Passport photos signature

[nellyp]

Not sure if this is the right forum for this, but here goes

 

My sons need to apply for new uk passports as theirs have run out. They are both young and my eldest was 5 when he has his first and my youngest was 1. I understand that they have to have their passport photos signed by a responsible person, but who can do that for them in Thailand? We have no steady doctor as we have moved about,know no solicitors etc, so I was wondering if anybody has done this before and could point me in the general direction of suitable people who could do it for me.

 

I would really appreciate any advice, otherwise I may have to get the photos sent over here  as I  am currently in the UK working to get them all over (my wife has to re-apply for a visa). and I am not too sure I could do that either as nobody over here has seen them for 7 years.

 

Cheers

[nellyp]

After some research it looks like I have to use a citizen of the UK, EU or The States who is a responsible person. Do you think I can use a teacher (please no puns about responsibility) who has a work permit but no certification from their home country?

[Crossy]

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

 

Then here https://www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications/accepted-occupations-for-countersignatories

 

Teacher is on the list. I'm just a lowly engineer but I've done a few counter-signatures with no issues whatever (and the passport office has never contacted me). Make sure the countersignature is done exactly as required or it will bounce, only one photo needs to be certified.

[mick220675]

I just renewed my daughters passport three weeks ago. If your kids are under 16 years old the counter signature is signing to say the photo is a correct likeness and they have known the parent who is signing the form. So you need some one over hear who knows you or your wife.

 

If you don't mind paying extra you can use Key visa company in pattaya, they will help your wife apply. I used them as I live up country and could send them the forms and old passport, they did the rest and sent my daughters passport back to my home. The hole thing took 3 weeks. If your wife is in roiet get her to phone key visa they will tell her what you/she needs to do, they speak Thai.

 

My friend who is a retired floor layer signed the photo and the counter signature. If your kids have had a UK passport before I don,t think they will have any problems. If the counter signature is not British but EU you need to photo copy there passport.

 

 

[nellyp]

Thanks for the replies. I read the government link last night, but my wife is concerned that my teacher friend (from U.S. is not qualified to teach in his country but is a legit teacher in Thailand. My worry now is that she may be correct. I am also worried that the Gov site says that it will make the process longer.

 

Any thoughts?

 

[NanLaew]

For both my UK passport renewals about 3 years ago and the first UK passport for my boy about 10 years ago, the counter-signatory was my long-time buddy from England who had been living and working as an engineer in Thailand for years. Nobody contacted him and both passports were issued without any questions.

 

I have a new arrival in the family who will need his first UK passport later this year as well as renewing the first-born's passport. Since my buddy expired last year (RIP), I will request another English buddy with the most years of being blessed with knowing us and is still alive to do the honors.

 

Just pick the UK, EU or US person that you know the longest and ask them if they are happy to sign. If they don't want to, pick the next one and repeat until you find one who agrees.

[NanLaew]

31 minutes ago, nellyp said:

Thanks for the replies. I read the government link last night, but my wife is concerned that my teacher friend (from U.S. is not qualified to teach in his country but is a legit teacher in Thailand. My worry now is that she may be correct. I am also worried that the Gov site says that it will make the process longer.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Your wife thinks to much.

 

The US teacher working in Thailand will do just fine.

[nellyp]

You are right... she thinks too much. Though to be honest that thinking has saved some problems in the past. My only concern now is the amount of time the passport will take to process as it is a non-uk signature

 

Cheers

[bobrussell]

Not a bad idea to send a copy of the signatory's passport with the application but recent experience in the UK shows they are doing more checking up on signatory's  than in the past.

[NanLaew]

5 hours ago, nellyp said:

You are right... she thinks too much. Though to be honest that thinking has saved some problems in the past. My only concern now is the amount of time the passport will take to process as it is a non-uk signature

 

Cheers

I may be mistaken but I think there's a provision for the counter-signatory's contact information.

 

3 hours ago, bobrussell said:

Not a bad idea to send a copy of the signatory's passport with the application but recent experience in the UK shows they are doing more checking up on signatory's  than in the past.

Good to have up-to-date information and despite reading this as more due diligence being done on first passport application or subsequent renewal in the UK, submitting additional contact information can only benefit the fast processing. To this end, the OP may want to make sure that the counter-signatory is aware that he/she may be contacted and not respond with, "Who?" when asked about who he claims to know.

 

Good luck.