Who can countersign my UK passport photo?

5/26/2016 7:42:47 PM

You may not need your passport photo countersigning.

If you can still be recognised between your old photos and your new ones, and you still have the passport, then you don’t need to get your photos countersigned –From the official online passport application page:

Everyone must send two new photos, but if you’ve changed a lot and can’t be recognised from the photo in your passport, then you’ll also need to get one of your photos and your form countersigned.

Normal aging isn’t considered a significant change and most people will still be recognisable.

There’s also no mention of the need for countersigning on the gov.uk page about passport photos. Note that if you’re filling in forms or getting advice from anywhere other than gov.uk, you’re using a private company who may be trying to sell you something (including a “service” where they just repost your passport to the government Passport Office and charge you an extra fee for it).

If you’re appearance has changed so much that you can not be recognised

If you do need a countersignature, there is a gov.uk page here detailing the process. It says that the person countersigning you must have known who you are for at least 2 years (note that although your contractor nature shifts around, there must be people who you worked with over 2 years ago who you can still contact) and either be ‘a person of good standing in their community’ (not defined) or from the following list of professions:

  • 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 for oaths
  • councillor, eg local or county
  • civil servant (permanent)
  • dentist
  • 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

Going off the sheer length of the list, it seems to me your must have a personal or family friend, or a business associate who has known you for more than 2 years who fits in to one of these categories.

If you want to make sure everything goes smoothly

If you’re unsure about any aspect of your application, the Post Office offers a service where they check over your application first to make sure everything is correct. It’s a bit more expensive, but you avoid the risk of making a rejected application that way (and most offices that offer this service can also take the photos for you)

Credit:stackoverflow.com‘

About me

Hello,My name is Aparna Patel,I’m a Travel Blogger and Photographer who travel the world full-time with my hubby.I like to share my travel experience.

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