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

Can you not just drop in to a police station. I know you can in Ireland. I got mine done last year. They didn't know me.

I’ve heard gps dont do it anymore and we don’t have a regular one anyway, as it’s always some else whenever I go there

Professions that are not accepted

Your countersignatory cannot:

work forHMPassport Officebe 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

www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications/accepted-occupations-for-countersignatories

Surely there must be someone linked to a school who could do it?

Do you know anyone with their own business (any kind of business)? If so they may be the director of a limited company and could do it.

No I don’t know anyone with their own business. I’m in England and never heard of the police doing it, I will google.

Can you not just drop in to a police station. I know you can in Ireland. I got mine done last year. They didn't know me

No - the countersignatory must have known the applicant (or the adult who signed the form if the passport is for a child under 16) for at least 2 years;
be able to identify the applicant and be ‘a person of good standing in their community’ orwork in (or be retired from) a recognised profession.

I got mine and my 2 boys passport applications signed by the school office and a teacher.

I’m in England and never heard of the police doing it, I will google

Unless the police person knows you they can't do it.

Yep nothing on google about the police signing it.

I went to the police station (Ireland) buy I would go to the Head Teacher in the UK. They will do it.

Are you looking at the official government site?

I went to the police station (Ireland)

The OP is in the UK so unless she had known a police officer for 2 years that isn't of any help.

I had this problem it’s really annoying.

I ended up using a friend who works for a council call centre and just gave his job and important sounding title. Is that something you could do?

It doesn't need to be some one you see regularly now, maybe someone you know from the past? Old family friend? Old school friend you're in touch with on Facebook? As long as they recognise you from the photo.

@Whatifitallgoesright you’re absolutely right and I never thought about it before - it is elitist.

Police can sign, but only if they are a friend or have known you for two years.

The full list is;

Recognised professions
Examples of recognised professions include:
• accountant
• airline pilot
• articled clerk of a limited company
• assurance agent of recognised company
• bank or building society official
• barrister
• chairman or director of a limited company
• chiropodist
• commissioner for oaths
• councillor, for example local or county
• civil servant (permanent)
• dentist
• director, manager or personnel officer of a VAT-registered company
• engineer with professional qualifications
• financial services intermediary, for example a stockbroker or insurance broker
• fire service official
• funeral director
• insurance agent (full time) of a recognised company
• journalist
• Justice of the Peace
• legal secretary (fellow or associate member of the Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs)
• licensee of a public house
• local government officer
• manager or personnel officer of a limited company
• member, associate or fellow of a professional body
• Member of Parliament
• Merchant Navy officer
• minister of a recognised religion (including Christian Science)
• nurse (RGN or RMN)
• officer of the armed services
• optician
• paralegal (certified paralegal, qualified paralegal or associate member of the Institute of Paralegals)
• person with honours, for example an OBE or MBE
• pharmacist
• photographer (professional)
• police officer
• Post Office official
• president or secretary of a recognised organisation
• Salvation Army officer
• social worker
• solicitor
• surveyor
• teacher or lecturer
• trade union officer
• travel agent (qualified)
• valuer or auctioneer (fellow or associate members of the incorporated society)
• Warrant Officers and Chief Petty Officers
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

www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications/accepted-occupations-for-countersignatories

Your kids head teacher should be able to sign.

Lol - Funeral Director is on there?
Do these people of these professions have to know you for 2 years?

It's especially annoying if you have a driving licence.... Why can't they take that as ID?!

My local priest signs them for people in the village. He did my uni finance application too even though I'm an atheist He knows me though because we both have Jack Russells from the same litter mine is better behaved 😂

This has always irritated me. It just seems elitist. Why is a professional required to vouchsafe for you? Why is someone who works in a shop not valid? What is the point of it?

The idea is that the person has something to lose by lying.

A professional person would lose their career if they were found to be lying about someone's identity to help them obtain a passport fraudulently.

Small business owners can do it.

People over-complicate this. According to the GOV website the countersignatory must EITHER come from the list of professions given OR be a person of good standing in the community. To me that implies not a criminal. I countersigned a work colleague’s application and I’m not one of the professions listed.
So surely you know someone who is not a criminal who has known you for 2 years?

Do these people of these professions have to know you for 2 years?

Yes.

Like I said I have no friends. Not gonna ask a random neighbour who I’ve never spoken to. Family can’t do it, I will ask at the school, if they can’t then no I genuinely won’t gave anyone else who can.

I also think it is because they have something to lose.

Those mentioning a funeral director, it would be a friend of the family who happens to be a funeral director.

I have counter signed quite a few passports for friends. I am an accountant but I am not my friends’ accountant.

Airline pilot hahahahaha cos there's loads of them around and of course we all know them. Stupid.

My hairdresser did mine/my kids' for me and I did hers/her kids for her. She wrote down professional stylist, x salon. We've never met each others' kids. I honestly think it's box ticking.

Do you have a regular hairdresser OP?