Don’t have anyone to sign passport

[BlueBurys]

I really want to take my children abroad but don’t have anyone to do their passports. Has anyone been in this situation and what did you do? (Don’t need any suggestions of who can sign it I’m aware and have looked through the list but don’t have anyone that can do it) is there anything else that can be done if you’ve been in this situation?

I was in this position years ago. One of my neighbours was a deacon in the local church she signed my dc passport.
You must know of an upstanding member of your community surely!

I get so frustrated when a parent (usually a woman) comes on here and is like "I have no-one, no friends, no family, don't speak to the neighbours" etc etc. I actually feel really cross towards them.
Part of your responsibility - in my opinion - as a parent is to create a circle of people who know and care for your children. I see it as a big letdown - potentially even neglect - not to do so.

🤣

OP

Have you explored the Post Office "Check and Send" service.

https://www.gov.uk/how-the-post-office-check-and-send-service-works

Can't guarantee that it covers your situation, though, but worth a look and even a visit to a PO that does it.

I find it hard to believe that there is no one. How can you have children that no other adult has known for 2 years? There must be parents of classmates of your children? Or nursery workers? Someone posted a while ago on one of my children’s class WhatsApp groups and there were countless offers to countersign at pick-up or drop-off.

And even if you don’t have a class WhatsApp group (although that would be very rare) there must be some way that the PTA or school contact all the parents in the class. Couldn’t you ask them to send a request out?

I find it quite worrying that you can’t find a single adult holding a UK passport that is able to state that a photo of your child is a true likeness.

If that really is the case (maybe you have moved around a lot or have fled an abusive situation to another area etc) then I don’t think you’ll find a lot of helpful advice here as surely you can see that this situation is very rare.

Kitten is correct. Why would someone behave like this and show this sort of attitude to their children? No sleepovers, no friends staying for tea, no after school clubs, no social interaction at all. If this is what is really happening it’s very sad for the children.

My friend who is a teaching assistant signed ours

No signature, no passport. Very frustrating, but true.

I had hope for that but reading it fully they still need countersigned pics.

Can you answer some questions?
Do you have a job?
Do your DC do any activities?
Do your DC have friends?
Do you have friends?
Do you do any activities with other people?
What do you do day to day?

Wow you really considered that response.

I know. I just don't see why it's in there at all. What does it prove that can't be proven any other way?

I can easily believe that it is difficult to find someone who has known you (the parent)for two years, which is the requirement for countersigning a child passport picture. We moved around a lot but work in a field where plenty of people could sign and weren't so particular about the two year rule as they are now.

Please come back with the advice from the passport office.

You could struggle to get a passport at all if you have no contact with their father, if he is named on their birth certificates. If its a first passport for a child you often have to provide details for parents AND grandparents of the children, depending on the year you were born.
To your original question you cannot get a passport without a countersignature, even on a passport renewal for a childunder 10 or 11 (i think) you have to get the photos signed again (because children change quite a lot).
You have to find someone, the passport application will be rejected otherwise.

OP only knows people with criminal records or no passport. No other people are known.

Therefore the short answer to this thread is no you can’t go on holiday and in fact holidays and passports are the least of your concerns in your life right now. You have way bigger things to be working on!!

My neighbour did my daughter's 1st passport. He was in the army. 11 yr old DD certainly hadn't enlisted but he'd lived next door to us for 8 yrs!

@BlueBurys Looks like Tusnia is definitely off the cards then eh?

I honestly don’t know what you get out of posting on MN - all of your threads are some sort of simple problem that “ apparently “ has zero solutions and you act all woe is me when people try to help….

People will get bored of you soon hopefully

So you don’t work, you and your children have absolutely no friends and neither you or they go to a single club?

Wow, you really are.

I am in a social circle where quite a lot of professionals etc are not UK citizens and people sometimes move around a lot. I've been asked quite a few times as a result, because I am eligible. I don't mind in the least, I don't have to be someone's best friend to do it. I'm happy to do it, whether I know them or their kids.

Just in case it's an awkwardness thing, I want to reassure you that most professionals have been asked before and don't mind at all. I'd do it for a parent at the school gates any time.

Yeah landlord of the local pub signed mine!

ETA and when you think about it, some directors of companies are the dodgiest people going, so cant see the logic on that one!

Can you ask someone at work?

or your kids friends parents?

There are a couple of situations in which this is possible.

OP, If it is one of the situations I am thinking of, see if you can speak to someone professionally involved about what to do next.

If I am wrong about the above, please could you update the thread when you find out from HMPO? I think it would be good if anyone else is in this situation again.

Hope you get it all sorted.

If you have no friends, neighbours or job, your child has no friends with parents with jobs and you don't ever talk to anyone at all, you are going to have to spend the next two years cultivating some links in the community! Once you've done that, you can get someone to sign your passport forms and then go on holiday abroad...

I agree. As a single parent, with no contact whatsoever with your DC's father, this applies even more. How can you not know a single person via work, school, hobbies, clubs, the neighbourhood, etc?
Your response to @kittensinthekitchen is really childish which makes the situation even worse.