Potential Problems Verifying Identity for New Passport Application

jasonwatkins

The last passport I had expired in 2008 and I've had years of headaches when I've tried to apply for things that require one of the main two forms of identification of a passport or driving licence as I have neither, and I decided to finally bite the bullet over the weekend and apply for a passport online.

While I can produce the paper documents they need, as far as bank statements, letters e.t.c., I think I'm going to have problems verifying my identity.

The requirements state this ..

"You need to have known the applicant, or the person making the application, personally for at least 2 years – for example as a friend, neighbour or colleague.

You must not be related, in a relationship with or living at the same address as the applicant or the person making the application"

Now I don't know many people at the best of times, but I certainly don't know anyone on the list of Recognised Professions in that respect so I'm wondering if there's anything I can do ?

I'm planning on going in to my local Post Office this morning to ask them if there's anything that can be done, but I seem to remember that when I applied for my last passport, I went in to my bank and they just verified me there and then, even though I didn't know any of them.   That'll be my next port of call as I have to go there anyway today, but if anyone has any bright ideas to save me a trip I'd be very grateful

TELLIT01

From what I was reading over the weekend when somebody asked a similar question, there is no requirement for the signatory to be a 'Recognised Professional' any more.  It just needs to be somebody you have known for 2 years.  Presumably if you have nobody who falls into that category you would need to go the 'Recognised Professional' route.

jasonwatkins

TELLIT01 said:

From what I was reading over the weekend when somebody asked a similar question, there is no requirement for the signatory to be a 'Recognised Professional' any more.  It just needs to be somebody you have known for 2 years.  Presumably if you have nobody who falls into that category you would need to go the 'Recognised Professional' route.

Thanks. At the moment I only have immediate family who I would have known for 2 years so that's probably not going to work.  I'll see what the Post Office and Bank say this morning and hope for the best.

jasonwatkins

I'm also realising now I might have other problems due to my middle name.  I haven't officially dropped it by deed poll but I dropped it unofficially years ago and I didn't include it in this application.

I've got plenty of documentation and letters just showing my first and last name but I'm wondering if that might throw a spanner in the works.

jasonwatkins

Post Office and Bank were a bust so it’s looking like GP’s or no passport ever.

Sandtree

jasonwatkins said:

Post Office and Bank were a bust so it’s looking like GP’s or no passport ever.

GPs are explicitly excluded unless they can state they know you well. 

The "professions" is exceptionally wide as it includes any director, manager or personnel officer of any limited company or VAT registered company... so your boss or HR team at work are all fine, your cornershop owner or manager, manager or owner at your local. Thats before you open up to the "person of good standing in the community"  

maisie_cat

I'm going to follow this because I have a similar problem. Our passports expired in 2015/16 and we've moved since then, haven't known anybody here for long and I haven't been to a doctor since 2013.
Funnily enough, when members of professional bodies were required I used to sign lots of applications, but my own memberships does not necessarily establish my identity.
I had assumed that the paperwork we have and the photos from our last passports would be sufficient as neither of us have changed that much. 
It does seem bizarre that law abiding citizens can have such difficulty simply because they don't have loads of friends and colleagues

jasonwatkins

Sandtree said:

jasonwatkins said:

Post Office and Bank were a bust so it’s looking like GP’s or no passport ever.

GPs are explicitly excluded unless they can state they know you well. 

The "professions" is exceptionally wide as it includes any director, manager or personnel officer of any limited company or VAT registered company... so your boss or HR team at work are all fine, your cornershop owner or manager, manager or owner at your local. Thats before you open up to the "person of good standing in the community"  

I don't work, and I haven't worked for many years due to medical reasons so that's out.

I'm also teetotal due to the aforementioned medical reasons so the pub is out.

The only people that would come close would be the receptionists at my local GP's.   While we're certainly not best friends or anything, i know them well enough to have a joke with them if ever I need to go to the GP and they all know me well enough to recognise me on the phone.

The problem I'm anticipating from this though is that i've done the application online, so there might be some hesitation on giving out email addresses or anything like that.

maisie_cat said:

I'm going to follow this because I have a similar problem. Our passports expired in 2015/16 and we've moved since then, haven't known anybody here for long and I haven't been to a doctor since 2013.
Funnily enough, when members of professional bodies were required I used to sign lots of applications, but my own memberships does not necessarily establish my identity.
I had assumed that the paperwork we have and the photos from our last passports would be sufficient as neither of us have changed that much. 
It does seem bizarre that law abiding citizens can have such difficulty simply because they don't have loads of friends and colleagues

Your last sentence is so true.   I know i live a very insular life where I do tend to keep myself to myself, but it shouldn't be this difficult to get something which is seemingly fairly commonplace.

Rather frustratingly, I did find out today that the fee is non-refundable which I should have probably checked beforehand !!

Sandtree

maisie_cat said:

It does seem bizarre that law abiding citizens can have such difficulty simply because they don't have loads of friends and colleagues

The list of who's acceptable is massively larger now than it used to be and its needed in less circumstances than it used to be too. 

There will always be exceptions but the majority will have someone on the list they can turn to even if they dont have "loads" of friends/colleagues. 

jasonwatkins

I'm not part of "the majority" though .. 

maisie_cat

Sandtree said:

maisie_cat said:

It does seem bizarre that law abiding citizens can have such difficulty simply because they don't have loads of friends and colleagues

The list of who's acceptable is massively larger now than it used to be and its needed in less circumstances than it used to be too. 

There will always be exceptions but the majority will have someone on the list they can turn to even if they dont have "loads" of friends/colleagues. 

I can see the huge list, but I do not know anybody on that list that I've known for more than 2 years that I am not related to.
I do know people in professions on the list but I'm related to them all by birth or marriage.
The people I know who I'm not related to are in/retired from professions that are not on the list.
I'm a retired qualified Accountant, have been with the same bank since 1995 and was most recently self employed so I have a Government gateway account, and am on the electoral register. 
What I do not want to do is apply and then find that somebody decides I've changed and requires a countersigned photo because I won't be able to comply.
In the past I was always the person that other people asked to countersign their photos