Who can I use as a countersignature on the DCs passports?

[JennyPenny22]

Hi. I am doing the passport forms and need to get them off asap as we fly n 9 weeks!

My DC are 18 months and 3 months.

I need to get a countersignature done but my GP charges a fortune and we are spending enough of getting the passports in the first place.

I am trying to find like a list of all the people that can do it. On the booklet it just says "eg police etc".

Can a security guard do it?

I think it's any professional - OH is a golf pro and he signs them!

Any professional really. I am an academic and do them quite frequently. I use our next door neighbour, who is a doctor.

a security guard cannot

do you know anyone who works in local government ?

prison officer ?

solicitors may do it for a cheaper fee than a gp

magistrate ?

nhs manager ?

bank manager ?

loads o options here

some info here

Why couldn't a security guard sign the form?

security guard not classed as a profession, sorry

(although they are wonderful people, obviously )

A security guard is not a professional. Has to be a teacher, lawyer, accountant, doctor type of person. I got my boss (who is an accountant) to do mine, despite the fact that he'd never met my DS.

nurse/dentist/pharmacist - anyone who holds a professional qualification. Think a "golf pro" is stretching it a bit!! (sorry)

and it really should be someone who knows your kids - how can they verify their likeness if they don't know them??

can be other people though such as pub landlord, self employed builder/plumber/mechanic as long as he's vat registered or set us as a ltd company.

also a nurse, so that could be your midwife or HV.

go through that list and think of your friends or their partners and what they do.

I don't know anybody off that list!!!

I don't have an accountant/solicitor and they would need to know my children.

Also - it says for 2 year. Neither of them have been born for 2 years.

I do go to church so could ask the vicar? Only been going there about 6 months or so though so I can't really ask him for DD1 as he hasn't known her since birth? I am assuming he won't lie!!! lol

My sister is a teacher but she is related so can't do it!

OOHHH - an electrician would do wouldn't they? I THINK DHs friend is one.

It says where the the passport is for a small child, the countersigner is saying they have known the parent named on the form for more than 2 years, rather than the child.

You don't need to know the children - just have known the parents for 2 years (it is explained on the form).

I am a solicitor and have signed loads of passports...used to be a naval officer and signed loads then too!

As your dcs under 2 the person needs to have known you or dh/dp for 2 years. Does your sister have a teaching friend that could do it? Do your children attend nursery ? The nursery manager could do it?

Someone in HR/Personnel could do it.

Its all a bit ridiculous isnt it? - I mean the type of people who are alllowed to countersign. Nurses, civil servants, teachers etc - I mean why? Theyre nobody special. Anyone who knows you should be able to do it really. Rant over.

My sisters work friend dont know me though.

a friend who is a trade union official did ours

what about your dh doing the forms and getting someone from his work to do it?

It's all a bit like a hangover from another age isn't it! I suppose the idea is that they are vouching for you, and that they are someone who has something to lose if they are found to be lying.

For DC's it needs to be someone who has known the adult filling in the form for at least 2 years. Just did our DC's.