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?

@BlueBurys finally! Someone useful arrived!

So what if you're not friends? You don't need to be.

One of the football team parent's asked DH to sign a passport form the other day. They're not friends, they've just seen each other knocking around the football pitch for the last three years and exchange the odd word.

You are engaged with the community via your children, so that inevitably involves certain interactions. I think many people on this thread are really struggling to understand how that doesn't translate to just being able to ask someone, assuming you don't teleport from place to place, with your children materialising out of nowhere in friend's homes or whatever.

Anyway, I'm fairly certain that nothing I or other posters suggest will be considered helpful.

The op didnt say she had a finance issue. She has a signatory issue.

My ex went to a Commissioner for Oaths
He refused to charge her except the cost of the stamp to post it back

Have you considered that it doesn’t need to be someone local to you anymore. - I was a bit concerned when I moved and no one here had known me for long - but it’s all online now so I got an old colleague to do mine - who was now 100s of miles a way with no bother

There’s more people that can do it than you think and a lot more people willing to do it even if they’ve never met the child x

They do check. A teacher colleague who had signed one had a call at work from the Passport office.

It’s fairly obvious OP could ask a parent of their DCs friend to do it, she just doesn’t want to.

They will not do it because they have to supply all of their information, which the OP will be privy to.

I’ve signed loads over the years, probably about 20. Think I’ve had 3 phone calls ever. These days you just do it all online.

I feel very sorry for the kids, what an example to set.

I know but getting to know someone suitable through the children is probably the easiest way to go about it and the library is probably the easiest and most convenient option, especially if the children are young. She may not be able to get an application countersigned now but she could start the process of being able to in two years.

I was in your situation as a single parent with no contact with the father. I got a work colleague to log on and provide their details. My second option was to ask my sister in law’s boyfriend to do it as they are not related to me. I also thought about another mum at school who knows my child. I think you need to focus on the fact you want the passports and not to over think this, I didn’t care if they hadn’t known them two years. If your school has refused then in your situation I would consider writing to the Headteacher and explaining your situation. You may find this will go in your favour or a very polite letter to the chair of governors asking if they can make an exception in your situation. I also considered asking the school caretaker who drive the school minibus as she was a nice person. Best of luck and I hope you get it sorted.

No because you still need to provide your nominated person’s details for them to digitally confirm.

But it’s not true.

She’d probably known them for longer, but nobody ever checked, and I doubt that they ever would - unless there was something suspect about the applicant or the application.

I'm not doubting your word - but they haven't enforced it.

It is also possible that they wouldn't realise that it wasn't a landline number. In Ireland mobiles begin with 08, but I'm not sure an Irish civil servant could be reasonably expected to know mobile prefixes / dialing codes for every country that someone could conceivably apply for an Irish Passport from.

Not really because they’ve given wrong information!

It doesn’t matter whether it’s in person or by post, according to the Government website all applications for a first child’s passport need a countersigned photo

https://www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications#:~:text=Who%20can%20sign%20your%20form,someone%20who%20knows%20you%20professionally)

OP I'm sure one of your colleagues will be able to help - or a former colleague if you've not been working in your current job for long.

I really hope you get it sorted

The checks are random. I’ve countersigned a lot of passport applications and have never had a phone call but a colleague of mine was struck off because he did get the phone call and couldn’t prove he had known the person for 2 years (in his case, he’d countersigned his PA’s boyfriend’s application and he’d never met him)

People who have signed for our kids passport :

My mums next door neighbour.
My partners boss.
My GP.
My school head teacher.

People who I could ask to sign:
My friend.
My neighbour.
My kids friends mum.
My colleague.
My electrition.
My tutor.
My boss
My preist.
My community club leader.

Etc

You will have to get creative OP. Surely you know one adult in yohr full circle who can sign.

Do none of your neighbours or your kid's friend's parents do anything within the community? On the PTA? Bowling club committee? Nurse?

It doesn't have to be a professional. It just has to be someone of standing within the community that can be verified.

The reason you are getting suggestions rather than answers from people who have been in this situation is because it's highly unlikely many people would be in this position! Do you not have friends, people who you work with etc.? How can you be so removed from society that you know no-one at all who could do this?

Done 5-6 myself no calls etc.

It’s all done online now. Passport office sees the details, no-one else