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?

You seem quite 'not fully ticket'! Nobody was ever in this situation, but those who needed a signature got it from someone. So we are all telling you - there is no other way. You have to find someone. Full stop. There is no other way. Again - there is no other way. Call the advice and if there is any other way, they will tell you.

Oh ha ha, this is largely a UK forum. The OP is in the UK; links to UK goverment website have been posted throughout the thread- yet you thought posting what happens in a different jurisdiction added anything.

Your could ask a solicitor to type up a statutory declaration or affidavit.

No I didn’t realise I was being advised as an Australian. You are inexplicably aggressive though. I cannot believe that you are a trained professional.
Ihavealwayslivedinadump

Why @offmynut ? That isn’t something the passport office accepts so it won’t get her any further forward.

This thread has been weird. Full of people criticising posters for being “unempathetic” for trying to problem solve for the OP in a way which will meet the rules and showing their own empathy by suggesting she asks professional people to commit perjury, or try solutions which have worked for a friend of a friend who lives in a different country to apply for a passport from a different government. Like wasting her time and money or putting her in a position where a legally qualified stranger is going to be offended by being asked to commit a criminal offence is somehow a good thing for her!

I've never heard of this.

This is Mumsnet, not the Old Bailey. You’re sounding like an awkward arse, and I highly doubt she’d speak to her clients like that (unless maybe you were one, and then I’d endorse it).

Neither have I and I can’t find an official source to substantiate it. It sounds unlikely. If OP happened to have lived next door to Peter Sutcliffe for 2 years before he was sent to Broadmoor could he countersign when he turned 70? I seriously doubt that’s true…

I think they still need to have been in one of the professions when working, they can be retired now is how I read it.

Yes that is right.

And what happens when they are asked to explain themselves by the Passport Office? It does happen. I signed many as a teacher but only if I had known the parents for 2 years.

Apologies to everyone who knows this.

The turning 70 stuff isn't correct. The countersignatory must EITHER work in or be retired from a recognised profession or be "a person of good standing in their community" and have a UK or Irish passport if the applicant is applying in the UK. If outwith UK, EU, US or Commonwealth passport.

The official website has an indicative but not exhaustive list of recognised professions. In all cases the countersignatory must have known the applicant (or parent) for more than 2 years and are confident the applicant (or parent) is who they say they are.

Doctors are excluded unless
coincidentally they know the applicant as a friend. You cannot pay a UK solicitor, or any other professional for that matter, to vouch for you if the 2 year rule isn't met.

Councillors, librarians, vicars or any of the other randoms mentioned on here who fail the 2 year rule should not be signing.

The passport office do check. It's a serious criminal offence- isn't that obvious?

A "person of good standing in their
community" is any person who has a reputation to lose. Dinner ladies and lollipop persons are every bit as acceptable as any of the professions.

And again apologies to those who know all of this but there's so much misinformation on here.

Out of curiosity I looked up the Australian rules. For a first passport Australia requires an applicant to have a guarantor or referee who has known the applicant for at least 1 year and who is an Australian citizen and either holds an Australian passport or been at an address on the electoral roll for 12 months.

You’ve already answered your question, if there’s no one there’s no one in your eyes… why ask ???
people are trying to help you!

Do you have a vicar/minister/rabbi or other religious person who you see on a regular basis? They are usually very helpful.

@BlueBuryswhat did they say? You didn’t mention if you had a boss / colleagues.

If you know someone who has a BNO uk passport, can they countersign?

I've just rang and HMPO, and the answer to my question is a definite yes.

Is that good or bad 😂. As you aren’t the OP and this thread is very long I’ve got no idea what your question was!

🤣 Me too!

Any update, op. You aren’t the only person in this situation and it would be interesting to know what the passport office said.

The penalty for doing this is up to 2 years in prison 😱. You might be prepared to risk that for a stranger or bare acquaintance but most people would think that’s a ridiculous personal risk to take.

S36 of the Criminal Justice Act 1925 for those who need a source.

I will not be updating this thread no one else has ever been in this situation anyway 🤷🏻‍♀️

Ok,cool . Might I suggest Haven or Parkdean then