Passport countersignature?

kdenty

A dentist would count if they have a valid UK passport. I would politely ask at the appointment tomorrow but give them time (like pick it up the day after) as in a busy day rushing a passport application is the last thing you want.

bestpud

heretolearn wrote: »

What does your friend actually do? It's the profession that counts, not who their employer is. That she works for a charity is irrelevant. Charities employ cleaners, for example, and they wouldn't be allowed to sign a passport just because they work for a charity. Only managers or directors of charities count (and it has to be a VAT reg. charity, which I do find a bit strange, but I suppose it's a way of restricting it from all the zillions of tiny 'personal' charities there are out there.) So if the Forsesters group is VAT reg, that would do, but if not, no.

pub licensees can sign - do you have a regular you go to? You don't know anyone working in a medical field- doctor, nurse, etc...

If the worst comes to the worst if you go to a very small solicitors/accounting firm (one-man-band type), plenty of them will sign for you for a small fee. I know they shouldn't, and I'm not really recommending it, but it does happen a lot.

The Foresters would definitely be VAT registered but I'm not sure what they come under. They are a membership organisation rather than a charity, after checking the website:

http://www.foresters.co.uk/membership-and-community.aspx

My teacher friend has agreed but waiting to see if they have a valid passport.

If not, it will have to be the dentist. There is two of them who could sign it so at least one must have a passport...

barbiedoll

Do you know your local pharmacist? They can do it.

onlyroz

I always thought "professional" either meant somebody in public service (doctor, policeman, teacher), or more generally somebody with a degree. I asked my boss to do mine.

Mupette

I had fun and games with this for DS, doctor refused, teacher refused, i was a civil servant so i could of, but he was my child so i couldn't ifyswim.

Fortunately i did find someone who does ours who is a friend of mine for quite a few years.

rachbc

My kids were done recently-one signed by accountant one by Dr. They do check up on your cs sometimes so be aware of that- caused enormous probs for us as the letter they sent to the Dr (a friend who is a dr rather than our dr) never arrived

Janepig

I think they can be quite strict with the professions, I'm sure Vik had problems with this a couple of months ago - she might come along soon to give a bit more info than I can remember.

It's right to say that the person who countersigns for your child needs to be signing to say they know you, not necessarily your child. And they need to put their passport number on the form so they need a valid one.

DD and DS had theirs done by their headteacher (not an option for you it seems) but obviously he knows me too. Luckily I work for the Probation Service and Probation Officers can countersign, so I'm blessed with many colleagues who can do mine (and who ended up doing DS's after DH smudged the photo by putting it in an envelope with DD's signed one). I do worry though what it must look like, having my passport countersigned by a Probation Officer :D.

Jx

ukjoel

Doctors can charge for it as its outside the scope of NHS care.

Think ours used to do a £20 hit for passports.
I know that half the time they had never seen the patient.

Used to get people coming in telling us they had spent 3k on their holiday and then kicking off when they had to pay £50 for passport signature and a load of jabs.

Always used to make me chuckle.

bestpud

ukjoel wrote: »

Doctors can charge for it as its outside the scope of NHS care.

Think ours used to do a £20 hit for passports.
I know that half the time they had never seen the patient.

Used to get people coming in telling us they had spent 3k on their holiday and then kicking off when they had to pay £50 for passport signature and a load of jabs.

Always used to make me chuckle.

Yes, I'd expect the dentist to charge as well. I could do without paying extra but wouldn't moan about it as it's not part of the service they provide.

PoorCharleyBear

I had my daughter's done 2 weeks ago (got new passport yesterday).

My friend, whom I have known since uni, signed for me (he is a bank manager) and had to say he knew me. He has also known my daughter since she was born, but that does not matter. They checked up on him (poss cause my daughter was born overseas and her first British passport was issued by FCO) and I guess that his passport existed and matched the details he provided.