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

It even says on the list these are "examples". It never claims you have to be on there.

Yes you can, you are a Local Government Officer. That definition literally means any paid employee of a Local Authority.

Local Government Officer is anyone who works in an 'officer' role within a council. If you spend most of your time sitting at a desk and/or in meetings then you are an officer and can sign passport applications.

I did it for a friend. The Passport Office were fine with it.

Nonsense..whoever told you that is wrong.

I have countersigned three of my ex BIL’s children for their passports. I only knew them for 1.5 years and had, at a time a job in one of the industries listed. It states bank official. WTF does that mean exactly? I worked in the call centre of a bank.

I don’t think passport office will check the countersign. Looks dodgy if passport applicant has the same surname, same MMN or other surname listed on birth certificate.

Obviously don’t do these things during work hours. As know a few who had terms like yours but did the references outside work. Ie ask these people to put your own personal email etc

Besides, how does your employer know exactly what you do outside?

Ok, I'm a bit confused.

So are you all saying a refuse collector for example, can sign passports because they work for the council?

Or a cleaner who works for the council?

I thought it still had to be an actual recognised profession?

Probably. If they have their own passport and haven't done anything nefarious. The wording "someone of good standing in the community" is completely open to interpretation and it clearly says that OR be in a recognised profession. But then within the list of recognised professions it clearly says these are only examples.

There's no formal definition of profession. The whole wording is much more generous that people choose to interpret it as.

Yes I think it's fine, pretty much anyone can these days

Thanks 👍

They really do need to update their website and also make their wording clearer.

It is pretty clear really. People just do see the word "or" or "example" and decide that the wording says you "have" to be on this list when it really doesn't say, or even imply that.

This is wrong and untrue.

And the people saying "anyone who works for the council" is a local government officer are wrong, too.

Local Government Officer is a specific job classification and it's not just 'anyone'.

No it does not have to be an actual recognised profession.

I’ve signed a few. My job is not on that list in any capacity but I work for a well known company and therefore have a “good” email address.

If you're a local government officer and of good standing (which I always take to mean no criminal convictions) then you can.

No I can see they're just examples.

But it would be much clearer if it said 'All council employees'.

Thank you!

This is exactly what I was told at work.

I think I'll raise it again tomorrow to see what they say.

I've had managers in call centres and retail places I've worked in sign it

But working for the council doesn't give you an additional special status. You can work in Tesco and be able to sign. They don't need to specifiy all employees of one kind of employer because it's all covered by the "OR good standing" bit.

Also, just thinking now...

The official title of the Lollipop ladies/men in my council is 'School crossing patrol officer'.

But the refuse collectors are not called 'Refuse collection officers'.

So not all council staff are officers. I work for my local council and I'm not an officer and nor do I have a professional qualification.

I'm not discussing the 'good standing' bit because I don't even really know what they mean by that.

I'm discussing the profession bit, where a few people have said all council employees can sign.

It’s none of your employers’ business. It’s between you, the person asking you to sign and the passport office.

I really do think people want it to be more difficult than it is and refuse to believe it isn't. There's regular threads that always go the same:

1. OP - I don't know anyone in a profession on the list so I can't get a passport. It's soooooo unfair

2. Loads of posters(LoP) - I bet you can, the list is only examples. It says that clearly. What jobs do your friends do?

3. OP - nothing on the list. They work in Sainsbury's/are hairdressers/do admin for a small accountant/clean schools

4. LoP - Yeah, a few of those would be fine

5. and 4) get repeated multiple times

6. OP disappears having never confirmed if they had actually asked any of their friends

I suspect they all either continue to moan about it despite being given multiple options or are success with one of those options but don't want to admit that because they liked the moaning bit

This too

Here are some details of 'Local Government Officer' roles:

https://www.brightnetwork.co.uk/career-profiles/government-officer/