Who Can Certify A Copy Of A Uk Passport

[Mercury]

Just seen that they want a certified copy of my passport. OK, but just who will they accept ? The law may be one thing but would they baulk if someone in the right capacity at your work did it ? (manager level or upwards of a regulated financial institution).

I don't know any police or MPs or similar though I guess my doctor could do it, if they are ever open when I am available. They would probably want paying as well !

I know loads of people at work, in a regulated industry who are professionals but whilst I would happily have them certify a copy of my photo for a passport application, I don't want some Jobsworth in Bangkok who is having a bad day giving me grief because it is on company paper or whatever. Also, this stamping thing, is that necessary ?

Any ideas much appreciated.

[chiang mai]

Any Solicitor or Lawyer will do it, in the UK it costs £5, in Thailand it costs Baht 500, just had it done in Phuket for 500 baht and last year in the UK for a fiver, it's not a drama.

[7by7]

Last application I was involved in (sister-in-laws visit last year) my wife and I self certified the copies of our passports; no problems.

Simply write on each copy "I (full name) certify that this is a true copy of (document)" and sign and date it.

[Mercury]

I just found this http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/content1?catId=63400715&mediaId=105000818 from the Post Office. As I have one of these near my office and no lawyer, I reckon it will be the best option.

[beano2274]

You sign it, it does not need a lawyer.

[yeesipha]

Photocopy every page of your passport and sign and date every copy yourself.no problems with that.

[Mercury]

You sign it, it does not need a lawyer.

Photocopy every page of your passport and sign and date every copy yourself.no problems with that.

So you've done this yourself, for your partner's UK settlement visa, say in the last couple of weeks, or are you just hypothesising ?

Me thinks not.

[7by7]

You asked who can certify the copies, and three people have told you that self certification is ok.

Your choice whether to accept or follow that advice, but there is no need for comments such as the above.

Friendly warning; this time.

[ExpatArchie]

Last application I was involved in (sister-in-laws visit last year) my wife and I self certified the copies of our passports; no problems.

Simply write on each copy "I (full name) certify that this is a true copy of (document)" and sign and date it.

A passport copy submitted by a sponsor for a visit visa does not need certifying.

[chiang mai]

I think the problem some of us are having with this one lies in the terminology:

Attest - means requiring a third party to validate its authenticity

Certify in the UK: is generally accompanied with a list of who is is able to certify the document, i.e. policeman, accountant, Solicitor etc.

Certify (without a list of responsible people) - implies that self certification is allowed.

Notarize - requires a Notary to authenticate the document

[sumrit]

A passport copy submitted by a sponsor for a visit visa does not need certifying.

A passport copy submitted by a sponsor MUST be certified, but as 7by7 says the sponsor can certify it himself. On one occasion I missed signing just one of the pages and the VFS staff member sent my wife back out to the waiting area for me to sign it.

Me thinks not.

7by7 IS correct, there is no need to pay anybody else to certify your passport. But personally I've never even put the 'I certify.....' words that 7by7 suggests, I simply sign and date each page.

When I/my wife applied for the first visa over sixteen years ago there was no VFS office, we used to go to the Embassy itself and, as I was also allowed in I was able to ask who should certify my passport. The visa staff member there told me I could do it myself and that's what I've done for the dozen or so visa applications I've sponsored since then, the last two being about ten months ago.

[ExpatArchie]

A passport copy submitted by a sponsor for a visit visa does not need certifying.

A passport copy submitted by a sponsor MUST be certified, but as 7by7 says the sponsor can certify it himself. On one occasion I missed signing just one of the pages and the VFS staff member sent my wife back out to the waiting area for me to sign it.

[

Are we at cross purposes. 7by7 and I were referring to visit visa, although this topic is about settlement.

If you check the VFS Thailand site or the Border Agency UKVisas site you will find I am, for once, correct.

[7by7]

It is true that the supporting document checklist for a visit merely asks for a copy of the sponsor's passport (if there is a sponsor), but my belt and braces philosophy means I would always self certify it anyway.

[samuzza]

I self-certified a copy of my passport for an unmarried partner settlement visa in March this year and had no problems. I phoned VFS for advice; they told me to self-certify.

I guess the term is ambiguous though, as chiang mai notes.

Edited June 21, 2010 by samuzza

[sumrit]

A passport copy submitted by a sponsor for a visit visa does not need certifying.

A passport copy submitted by a sponsor MUST be certified, but as 7by7 says the sponsor can certify it himself. On one occasion I missed signing just one of the pages and the VFS staff member sent my wife back out to the waiting area for me to sign it.

[

Are we at cross purposes. 7by7 and I were referring to visit visa, although this topic is about settlement.

If you check the VFS Thailand site or the Border Agency UKVisas site you will find I am, for once, correct.

I agree that the check list for a visit visa doesn't mention certification, however, the odd page I hadn't signed (where they sent my wife out to the waiting area for me to sign it) was............ for a visit visa.

[Mercury]

You asked who can certify the copies, and three people have told you that self certification is ok.

Your choice whether to accept or follow that advice, but there is no need for comments such as the above.

Friendly warning; this time.

Apologies, a bit flippant I agree but just how can someone who has not been through exactly the same process successfully in very recent times actually offer advice rather than mere speculation ? We're potentially talking about up to an extra 2 month wait, the costs of supporting that in Bangkok and another visa ,if self certification is not allowed. It really is about a £3000 question.

[7by7]

You obviously misunderstand the function of forums such as this one.

People on this, and similar, forums offer advice based upon their own experiences and/or their reading and interpretation of the rules, official guidance and other publications. When someone asks for advice it is highly unlikely, although possible, that they will receive a reply from someone who has been in exactly the same situation within "very recent times."

Whilst at least two members here are UK qualified professionals, the rest of us are amateurs. Often people post conflicting advice.

From the forum rules

We do not vouch for or warrant the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any message, and are not responsible for the contents of any message.

All this should be borne in mind when seeking advice here; and it is up to the person seeking advice to decide which, if any, to follow.

If unhappy with the advice received here, you do not have to follow it; you can always seek the advice of a professional. You would, of course, have to pay for that, whilst advice here is free.

[yeesipha]

You asked who can certify the copies, and three people have told you that self certification is ok.

Your choice whether to accept or follow that advice, but there is no need for comments such as the above.

Friendly warning; this time.

Apologies, a bit flippant I agree but just how can someone who has not been through exactly the same process successfully in very recent times actually offer advice rather than mere speculation ? We're potentially talking about up to an extra 2 month wait, the costs of supporting that in Bangkok and another visa ,if self certification is not allowed. It really is about a £3000 question.

In march/april 2010 i put together my friends application for HIS wife to join him in the UK and the visa was granted,SO YES i do have RECENT EXPERIENCE of a settlement application, and self certification was OK then,whats that TWO MONTHS AGO.Recent enough?

Was also OK ,on the TWO occasions when my G/F, now wife applied for V/Visas, And in june 09 when she received HER settlement visa for the uk.

So all in all i would say it was OK to do.But hey if you feel the need to waste time and money on somebody else certifying for you,then go ahead.

Edited June 22, 2010 by yeesipha

[RAZZELL]

Self certification fine for a visit visa to the UK issued within the last month.

RAZZ

[Thongkorn]

You sign it, it does not need a lawyer.

Correct , I did my own on my scanner at home. when you copy the passport you will see a water mark that is not visible to the naked eye, they look like horns and a goat y beard,

Edited June 23, 2010 by Thongkorn