Who you can ask to be your countersignatory
Your countersignatory should:
have known you for at least two years
live in the UK
Your countersignatory should not:
be related to you by birth or marriage
be in a personal relationship with you
live at the same address as you
work for the Identity and Passport Service
The occupation of your countersignatory will not determine whether or not your application will be successful. The issue of a passport relies on an applicant satisfying a number of criteria. Therefore, the list of occupations below is purely for guidance and not an exhaustive list of occupations. However, you should try to get a countersignatory who is a person of good standing in your local community. If you are not sure who to ask, call the IPS Passport Adviceline on 0300 222 0000.
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 of oaths
councillor (local or county)
civil servant (permanent), but not someone who works for IPS
dentist
director/manager of a VAT-registered charity
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 and RMN)
officer of the armed services (active or retired)
optician
paralegal (certified paralegal, qualified paralegal or associate member of the Institute of Paralegals)
person with honours (an OBE or MBE, for example)
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
