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?

My son has signed lots of passports over the years
he’s a security guard so he had a SIA badge

My beauty therapist signed mine for me a few years ago

My niece works for the NHS as a receptionist in A&E and has signed passports

When my mum was a brownie leader she used to sign passports all the time I’m sure the passport office thought she was doing a second job in signing passports 😂

The local pub landlord / landlady can also sign passports

just a few random people with very different jobs / retired

You're being quite defeatist to be honest. What about childminders or nursery staff that may have cared for your children (doesn't matter if they don't now). Or previous class teachers - try asking the teacher directly or what about the teaching assistant? If you really don't know anyone at all then I would work on creating a social circle and get to know people. Enrol your children in activities e.g. brownies, beavers, dancing,martial arts etc. you can then approach the leaders of these activities.

I don’t believe your children don’t have a single friend at school. Someone’s mum or dad will sign it for you. Don’t you talk to any other parents? Don’t your kids go to any clubs?
You must have friends or colleagues.

can you sign mine thanks lol

I recently applied for a passport and had three different countersignatures knocked back as they didn’t fit criteria. It isn’t as simple as just finding somebody with a passport. They often want somebody off the list of approved professions and will check this sometimes as they did with me.
I think access to a passport is very important and having a countersignature by now should be very outdated. I was fine as I had loads of people I could ask, but 8 years ago I made a friend who had fled domestic violence from the other side of the country so literally knew nobody to sign hers either. I understand security is important, but there shouldn’t be barriers to a passport, there has to be a better system.

Sure, call me back in two years 😁

I didn’t say they don’t have any friends? I’m not friends with the parents though and they don’t know me.

This must be one of the most infuriating posts on here this month.
Why did you create a post if you don’t want suggestions?

Do your kids do no clubs? At all? The football coach. The brownie leader. The swimming coach. The dance instructor. All of those can sign it.
Knock on every single one of your neighbours doors until someone agrees to do it.
Unless you are recluse that never leaves the house or interacts with anyone then I simply do not believe that there is not a single person that can do it. If there isn’t then you can’t get passports or go abroad. It’s that simple

But would they recognise you and your children? If they know you well enough to nod hello at the school gates you can ask them.

In the time OP has been on this thread she could have nipped next door, over the road, over to her kid’s friends parents house.

You may have to speak to people, you may have to smile and make chit-chat and you may have to elaborate on why you’re in such a predicament. You may have to provide a bottle of wine or bunch of tulips.

This is the most frustrating thread I’ve ever read.

Thank you! People won’t understand that there are some situations where people genuinely don’t have anyone to do it. I won’t be going into details why as that’s personal and not giving out my life story but I was simply asking if there was anything in place for this situation.

see you then old buddy old pal!

I'm seeing that you tried your children's school. Your former secondary school wouldn't have any of the teaching staff who knew you as a pupil?

I want to know what others in this situation did. Do you have trouble reading?

Well said

So what? They know your kids. That’s all that matters! Text anyone from your kids’ classes and ask. Ask in the group chat or class Facebook page. You haven’t even asked? So you’ve spent years wanting to go on holiday, claim you’ve done everything you can and don’t need suggestions… but you haven’t even asked any parent from school? Grow a backbone.

At this rate I’ll sign it

I’m sorry to say I don’t know what she did about it in the end

I've just had a thought - would a local councillor be able to do it for you?

My old secondary school is closed down.

Neighbour? Do you work? As a PP said the list isn’t exhaustive so there must be someone. A manager.

OP, PPs are trying to help you, but you are being very frustrating.

Many PPs have asked you whether you have any contact with any adults at all, but you refuse to answer them. It is hard for people to understand why, if you have children at school, you are unable to ask any of the other class parents. Even if you don’t “know” them as friends, as long as they have seen you rocking up to the school for a couple of years, that’s all that is needed, and I am sure that there will be a parent who has a passport and can sign for you.

So, is it that you really never have any contact with any other adults ever, or is it that you don’t want to ask? If you could explain why you think there is absolutely no one who can sign for you, then you might get more sympathetic responses.

But as many PPs have said, yes, you need someone to sign. The rules are there for a reason and there is no way around them. So you need to either pluck up the courage to ask a parent of a classmate, or you need to forget going abroad on holiday.

Do you have a WhatsApp group for your road? We get people asking for someone to sign their passport on ours.

I’m a lone parent and rather than messaging round friends, I just ask another parent at the school gate simply because it was quicker and easier and they gave me their email address and did it for me that evening.