Passport

moremore

A close relative of mine needs to have passport renewed to visit a very sick relative in the British Isle. The list of people that came with the application for the renewal says that it can witness by a bank official or a police officer as well as organizations.

The bank advised that they are not allowed to witness it and have been instructed not do so for a couple of years now. The police station says the same. Why are these organization on the list of companies that can witness passport application when they clearly cannot do it.

The FCA says it is up to the individual bank but she has with her bank for year and they know her why are they been obstructive.

Does anyone know who to contact regarding the police.

The application needs to be witness asap and GP appointment is not for a couple of weeks.

Any help please :T

74jax

Does she not know anyone in a professional job? I had a friend who is an office manager with a degree sign mine and my daughters.

74jax

Who can sign applications and photos

Personal relationship

The countersignatory must:

• have known the person applying for at least 2 years
• be able to identify the person applying - eg they’re a friend, neighbour or colleague (not just someone who knows them professionally)

They can’t be closely related or involved with the person applying, eg:

• related by birth or marriage
• be in a relationship or live at the same address as the person applying

Occupations

Countersignatories must work in (or be retired from) a recognised profession or be ‘a person of good standing in their community’, eg:

• 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 - eg local or county
• civil servant (permanent), but not someone who works for Her Majesty’s Passport Office
• 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 or RMN
• officer of the armed services
• optician
• paralegal - certified paralegal, qualified paralegal or associate member of the Institute of Paralegals
• person with honours - eg an OBE or MBE
• 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

lazer

Member of religious order - local priest or vicar?

Civil servant?

74jax

moremore wrote: »

The bank advised that they are not allowed to witness it and have been instructed not do so for a couple of years now. The police station says the same. Why are these organization on the list of companies that can witness passport application when they clearly cannot do it.

I used to work for a bank - I could sign, maybe they mean they can't sign in work time? But if a friend knew them then they can.

It will vary from place to place, it won't be a case of just because you're bank can't sign, others are the same.

Person_one

A police officer can sign a passport, but not just any random one! The signer has to be somebody who knows you personally, not a business relationship.

Here's the guidance, its a pretty long list, surely your relative knows somebody with one of these jobs?

https://www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications

trinity_enigma

Maybe it's because they don't personally know her? Although they are on the list they can't just countersign for anybody off the street- they have to be able to say that they know the person in the photo is definitely the person applying for the passport. I've been with my bank for blooming years and no one in there would know that it is definitely me in the photo. It has to be signed by somebody who personally knows them.

Practically anyone can countersign now a days is there really nobody else who they know who could do it?

the list is here and may be longer than that supplied with the form: https://www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications

System

This also applies with doctors. The applicant must be a personal friend of the doctor not just a patient

duchy

!!!!!! wrote: »

This also applies with doctors. The applicant must be a personal friend of the doctor not just a patient

That's not correct-Your regular GP can sign for you -even if he or she only knows you in a professional capacity. The important thing is that they know you not how.

Optician is on the list also teacher, pharmacist, licencee of a public house, dentist amongst others.

I notice the OP says this is for someone to visit a sick relative "in the British Isles" is this a British passport we are talking about if this person is coming from overseas ?

moremore

74jax wrote: »

Who can sign applications and photos

Personal relationship

The countersignatory must:

• have known the person applying for at least 2 years
• be able to identify the person applying - eg they’re a friend, neighbour or colleague (not just someone who knows them professionally)

They can’t be closely related or involved with the person applying, eg:

• related by birth or marriage
• be in a relationship or live at the same address as the person applying

Occupations

Countersignatories must work in (or be retired from) a recognised profession or be ‘a person of good standing in their community’, eg:

• 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 - eg local or county
• civil servant (permanent), but not someone who works for Her Majesty’s Passport Office
• 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 or RMN
• officer of the armed services
• optician
• paralegal - certified paralegal, qualified paralegal or associate member of the Institute of Paralegals
• person with honours - eg an OBE or MBE
• 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

Wow that's a long list. The list she got there are not that amount on it.

Her lists says all acceptable witnesses:
Police Officer;
Member of Clergy;
Medical Doctor, Nurse, Pharmacist, Dentist, Vet;
Lawyer, Solicitor and Legal Executive (register with the law society or institute of Legal Executives);
Bank Official (this includes building societies, credit union, postmaster and sub-postmasters);
Elected Public Representative (this includes member of Parliament & County Councillors);
Just of the Peace, Notary Public, Commissioner for Oaths, Peace Commissioner;
Social worker;
Teacher, Lecture;
Accountant.

The application needs to stamped by the organization and be contactable at their work place.
That is why she went to her bank and the police station as it is near her and they know her.

susancs

I have been a countersignatory on passports but only do so for people whom I know personally, not professionally, for over two years. The Passport office do spot checks and will ring and ask on the spot questions, which would be hard to answer if I did not know the person well.