To not have anyone to sign passport?

[PumpkinP]

I am having trouble with thinking who can sign for me and my children’s passports. I am an introvert and have no friends, family limited, but obviously can’t sign, not friends with the neighbours. What can I do? I’m not working atm either so no manager etc

OP if the teachers can't do it, one possibility might be to look at the governors page on the school website. They normally have pen portraits detailing their background, if you can find any that have professions etc that qualify then see if you recognise any of them as parents from your children's classes when you do drop off. If you recognise them then they may recognise you and be happy to sign the application. It may reduce the number of people you need to ask.

Wow thanks for that great advice leadbetter I'd better get out there and start interviewing candidates for possible friendship immediately as long as they've got a useful profession they're in!

@CaptainMyCaptain I had genuinely forgotten about my professional qualifications until you mentioned it, so that cheered me up a bit, thanks!

@TrippingOnSunshine I think it can be a small business owner.

Hope it works out with school OP

I’ve called the passport office and they said all passports will need a counter signature even the children’s as they had them done as babies so they will no longer look the same.

If you don't have any friends, colleagues or even acquaintances who would fit into that long list of jobs, then you have a problem. Get out there and do something! Make some friends!

A typical comment that I would expect to see on MN.

Health Visitor, I have signed loads

OP if the teachers can't do it, one possibility might be to look at the governors page on the school website. They normally have pen portraits detailing their background, if you can find any that have professions etc that qualify then see if you recognise any of them as parents from your children's classes when you do drop off. If you recognise them then they may recognise you and be happy to sign the application. It may reduce the number of people you need to ask

The counter signatory has to have known the applicant for at least 2 years. I'm a solicitor and I've signed several over the years for people I have known for at least 2 years.

There is no way however that I would sign one on the basis I happened to see someone at the school gates but had no idea who she was until she pitched up asking for this.

I understand that people are trying to help but please don't put a governor you don't even know in an awkward position. Even if I saw someone at the school gates most days I wouldn't know anything about them or even if they were the person they said they were.

They make it ridiculously hard

It’s not “ridiculously hard”. The list of people who can counter sign is huge and the published list is not even exhaustive. Who do you think it should be widened to include?

They make it ridiculously hard

It’s not “ridiculously hard”. The list of people who can counter sign is huge and the published list is not even exhaustive. Who do you think it should be widened to include?

Dunno why that posted twice

I guess I was thinking more along the lines that if they are parents you chat to whilst standing at the school gates, not someone you happen to brush past as you drop children off, but that they probably don't fall within the category of friends. So you know that they are the parents of the children but don't know the ins and outs of their lives. So similar to the librarian at the local library, or the shopkeeper for the independent corner shop you use.

GP (they will probably charge), Police Officer or Teacher at your childrens school.

GP (they will probably charge), Police Officer or Teacher at your childens school.

GP (they will probably charge), Police Officer or Teacher at your childens school.

As if a person with a degree or a professional position is more trustworthy than someone who works in Tesco!

It’s not about honesty, it’s about traceability. People in those occupations will all be registered with Companies House, professional body, tax inspector etc.

Do you have a pharmacist that you use regularly OP? Mine happily signed mine and didn't charge me although I was half expecting him to. He said not to worry about it as I'd been a customer for many years.

No advice for you op. But to reply to a few pp about why some places refuse to sign. I own a Performing Arts school and I am allowed to sign passports and have signed loads but last summer we had to put a stop to it in the 3/4 months running up to the summer holidays it’s was mayhem with sometimes 4/5 parents waiting for me to sign passport forms before class started. It sometimes took 15mins of a 60min class just signing the bloody things and some days I teach one class straight after the last one so no time in between. If people hadn’t taken the piss and asked me me to sign multiple forms for their family and people coming up one after the other I would still sign them. A couple of other teachers in the school had the same problem so we sent a note out to all parents stating we no longer sign them.

Why is a professional required to vouchsafe for you?
I dont think it has to be anymore I think it can be anyone who has a British passport and has known you for 2 years not family though.

According to online yes it does have to be a professional, I don’t have a regular pharmacist as I tend to go to different ones around the area so I don’t think any of them would see me enough to recognise me in any way. I’m going to ask the school tomorrow morning.

I dont think it has to be anymore I think it can be anyone who has a British passport and has known you for 2 years not family though

I wish people wouldn't post wrong information, the correct advice and links to the government website have been posted above. Please don't listen to fake news.

Passport accepted occupations for coubtersignatories

Not all professional jobs at all!
Post office official
Trade Union Official
Local government officer

Try getting an Irish passport photo witnessed. Much narrower list of professions AND they have to be available 9-5, 5 days a week, on a landline. Because that's really typical for your average GP, teacher, police officer....🙄

Post office official
Trade Union Official
Local government officer

Don’t know anyone in those roles unfortunately

Good luck with the school, OP. Should be fine. We had no trouble getting teachers there to sign for DC.