Passport countersignatory?

[clarion]

You're not the only one, though sadly my PhD has been put on hold until my retirement.

[MercuryKev]

I'm a Civil Servant and I've countersigned a few passport applications in my time - if you're not working but signing on you could ask one of the Jobcentre staff who know you to sign it.

[Paul]

I'm struggling to think of an appropriate person, has anyone else recently had to do this?

There is a list.

[Doosh]

I'm struggling to think of an appropriate person, has anyone else recently had to do this?

There is a list.

Cheers. I suppose none of them will do it for free. But like I said, how strict are they on the two years thing? can it just be a complete stranger or does it have to be somebody that knows me?

[border-rider]

I would never do it for someone I didn't know well enough to feel entirely comfortable doing it for, if you see what I mean.  I'd also never expect to be paid, since it would be a favour for an acquaintance.

[hellymedic]

I'm struggling to think of an appropriate person, has anyone else recently had to do this?

There is a list.

Cheers. I suppose none of them will do it for free. But like I said, how strict are they on the two years thing? can it just be a complete stranger or does it have to be somebody that knows me?

Someone who could walk into a crowded room, wave and say 'Hello Doosh!'.

[Doosh]

Well that narrows it down to my Mum, my Dad, my step Mum and my Sister then.

[Greenbank]

So you didn't got to school and don't go to a dentist?

Your parents (or sister) have no friends that know you and are in that list?

[hubner]

I know someone who had to get this done, a friend of a friend is a solicitor and they signed it. The GP, who of course doesn't actually know the person, was going to charge £15. So that would about £200 per hour.

I've just looked on the application form and all it seems the countersigning says is that the photo looks like the person and as far as they know all the filled in details are correct. And they know the person for at least 2 years.

Almost by definition, anybody who is going to charge is not going to really know the person. OK you might have a dentist, solicitor, or accountant you've used over a number of years, but do they really know you?


Some of the jobs are a bit odd:

These are examples of the type of person that would be suitable:

    * accountant
    * airline pilot
    * articled clerk of a limited company
    * assurance agent of recognised company
    * bank/building society official
    * barrister
    * chairman/director of limited company
    * chiropodist
    * commissioner of oaths
    * councillor (local or county)
    * civil servant (permanent), but not someone who works for IPS
    * dentist
    * director/manager of a VAT-registered charity
    * director/manager/personnel officer of a VAT-registered company
    * engineer (with professional qualifications)
    * financial services intermediary (eg a stockbroker or insurance broker)
    * fire service official
    * funeral director
    * insurance agent (full time) of a recognised company
    * journalist
    * Justice of the Peace
    * legal secretary (fellow or associate member of the Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs)
    * licensee of public house
    * local government officer
    * manager/personnel officer (of a limited company)
    * member, associate or fellow of a professional body
    * Member of Parliament
    * Merchant Navy officer
    * minister of a recognised religion (including Christian Science)
    * nurse (RGN and RMN)
    * officer of the armed services (active or retired)
    * optician
    * paralegal (certified paralegal, qualified paralegal or associate member of the Institute of Paralegals)
    * person with honours (an OBE or MBE, for example)
    * pharmacist
    * photographer (professional)
    * police officer
    * Post Office official
    * president/secretary of a recognised organisation
    * Salvation Army officer
    * social worker
    * solicitor
    * surveyor
    * teacher, lecturer
    * trade union officer
    * travel agent (qualified)
    * valuer or auctioneer (fellows and associate members of the incorporated society)
    * Warrant Officers and Chief Petty Officers

A professional photographer or a travel agent?

[delthebike]

Your countersignatory should be a professional person or a person of good standing in the community.

Ask your next door neighbour if they've been convicted of anything before asking them to sign.

[Panoramix]

I can't remember exactly why but I had to find one whereas I had been in the UK for a short time and my then manager did it for me.

[clarion]

That list is an interesting picture of our class system at some point in the recent past.

[Doosh]

I think now I remember why I didn't follow this through last time I contemplated it some years ago. It's more hassle than it's worth.

[gonzo]

estate agents.  They're the 63783674^th emergency service.

Haha!

Strangely, they were the same people who, when they wanted 2x proof of identity, decided that a sprayers license* was sufficient for one.

*A sprayers license has a photo stuck on by the recipient. Yes, like a farming chemical-sprayer.

[jane]

Over the years, I have countersigned a fair number of passport applications. The last school I worked at had many refugees who, if they were't thrown out, eventually applied for citizenship and British passports. They tended to come to me as I ran the after school ESOL club, so knew them well and I would not charge them (as all the local doctors and many head teachers do). It felt wrong to charge them. Just another way in which the poor and disadvantaged suffer discrimination. I have never once had to pay for a counter signature. It seemed really unfair to me that those who, merely because they don't move in social circles where they personally know professional people should have to fork out just for the privilege of one such individual's signature. Paying for a whole family's passports costs a small fortune anyway without slapping another cost on the top.
If you do find someone, make them fill in the declaration part lightly in pencil first, then go over it in pen and rub out the pencil. The people I did it for got in the habit of bringing me several blank forms because I was notorious for making mistakes! And they are very picky now if mistakes are made on the form.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I remember getting a family friend who was a district councillor to sign mine. I'm trying to remember who signed for my son's passport - as he was not two years old and had lived all his life outside the UK, I can't imagine who we could have found to satisfy the requirements!

[Mr Larrington]

The fact that they include journalists on that list cracks me up

[clarion]

Do you think anyone who had Rebekah Brooks or Andy Coulson as their countersignatory might have their passports revoked?

[Woofage]

So you didn't got to school and don't go to a dentist?

I got the Head of the school that my Mum worked at to sign my first PP. He was married to my Maths teacher so already knew me. Since then I haven't needed a counter-sig as you don't for a renewal.

A friend told me that his friend had been pulled up by the PP authorities when he counter-signed my friends peeps' passports. They wanted confirmation that he actually knew them. Therefore, whoever you choose, make sure that do actually know you, just in case.

[hellymedic]

We got our next-door neighbour to sign our photos. He was the Queen's Chaplain at the Chapel of  the  Savoy...

[The Mechanic]

That list is an interesting picture of our class system at some point in the recent past.

This thread is building an interesting picture of Doosh's social life, or lack thereof, if he knows no one other than his family.  Does he live in a cave in the woods?

[Mr Larrington]

Do you think anyone who had Rebekah Brooks or Andy Coulson as their countersignatory might have their passports revoked?

We live in hope

The only FLJS I know is now living in Captain Cook's Mistake so that's me scuppered when my passport runs out next year...

[rafletcher]

Well that narrows it down to my Mum, my Dad, my step Mum and my Sister then.

Same here - so generally it'll be someone more senior at work. I guess that now I've lived in the same place for 10 years some of the neighbours would suffice, but before this period of domicile stability it was always difficult for me. Not all of us keep up with school or University classmates, especially if we're "sad loners"   

[Jaded]

How about a member of the AUK Committee?

[Riggers]

Here you are. I hope this helps. You should be good-to-go with this Dooshers.
Just photocopy this and glue into a 'made-up' passport. It'll be fine.