Can I countersign for a passport if I work for my local council?

[user242526]

Hi,

I'm a bit confused as to whether or not I can sign for a passport (countersign) if I work for the local council?

Thanks

What does it say on the list? Google might also help you.

No, its not on the list of occupations.

However, you may be able to if you are a person of good standing in your community, whatever the hell that means.

I think you fit into the box of "local government officer?

Civil servants are in the list though, or government workers?

Your employer may have policies stopping this. I'm not allowed to give a character reference for e.g a tenancy or immigration interview etc.

@Itsmahoneybaloney it's not that black and white if you work for the council as you're not classed as a 'civil servant'.

@Ineffable23 I was asking based on the 'Local Government Officer' but it doesn't actually state what jobs roles this covers and if it's anyone that works for the council or someone that's of a particular role?

Thanks

You can, local government officer. I work in a local council & have signed for several friends over the years without issue.

Anyone at the council is fine. They are not fussy. You're overthinking.

When you look up the definition of local government officer online I am pretty sure this is anyone who works for the local council directly though in any form.

https://www.local.gov.uk/our-support/councillor-and-officer-development/councillor-hub/introduction-local-government/local#:~:text=A%20council's%20paid%20employees%20are,they%20must%20remain%20politically%20neutral.

Yep, you are a local government officer

Yes, you're a person of good standing. The actual list of job titles is just suggestions. You don't have to be on the list. People get themselves so tied up in knots about this unnecessarily.

I've signed 4 or 5 times, no problems and my job isn't on the list.

Great - thanks everyone!

Many years ago I knew someone who asked her milkman to countersign her passport application - he fitted the requirement to be ‘a person of good standing in their community’

I work for my local council and I can't sign because I don't work in a 'recognised profession'.

Some of my colleagues can (one is an education officer and the other the borough archivist), but no, not all of us are allowed.

Yes you can. I work in admin for a university. It's not on the list specifically but it's a job for a recognised organisation and the list doesn't say only those specifically named jobs are OK.

Who says you cant sign?
The list is not limited to the list of professions.

My employers say I can't sign.

Teaching Assistants can't sign either, due to it not being a recognised profession.

Your employers are wrong. And TAs can too.

Rubbish, I'm sure there are TAs on here who have signed before.

Actually pretty much anyone can sign if they have their own passport. People overthink the professional label. I used friends for my kids, a hairdresser, a teacher, a self employed HR person.

Argh, this is such a bug bear of mine. Yes of course you can sign. The list of so-called recognised professions is insanely out of date. why the Home Office doesn't fix this, I don't know. The point is that you have to be someone that they can track down if necessary. So gainfully employed, preferably in some kind of regulated/semi-regulated industry and paying tax means that yes, you can do this.

Google is your friend you know.

Just type in 'Can Teaching Assistants countersign a passport UK' 🤷‍♂️

And it's up to the passport office to decide if you are fit to sign or not, not your employer

Being 'of good standing in the community' will cover a lot of people who aren't on the list. If they have a job and a passport then they could be suitable even if they don't think they are

That took me to:

1. A website something to do with care skills that said no but they have no authority to sat that
2. A MN thread saying no which was as ill informed as they often are
3. The official list which again says you need to be on the list OR a person of good standing. TA is going to be the latter. No problem.

The list of jobs is just a suggestion - anyone can sign as long as they have a passport and no criminal record etc. I've signed and my friends signed for them in all sorts of jobs.