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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Don't know anyone who can sign passport

82 replies

Ahhffs · 23/04/2026 10:22

I'm really stuck! I knew one person with a qualifying job but they couldn't do it as their passport has expired
i literally don't know any other people
is a carer /care home worker able to sign them? That's literally the only other person I can think of.
what do I do if I can't find anyone? Am I just not able to get a passport?

OP posts:
Needspaceforlego · 23/04/2026 11:46

Parsleyforme · 23/04/2026 11:01

I used the “check and send” service at the post office once - do they do the verification bit? Can’t remember. I would ask anyone (including neighbours) who is a member of a professional body

No it needs to be someone who's known you.

Needspaceforlego · 23/04/2026 11:48

Holesinmesocks · 23/04/2026 10:55

If amuses me with the 'person of good standing' list i.e police, politician etc when they can be as dodgy as fuck.
Dotis 3 doors down is probably more good standing than many of the named suggestions on the list.

Well if police or politician sign it for someone who isn't who they say they are, they like any other 'professional' can be struck off.

Essentially the list is people who have something to lose (job, professional status) if they get caught falsely verifying a passport application.

ChimpanzeeThatMonkeyNews · 23/04/2026 11:52

ParisianLady · 23/04/2026 10:27

That’s frustrating, however the list of who can sign is perhaps wider than you think, eg anyone who is a Director or Manager of a VAT listed or limited company. Anyone in any kind of ‘recognised’ profession counts, it doesn’t have to be on the list either, they’re just examples.

Could you list professions that you do know, perhaps someone wise might have advice about if the can sign for you?

A company director/his boss signed by husband’s passport application.

HobGobblynne · 23/04/2026 11:54

I’ve signed a few and my jobs not on the list, noones ever had a problem.

SmallTreeDeepRoots · 23/04/2026 11:57

It’s a bloody stupid system. We had to pay our accountant to do it, then he didn’t bother clicking the link in the email they sent him to verify. So the whole thing was rejected and we had to pay another set of passport fees to start again.

AwesomeChampagne · 23/04/2026 11:57

SunshineOnARainyLeith · 23/04/2026 10:26

Do you have any optician or dentist or GP? They can sign.

Only if they know you personally and not in a professional capacity

LadyMacbethssweetArabianhand · 23/04/2026 12:09

Octavia64 · 23/04/2026 10:31

Teacher, nurse, physio, anyone who works for the civil service, manager at care home?

As a teacher, I used to sign passports but had to stop because the LA I worked for vetoed it. I think it was to do with having to give pupils your personal information like address etc

GenieGenealogy · 23/04/2026 12:10

It also doesn't have to be someone who has a "job". The woman who has run the local foodbank/choir/playgroup for the last 20 years would tick the of good standing in the community box. As would a scout/brownie leader, religious leaders.

As for the system being stupid - there have to be checks about who is applying for and being granted the most valuable piece of identification you can get.

DurinsBane · 23/04/2026 12:11

GP often will if you pay them

Bundleflower · 23/04/2026 12:12

How about a manager of a shop? Or a teacher? A gym owner (if a Limited company)? A neighbour who is a nurse? A parent’s friend who owns a garage but their son now runs it. You must know somebody!

ChocolateCinderToffee · 23/04/2026 12:23

Do you know someone who works for the council and has had the same employer for two years? That's good enough.

GenieGenealogy · 23/04/2026 12:25

The other thing is that the person you ask also has to have a valid UK passport.

Clavinova · 23/04/2026 12:30

A retired person can countersign - retired teacher, retired nurse, retired civil servant... a 'retired civil engineer' countersigned my last passport (a neighbour).

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 23/04/2026 12:36

Needspaceforlego · 23/04/2026 10:47

Basically it needs to be someone who's got something to lose if they lied.

Do you know any small business owners?
Anyone whos listed at companies house, painters, plumbers, those sorts of trades are often self employed ltd and VAT registered.

Some bigger hairdressers / beauticians might be limited companies

Nurses, physios, dentist 😬?

This basically!

Will the person lose a licence/ registration to practice, their job, their company directorship if it turns out they lied?

Would there be a real consequence for them?

youalright · 23/04/2026 12:38

My boss did mine

HostaCentral · 23/04/2026 12:40

My hairdresser did mine. You can pretty much have anyone who is employed and has no criminal record, and has known you for a long time.

goingtotown · 23/04/2026 12:41

If you’re renewing your passport you don’t need a person to counter sign unless your passport has been lost or stolen.

nocoolnamesleft · 23/04/2026 12:45

Doctors can only do it if they know you personally, not just as a patient. It was changed a few years ago.

Trumpisacunt · 23/04/2026 12:48

I signed my neighbour's and work for the nhs and I'm only admin - it was accepted fine .

Friendlygingercat · 23/04/2026 13:12

Retired professional people can also sign for you. I (retired lecturer) have just done so for an aquaintance Ive known several years, albeit casually. You are signing to say it is a true likeness - not that you are their best mate or know anything about their character.

Friendlygingercat · 23/04/2026 13:40

The main criteria is that you must hold current passport and have known the applicant for 2 years. Never be tempted to sign for someone you dont know. I once worked with a young chap who signed for someone he did not know. He got found out and fined. Its not worth the risk.

Surely one of your neighbours has a job!

malmi · 23/04/2026 13:57

If you use the physical photo process with the paper form instead of the digital process then you can choose from someone from outside the list of professions. They just have to be ‘a person of good standing in their community’. As long as they’re not a ne’er-do-well basically.

LastHotel · 23/04/2026 14:02

Most people can sign. They just need to have known you personally for two years and have a passport themselves. It doesn’t need to be a “professional”.

CandyEnclosingInvisible · 23/04/2026 14:11

Friendlygingercat · 23/04/2026 13:40

The main criteria is that you must hold current passport and have known the applicant for 2 years. Never be tempted to sign for someone you dont know. I once worked with a young chap who signed for someone he did not know. He got found out and fined. Its not worth the risk.

Surely one of your neighbours has a job!

When we applied for my DC's first passport the post office manager said he'd be happy to sign for us if we didn't have someone lined up (we did have someone available so didn't accept) - and he definitely didn't know us.

PullyDog · 23/04/2026 14:25

Cousin signed mine, she's a social worker but I had to message a bunch of people asking if anyone knew anyone first.

Could try that.