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

Dentist

How about a family friend? Your parents friend? Your sisters friend?

Dentist or dental nurse.

Why do all the schools refuse to sign passports? We sign them all the time at my school, provided the family meets the criteria...

What is the point of it?

The point is that the person who countersigns is registered on some form of official register (prides soon so registration, Chartership, alcohol licensee, company director, member of professional body etc) elsewhere against which they can be checked. Secondly, these people have something to lose if they lie, ie: professional registration and standing.

I can sign for new passports (and dbs checks) and probably do 1 or 2 a year. I am contacted by the passport office/dbs for about 1/3 of them to double check how I know the applicant. They withold their number, and don’t tell you they are going to ring. They’d be pretty suspicious if I said “who? What? Julie Jones, never heard of her”, and I would also face a disciplinary hearing from my professional body, and risk losing my Chartership.

My son's teacher signed his. She apparently does lots.

Do your children not have any friends? Surely you must have dropped them off/had other children over for play dates at some point so know other parents in passing?? Do they do any clubs eg scouts etc where the leaders may also be professionals?

Its never been a problem for us as I know lots of other parents who are doctors, lawyers, social workers, police officers etc.
I do think that you need to start making connections. You don’t have to be best friends but at least on chitchat levels with your children’s friends parents. I don’t know how old your kids are but I would want to at least know the people who’s houses they are going round to play at

Do either of the kids go to nursery? Nursery teachers can sign them.
Or do you have contact with their dad? Does he know anyone?

Looking at that list, it's pretty elitist. I personally know plenty of people who would be suitable but I'm aware that's unusual, as my dd tells me, we are members of the elite (she's a big Marx fan).

You are definitely making this harder than it has to be, get someone at your kids school to do it. They don't have to be your BFF. Just someone who recognises your face and knows of you.

I think if you are wanting to change the situation and become less isolated ,maybe volunteer a couple of hours at School each week? Maybe the local Church ? Its difficult if you are a shy person ,but would help improve yours and DC lives with a bit of social interaction.Everyone that knows me thinks I am confident/life /Soul of party ,but I always feel really nervous when I go to a big event or even to my DF parties! Maybe we all do and put on an act ? Who knew! Also do you have any pets ?could your Vet or their Nurse sign for you ?

You DO NOT need a signature on a renewal, unless you've completely changed, I've just renewed mine.

Why do all the schools refuse to sign passports?
The school my children go to has it as a part of their GDPR policy. I don't actually think GDPR is relevant at all, and they are using it as an excuse.

I agree that GDPR is an excuse. I also wouldn’t object to a school charging a small admin fee to top up funds. If you can afford a passport and international travel, there’s a fair chance you can afford another £10 per application. They could always waive it on a discretionary basis.

If you get nowhere with school, I’d suggest thinking about your sister’s friends. I have signed for a friend’s sister.

The Post Office offer this service.

It sounds like OP might have 4 children. I wouldn’t expect her to have time for voluntary work. There might be scope to meet people through the children and their activities though.

Oh and as a health visitor, we aren't able to sign now.

Do your parents have friends that could sign? Do they know anyone in the military at all?

PumpkinP, I’m also someone who has gone through periods of being extremely isolated - but I’m worried about your situation.

Is there no action you could take to broaden your social horizons? If you are too ill to leave your home at all then of course that would be a particular difficulty - but otherwise?

Parents generally make an effort to get to know the parents of their children’s friends. This is really important to support the children’s social lives. You say the local children don’t ‘play out’. No one does these days! You have to speak to their friends parents regularly and arrange opportunities for playing together, visiting each other’s homes or meeting at the park, cinema, play venue, parties, swimming pool etc. These things don’t happen organically. Are you saying your children don’t spend any time with friends outside school? Honestly, your being an introvert does not absolve you from this duty. (If you do have c difficulties that might benefit from outside help, you really need to pursue that help.)

And then you say you also don’t have the best relationship with their school? But what if they face some difficulty - how can you try to help if you’re not communicating regularly and positively with school staff, their teachers in particular. Do you go to school events? Are your children involved in any school activities?

I can think of a hundred reasons why all this might be unusually challenging for you - but as a previous poster has said, perhaps this is a moment to reassess how you are enabling your children to navigate the world.

Do any of you get any regular medication and know your pharmacist or pharmacy technician? I've signed lots over the years, always for regular patients and don't charge, but a packet of biscuits is always welcome!

It's not the passport office's problem that the OP has decided that she's introverted and therefore doesn't want to have ANY friends.

It should be difficult to get a passport. Passports are probably the most important ID you can get, get a passport and you can open bank accounts, claim benefits, get a job - it's the gold standard of identity verification.

People always complain about the list of countersignatories being "elite" but it's really not. Anyone who works for the council or central government can do it, or a self=employed plumber/roofer/mechanic, or someone who works in a bank, or a nurse... you don't have to be best buddies with lawyers, hospital consultants or senior police officers.

I also totally understand why teachers don't want to do it - if you're a countersignatory you have to give your own address and passport number, and the passport office might call you up. It's quite a big ask for your child's teacher.

Jobcentre staff/work coach?
Food bank/church/CAB staff?
Library staff?
Housing Officer?

The vicar agreed to be my referee for job applications - he/they had known me/us for about a year, since we moved here. I really didn't have anyone else.

Hopefully, the above list is less elitist.
Best of luck.

I knew no-one when I moved here from refuge. I had to use the food bank, which was linked to the church. We were at the library a lot, and got to know the staff, one of who volunteered at election time.

The Post Office don’t offer a service to sign passports. They offer a service to check your application is complete.

The list isn’t exhaustive: it’s additional to the “in good standing in the community” qualification. Doesn’t help the OP if she knows literally no one, but the PP with xenophobic neighbours who knows no one on the school run because she works full time could ask pretty much any British citizen at her work (and most people in work work for VAT registered companies anyway, so their managers and HR will be on the list).

(I have no idea why my paragraphs are all scrambled in my above post!)