Countersigning a child's passport

onlyroz

I am in the process of renewing my kids' passports and I am a bit stumped over the countersignatory. Would it be OK to use my mum? She has a different surname to my children and is a retired teacher - so yes she is a relative but not an immediate one.

The only other option is to either pay the GP a fortune to do it or to ask one of the school teachers - but this would require them to provide their own passport number, which would no doubt be a bit of a hassle for them.

sandsy

That wouldn't work. It can't be a relative and that includes in-laws and step- parents, according to this document:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/118585/countersignatories.pdf

Remember too that the counter signatory is saying they've known you for at least 2 years, not the kids.

Are there no other suitable school parents who you've known long enough?

onlyroz

How would they know whether the signatory was a relative?

benjus

onlyroz wrote: »

How would they know whether the signatory was a relative?

The countersignatory has to declare how they know you and for how long; making a false declaration is a serious offence.

It's not much of a stretch of the imagination to think that the passport office could find out if they wanted to. Presumably you have a passport yourself, and would have put your mother's details on your passport application. I don't know if these sorts of checks are done as a matter of course, but it wouldn't surprise me - almost everyone has family members with different surnames (and of course people with a common surname may use a totally unrelated countersignatory with the same surname).

Paully232000

Don't you have to also say in what capacity you know this person?

gardner1

onlyroz wrote: »

I am in the process of renewing my kids' passports and I am a bit stumped over the countersignatory. Would it be OK to use my mum? She has a different surname to my children and is a retired teacher - so yes she is a relative but not an immediate one.

The only other option is to either pay the GP a fortune to do it or to ask one of the school teachers - but this would require them to provide their own passport number, which would no doubt be a bit of a hassle for them.

I thought if you are renewing a passport you just send form with old passport and there is no need for counter signature

thriftylass

I asked my boss to do it and he did. He met my kids and known me for three years. No problems.

pollypenny

I think you need a countersignature if your appearance has changed considerably, which it would have with a child.

SailorSam

You're next door neighbour, if you're friends.

onlyroz

gardner1 wrote: »

I thought if you are renewing a passport you just send form with old passport and there is no need for counter signature

Children under 11 need a countersignature regardless if they're renewing or not.

onlyroz

Paully232000 wrote: »

Don't you have to also say in what capacity you know this person?

The declaration says that they have to have known *me* for two years and they have to be able to identify my children. I don't know if this means that they have to have met in person.