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Original poster

Passport photo signing

39 replies

candywoo · 18/03/2025 23:10

I cannot find anyone to sign my passport photo online. I lost my last one in my teen years and haven’t needed one since so need to be verified again.

I have asked my kids school but they are messing me around and look at me like I’m an alien for asking so I know they don’t want to do it. I have lots of family but obviously they can’t and their colleagues have said no as they don’t know me. The doctors aren’t allowed, I don’t know any pharmacists, I don’t go to church. I am friendless and have social anxiety. My life pretty much revolves around my kids.

what can I do?

OP posts:
TickingAlongNicely · 18/03/2025 23:12

Childrens friends parents?

Original poster
candywoo · 18/03/2025 23:45

TickingAlongNicely · 18/03/2025 23:12

Childrens friends parents?

Possibly but I don’t talk to any of them so it feels a bit awkward 😬.

OP posts:
Maviaz · 18/03/2025 23:53

Neighbours? Friends? Your boss or ex boss. Old school friend, old neighbour.
Anyone who has a business like your hairdresser or garage owner, restaurant owner.
Nurse, council worker, childminder.

its all done online now so it doesn’t need to be someone who lives near you, can be someone from the past you’ve known for years.

MidnightMillie · 18/03/2025 23:55

Local shop owner?

Cancelthebreak · 18/03/2025 23:57

Solicitor will do it

Ph3 · 18/03/2025 23:58

I thought it had to be signed by someone of certain professions www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications

socialdilemmawhattodo · 19/03/2025 00:05

Sadly perhaps the downside of not bothering with neighbours. I'm one of the supposed necessary people who can sign passport applications. I've signed plenty for neighbours and their DC. If you do it properly, it can take quite a long time to read the requirements, read the form,confirm everything and then sign. Possibly at least 30 minutes for an application. I do that because I know my neighbours and their children. I wouldn't do that for a neighbour who couldn't be bothered to get to know me. You might need to pay the doctors to sign it.

Maviaz · 19/03/2025 00:06

Ph3 · 18/03/2025 23:58

I thought it had to be signed by someone of certain professions www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications

They take very wide range now. They just need to able to verify the person signing. So if someone has a business and is registered as the company owner, or works for the council, NHS, Civil service, police etc then the passport office easily can verify them.
Its actually much easier now it’s online as people can use a person from their past, like an ex neighbour who’s in the police, or an ex-boss etc

Original poster
candywoo · 19/03/2025 01:07

socialdilemmawhattodo · 19/03/2025 00:05

Sadly perhaps the downside of not bothering with neighbours. I'm one of the supposed necessary people who can sign passport applications. I've signed plenty for neighbours and their DC. If you do it properly, it can take quite a long time to read the requirements, read the form,confirm everything and then sign. Possibly at least 30 minutes for an application. I do that because I know my neighbours and their children. I wouldn't do that for a neighbour who couldn't be bothered to get to know me. You might need to pay the doctors to sign it.

I am a friendly person and say hello to my neighbours but that’s all it ever is, people are busy. Doctors aren’t allowed anymore.

OP posts:
Original poster
candywoo · 19/03/2025 01:08

MidnightMillie · 18/03/2025 23:55

Local shop owner?

It’s all Tesco and Sainsbury’s, corner shops are gone here.

OP posts:
TryForSpring · 19/03/2025 01:10

socialdilemmawhattodo · 19/03/2025 00:05

Sadly perhaps the downside of not bothering with neighbours. I'm one of the supposed necessary people who can sign passport applications. I've signed plenty for neighbours and their DC. If you do it properly, it can take quite a long time to read the requirements, read the form,confirm everything and then sign. Possibly at least 30 minutes for an application. I do that because I know my neighbours and their children. I wouldn't do that for a neighbour who couldn't be bothered to get to know me. You might need to pay the doctors to sign it.

I wouldn't do that for a neighbour who couldn't be bothered to get to know me.

That seems an unnecessarily cruel comment given OP's situation.

socialdilemmawhattodo · 19/03/2025 01:44

TryForSpring · 19/03/2025 01:10

I wouldn't do that for a neighbour who couldn't be bothered to get to know me.

That seems an unnecessarily cruel comment given OP's situation.

Show quote history

No it isn't. You are accountable as a passport signatory, you actually do need to be able to confirm what you are signing to, if you take it seriously. As a professional signing a passport form, I take it seriously. It is an amendment to my professional role. I genuinely need to have known, for me to sign, the family and the children for at least two years. Would you be happy to deal with a professional who signed anything whenever anyone asked? Regardless of length of time or commitment or knowledge ? I do hope not.

TryForSpring · 19/03/2025 01:53

socialdilemmawhattodo · 19/03/2025 01:44

No it isn't. You are accountable as a passport signatory, you actually do need to be able to confirm what you are signing to, if you take it seriously. As a professional signing a passport form, I take it seriously. It is an amendment to my professional role. I genuinely need to have known, for me to sign, the family and the children for at least two years. Would you be happy to deal with a professional who signed anything whenever anyone asked? Regardless of length of time or commitment or knowledge ? I do hope not.

Show quote history

for a neighbour who couldn't be bothered to get to know me

I think it’s quite clear that it was this comment that I was referring to as unnecessarily cruel, given that OP explained that she’s isolated and has social anxiety.

socialdilemmawhattodo · 19/03/2025 02:24

TryForSpring · 19/03/2025 01:53

for a neighbour who couldn't be bothered to get to know me

I think it’s quite clear that it was this comment that I was referring to as unnecessarily cruel, given that OP explained that she’s isolated and has social anxiety.

Show quote history

My only concern to counter-sign is that I meet those requirements. I am not able to deal with a neighbour's probably previously unknown mental health issues. It does not make me cruel that I cannot deal with those. As I said, I have signed plenty of neighbour requests to count sign passports.I have done that willingly. And at time cost to me when I have known the neighbours and the neighbour children. The doctors will counter sign but normally at a cost.

Wonderfulequipment · 19/03/2025 03:16

The link posted by the PP confirms that it is no longer a narrow list of “professions” but can be any “person of good standing in their community”, so like someone said, a small business owner or whatever.
Ignore the other PP banging on about their professional role - of course the person needs to have known you for two years but it really isn’t that onerous to countersign nowadays, so most people don’t mind. Our hairdresser did it for my DC.

Latenightreader · 19/03/2025 03:45

Do you use social media? I posted about it on FB and two or three people I knew offered to sign. So much easier now it is all online.

eurochick · 19/03/2025 07:36

socialdilemmawhattodo · 19/03/2025 00:05

Sadly perhaps the downside of not bothering with neighbours. I'm one of the supposed necessary people who can sign passport applications. I've signed plenty for neighbours and their DC. If you do it properly, it can take quite a long time to read the requirements, read the form,confirm everything and then sign. Possibly at least 30 minutes for an application. I do that because I know my neighbours and their children. I wouldn't do that for a neighbour who couldn't be bothered to get to know me. You might need to pay the doctors to sign it.

If you do it online you don’t even see the form. You are just shown a photo and asked a few questions. It takes 2-3 minutes at most.

dementedpixie · 19/03/2025 07:45

@socialdilemmawhattodo you cannot use a doctor as a countersignature unless you known them personally.

It's all done online and takes a few minutes.

Original poster
candywoo · 19/03/2025 07:51

Thank you for all your suggestions. I will have a good think today.

OP posts:
Original poster
candywoo · 19/03/2025 07:55

Can a barber shop manager do it where my kids get their hair cut? I don’t often get my hair cut and go maybe every 2 years so I don’t know a hairdresser.

OP posts:
Musicaltheatremum · 19/03/2025 08:53

candywoo · 19/03/2025 07:55

Can a barber shop manager do it where my kids get their hair cut? I don’t often get my hair cut and go maybe every 2 years so I don’t know a hairdresser.

I think this would be ok. The person is a manager in a store. I would go for it.

Ph3 · 19/03/2025 09:05

candywoo · 19/03/2025 07:55

Can a barber shop manager do it where my kids get their hair cut? I don’t often get my hair cut and go maybe every 2 years so I don’t know a hairdresser.

According to the government website only if their company is VAT registered…
https://www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications/accepted-occupations-for-countersignatories

Countersigning passport applications and photos

Who can sign (countersign) passport photos and application forms and what they need to do

https://www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications/accepted-occupations-for-countersignatories

Original poster
candywoo · 19/03/2025 09:08

Hmmm are barbers taking in over £90,000 a year. Not sure.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 19/03/2025 09:24

@candywoo he could count as being 'of good standing in the community' rather than being of a particular profession. I'd try it and if he isn't suitable they will just ask for an alternative and you can cross that bridge later if required.

dementedpixie · 19/03/2025 09:25

Your countersignatory must either:

  • work in (or be retired from) a recognised profession
  • be ‘a person of good standing in their community’