Who can countersign passport for Under 12

bigpappa

I can't get my head around this requirement - the person needs to know my child for over 2 years and be a professional but can't be their teacher?

There is no one who knows my child for over two years who isn't a family friend.

What has everyone done to get their child passport countersigned?

Penguin_

You can use a family friend.

Who can sign your form and photo

Your countersignatory must:

• have known you (or the adult who signed the form if the passport is for a child under 16) for at least 2 years
• be able to identify you, for example they’re a friend, neighbour or colleague (not just someone who knows you professionally)
• be ‘a person of good standing in their community’ or work in (or be retired from) a recognised profession

Caz3121

there was another thread about this recently - the guidance says 

• Your countersignatory must:

  • have known you (or the adult who signed the form if the passport is for a child under 16) for at least 2 years
  • be able to identify you, for example they’re a friend, neighbour or colleague (not just someone who knows you professionally)
  • be ‘a person of good standing in their community’ or work in (or be retired from) a recognised profession

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

they do not need to have known your child for two years....otherwise anyone under two would never be able to have a passport...they need to know you for two years and be able to identify your child from photo

eskbanker

Caz3121 said:

there was another thread about this recently

That was my immediate thought too - it's here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6503188/child-passport-woes

DullGreyGuy

bigpappa said:

I can't get my head around this requirement - the person needs to know my child for over 2 years and be a professional but can't be their teacher?

There is no one who knows my child for over two years who isn't a family friend.

What has everyone done to get their child passport countersigned?

It's you they have to know not your kid. 

Family friend is fine, just family isn't. People focus on the big name jobs on the list like policeman or solicitor but there are really run of the mill stuff on there too like a manager in a VAT registered company which massively widens the pool. 

One of the bar maids at our local asked who could sign her passport for her and over half the people around the bar stuck their hands up including the bar manager