No one to sign DD’s passport renewal!!

[Pinkloveheartpjs]

Trying to renew DD’s passport and we have no one to sign. I could ask my manager but she hasn’t known me for 2 years and I wouldn’t want to put her in that position to lie for us.

I have 2 friends both SAHM, DH doesn’t have anyone he can ask the person he did ask doesn’t have a passport.

What on earth do we do?

I have so many people I could ask at work as I’m a HR professional but I haven’t know them two years.

Teachers always do them for my family. As most of my mum's mates are teachers. Even an ex teacher of hers that had her for a year but knew her for 2? Again I'm not sure if it's really necessary but I guess your saying it is. A work colleague could sign it. Maybe it's not 2 years but would they really mind you saying it was. Everyone knows passports are a ball ache.

Parents of long term friends you’ve know for years? Any retired accountants, solicitors etc?

Do you have no other friends in employment at the moment? Lots of people’s job descriptions have manager in them so nearly everyone has a professional sounding job - “Operations Manager” or something.
(no offence intended at all by the use of professional… all good jobs, just making the point that it doesn’t have to be lawyer, doctor etc)

Local pharmacist?

Here in Ireland we can get the Gardai/police to counter sign. Is this an option for you?

Your sahm friends... what about their partners?

It doesn’t need to be a professional job or a manager.
Can your postman do it?

I’ve just rang the passport office and they have said her teacher can? I didn’t think that was possible so I will ask.

My friends partners have “normal jobs” scaffolders

The list of approved people is very broad. I asked a neighbour who is a self employed builder.

You don't need just to be thinking doctors. lawyers, accountants.

I've done several in the past year. I'm a teacher.

That’s good then, hopefully opens up lots of people who could sign for you.

Remember the person is confirming they've known YOU for more than 2 years.
Doesn't need to be someone current, is there not an old friend, neighbour, colleague of yours who can sign it?
As well as professionals they can have "manager" in their title or be business owner eg hairdresser, restaurant, electrician, shop

My friends partners have “normal jobs” scaffolders
That would be fine too. What about the parents of her school friends, you don't know any of them?

It’s not the last 2 years you have to have known them for, it’s just more than 2 years. Surely you have a former employer, neighbour, friend?

My old school friends list is full of multiple nurses, teachers and accountants, 2 doctors, a pharmacist, 3 solicitors, a barrister and a magistrate. And that’s before any of the ones with businesses.

This is from the gov site
Who can sign your form and photoYour countersignatory must:

• have known you (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 you, for example they’re a friend, neighbour or colleague (not just someone who knows you professionally)
• be ‘a person of good standing in their community’ or work in (or be retired from) a recognised profession

I take it to mean just not someone with a criminal conviction or something 🤔

I think this is a common issue. I’ve signed for 14 children since January as no one seems to have anyone else to ask.
Its a little outdated imo, I think the system needs revising.

But lots of people - perhaps the majority - won’t know people like that from school.

I dont think it needs overhauling so much as people need to read that it says the list of professions is a guideline only and not prescriptive.

The scaffolder OP mentioned would be fine as long as he has his own passport.

Our hairdresser did my DS’s

I asked a member of the school admin team to sign DC's - sometimes there's a charge though.

I sign loads as a retired teacher.

For a currently employed teacher to sign for friends is one thing - I don't see why they should be expected to sign for pupils and their parents.

Do your friend’s husbands not count? If their scaffolding company is VAT registered and they manage anyone then that would meet the criteria I think!

I asked one of the mums from school to do DS’s. She’s a nurse. His teacher tried to do it first but it rejected her - not sure why.

Are there any parents of DC's friends you can ask?

Just renewed my DD and wasn’t asked for counter signature

How old is your DD? My daughter is five so looks totally different from her newborn photo.