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

Have you checked www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications ?

GP (they will probably charge)

Please stop mentioning doctors. Doctors are specifically excluded unless they happen also to know the person socially. The other professionals can be business connections only.

From the official website
Professions that are not accepted

Your countersignatory cannot

work for HM Passport Office
be a doctor, unless they state that they know you well (for example they’re a good friend) and that they recognise you easily from your photo

Your child’s/ children’s teacher or headteacher should be fine.

If the head tries to charge, try the actual teacher. I never charged any parents, even though I was supposed to charge £30 a photo at one school!

@BikeRunSki
That list is just some examples of acceptable professions and is not exhaustive
My profession is not on that list but is definitely ok - checked and I've been countersignatory for many many passports over the years

I am a teacher, I have signed loads for students I have taught and for friends. I do it for free but GPs charge! Police won’t do it unless they know you personally. Any so called professional can do it such as an accountant, pharmacist or social worker etc.

I've signed them before as a Vet Nurse. And my old neighbour who was retired signed mine.

Any so called professional can do it such as an accountant, pharmacist or social worker etc

Are you suggesting those aren't real professions?

I’m pretty anti-social, I managed to find someone to do DDs.

I literally just done my son's a week ago, online, nobody had to sign.

You’d better check that. I did mine online, we still had to get a counter signature.

I do it for free but GPs charge!

For the umpteenth time doctors are specifically excluded as countersignarories. They have been excluded since 2001 unless they are also a friend of the applicant.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1327044/GPs-signed-off-passports.html

I agree with BikeRunSki It’s about the traceability back to the person

I got an emergency passport at a local office and they searched companies house to check the details of the person who signed

The bloke next to me (no privacy screens) had a childminder for his signature but she wasn’t registered so she wasn’t accepted. They gave him one phone call to find a person of good standing but they wouldn’t accept him

The bloke lost his passport application slot and was forced to rebook.

Go to the passport office.

@coconuttelegraph no I’m not suggesting that those are not real professions, I didn’t mean it like that. ( However an accountant friend of mine didn’t consider teaching as a real profession.)

@wonkylegs, I agree and the list itself says that the acceptable professions “include” those in the list, not that they are limited to , those on the list. My profession isn’t specifically listed (I fall under the “member or fellow of a professional body”), but I was trying to show that there were some occupations on there - local government, post office, trade unions..... that the OP was possibly more to know that pilots and solicitors.

@Kimicos . GPs certainly have countersigned some of my friend’s passports since 2001 but it could be that they were known personally to them.

Go to the passport office
Why? They won't accept an application without a signatory.

Civil servants can do it ie anyone who works for the council.

@StickyProblem- council workers are not civil servants, but they can countersign passports under the “local government officials” category.

Panic over! After all the suggestions on here the council one reminded me of a friend of the family who works for the council! I’ve known her for years and my sister called her earlier and she’s more than happy to do it. I didn’t even think about her at all. So it was worth posting in the end! She said she can do it whenever I’m ready. Thanks for all the suggestions.

The landlord of the local pub signed ours.
What about the kids dad does he not know anyone? Why is the onus on you to sort it out.
If you’re on Facebook put a message out asking who can sign passports. An old school friend did the same last week and got 5/6 responses from people we went to school with and one man signed hers and her kids for her.
I’ve just realised I’m on the list a pp posted, I didn’t know I could!
Good luck op and have a fab holiday

Cross posted! Excellent news op glad you’re sorted

I am a teacher and must have signed about 50 passports by now. Ask at school. Teacher must have known you for 2 years.

A civil servant can do it too as DH has done one for a colleague who needed a first passport for their honeymoon.

The person who signs a first passport always has to put down their own passport number. I had mine as sticky note on school computer I was asked so frequently.

What about the kids dad does he not know anyone? Why is the onus on you to sort it out.

He is absent. I don’t even want him to know I’m going tbh.
So glad I found someone was dreading asking the school