Can I countersign a passport application? 31 January 2009 at 10:00AM in Overseas Holidays & Travel Planning 11 replies 22.1K views

bairn7

I've been asked to countersign a passport for a friend. I am currently a trainee solicitor. The application itself states that

"The person acting as your countersignatory must: be a professional person (including those who are retired) or a person of standing in the community. For example bank or building-society officials, police officers, civil servants, ministers of religion and people with professional qualifications - teachers, accountants, engineers, solicitors and so on; ..."

I have a law degree but am still in training and do not fully qualify as a solicitor until June. I called the passport helpline and the person I spoke to said that as long as I have a law degree, I can countersign. But she didn't sound totally confident!! Does anyone know definitively whether I can sign this just by having a law degree?

Thanks

withabix

You should be OK.

I've got a Civil Engineering degree and have countersigned many passport applications - nobody has had their passport application rejected!

Shelldean

Best mate signed mine, OH and our four kids, she a TA in a school. So yo should be fine signing it.

Janeyjaz

put your profession down and your company address and you law degree qualification

Andy_L

bairn7 wrote: »

people with professional qualifications - teachers, accountants, engineers, solicitors and so on; ..."

My feeling has always been that you need to be registered with the appropriate professional association (ie in your case the Law Society, for an engineer the Engineering Council etc)

SAMHP_2

I just went down to our local Police Station and asked the policeman behind the desk to sign it. Mind you, that was back in the days when the a) you HAD a local police station and b) it was actually manned for more than one hour a day!!
Sam

Edinburghlass_2

Janeyjaz wrote: »

put your profession down and your company address and you law degree qualification

You also need your own passport details on the form.

SolicitorMidlands

I don't think you can until you are admitted to the roll.

dmg24

SolicitorMidlands wrote: »

I don't think you can until you are admitted to the roll.

This is not correct. The OP qualifies as a person of standing in the community (as do many people with no qualifications at all).

SolicitorMidlands

I was told trainees couldn't. best place to check is the SRA.

dmg24

SolicitorMidlands wrote: »

I was told trainees couldn't. best place to check is the SRA.

It is not the SRA that make the rules on this. It is the IPS.