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Original poster

Can she countersign my son's passport photo?

19 replies

ParsleyCake · 31/01/2017 14:07

We're trying to get our 19 month old his passport and we are having trouble getting someone to countersign the photo. Only people we can think of are my fiance's aunt and her daughter (my fiance's cousin) - one is a teacher the other is a lecturer, so both professions are perfect.

I'm the one applying on behalf of my son, and I'm not related to the cousin or the aunt (yet - getting married next year), however I don't know if they count as a 'close relative' to our son as it would be his great aunt or his second cousin?

The website is not clear on what counts as 'close family' but a google search I did seems to point to the cousin and the aunt being fine (though I would go for the cousin I think).

What do you think? Is the cousin ok?

OP posts:
OlennasWimple · 31/01/2017 14:10

The Passport Office FAQs say a counter-signer

"can’t be closely-related to or involved with the person applying, eg:

related by birth or marriage
be in a relationship with or live at the same address as the person applying"

here

So assuming that your fiance is your DS's father, then they are related to him by birth so are not eligible.

ElphabaTheGreen · 31/01/2017 14:10

Do they have a different surname to your DC? Then do it. Same name might rouse suspicion, but otherwise they don't check the source. Alternatively, I got my health visitor to sign DS1's passport photo.

Original poster
ParsleyCake · 31/01/2017 14:16

Yes, related to him by birth, but not CLOSELY related, which is what is confusing as I'm not 100% sure what counts as closely related.

Different surname, yes. So that could be helpful.

Health visitor is an excellent idea though I think we are not due to see her for another year if she gets in touch at all. She's nice enough but not particularly helpful and I'm not sure whether it's a done thing to phone up and ask her to come visit early for that reason.

OP posts:
ElphabaTheGreen · 31/01/2017 16:09

Go to a drop-in/weighing clinic?

Krap · 31/01/2017 16:37

My second cousin signed ours, never a problem.

DarceyBushell · 31/01/2017 21:09

Is it not the case that they have to have known you for the time, they can't possibly have known a 19 month old for long enough anyway!

Your countersignatory must:

have known the person applying (or the adult who signed the form if the passport is for a child under 16) for at least 2 years

Can you not get someone from work? My boss is qualified to do so as he has a Board of Directors membership or something similar. Our local post office lady does it too.

Original poster
ParsleyCake · 31/01/2017 21:57

Well my fiance's cousin has known both me and my son for years (since birth in my sons case) so she qualifies. If it's meant to be that she can't be related to my son then that might be a problem, but if as you says it's me that she must not be related to, then it's no problem .

I work at a supermarket and have only just started, so no joy there. As for the local post office lady, that wouldn't work for us as we don't really know the post office people so we couldn't say they have known us for two years.

OP posts:
JsOtherHalf · 31/01/2017 22:56

Whoever does it needs to be a valid uk passport holder, and be prepared to give their passport number. Lots of people you know in a professional capacity might not be willing to give that information.

Gallavich · 31/01/2017 22:58

Is it not the case that they have to have known you for the time, they can't possibly have known a 19 month old for long enough anyway

When it's a child under 16 the counter signatory is signing to confirm they have known the parent for 2 years. I still think they can't be related to the child though.

ElphabaTheGreen · 01/02/2017 07:41

No they don't have to give a passport number, Js. When I had my DS's photos signed, it was name, signature and number of the professional category the signer fell into. And it is known the child for two years, not the parent, but 'known since birth' fills this criteria - both of mine were weeks old when we had their photos signed, so no-one had known them for two years!

Gallavich · 01/02/2017 09:02

Read the countersignatory section closely. It says 'known the person named in section X' which refers to the parent. And it does ask for passport number.

Jfw82 · 01/02/2017 09:19

Having just done form for DS (2 months) it is definitely known me for 2 years that they are signing for (and that DS is mine!) and they also had to provide their passport number

ElphabaTheGreen · 01/02/2017 11:30

Oh OK - it must have changed then (last got DS2's done about 2.5yrs ago).

Gallavich · 01/02/2017 14:51

That has honestly been the case for years

MummysMaison · 02/02/2017 17:49

My step grandad signed mine years ago. No one said anything, didn't even think anything about it until now!

SoupDragon · 02/02/2017 17:59

I would suggest phoning the passport office helpline and asking them.

SoupDragon · 02/02/2017 18:02

it must have changed then

As has been said, It's been like that for years. The counter signatory signs to say that the photo is a true likeness of the child and that they have known the parent of X years.

SocksRock · 02/02/2017 18:02

I sign between 5 and 10 a year and have to sign to say I've known the parent for 2 years and give my passport number. I've had a bottle of wine for my trouble a few times (usually when I've done a whole family in one go) which is always appreciated!

nothappymummy2014 · 02/02/2017 18:07

The Passport Office have told me they are currently contacting all countersignatories on passport applications so just bear this in mind.

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