd Co and a Director of a VAT registered co, but as a heating engineer, he wouldn't be an obvious candidate.

[Wrybread]

Do you go to church? Ministers can sign.

[isabellerossignol]

Amazing how many people are adamant that they know better than the government's own website!