Countersigning passport applications and photos
Accepted occupations for countersignatories
Your countersignatory must either:
- work in (or be retired from) a recognised profession
- be ‘a person of good standing in their community’
Recognised professions
Examples of recognised professions include:
- accountant
- airline pilot
- articled clerk of a limited company
- assurance agent of recognised company
- bank or building society official
- barrister
- chairman or director of a limited company
- chiropodist
- commissioner for oaths
- councillor, for example local or county
- civil servant (permanent)
- dentist
- director, manager or personnel officer of a VAT-registered company
- engineer with professional qualifications
- financial services intermediary, for example 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 a public house
- local government officer
- manager or 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, for example an OBE or MBE
- pharmacist
- photographer (professional)
- police officer
- Post Office official
- president or secretary of a recognised organisation
- Salvation Army officer
- social worker
- solicitor
- surveyor
- teacher or lecturer
- trade union officer
- travel agent (qualified)
- valuer or auctioneer (fellow or associate members of the incorporated society)
- Warrant Officers and Chief Petty Officers
Professions that are not accepted
Your countersignatory cannot:
- work for HM Passport Office
- be a doctor, unless they state that they know you well (for example they’re a good friend) and that they recognise you easily from your photo
You’ll be asked to find someone else if your countersignatory does not meet the requirements.
It’s a criminal offence to make a false declaration on a passport application.
If you’re not sure who to ask to be your countersignatory
Call the Passport Adviceline.