Countersigning and refereeing British passport applications

His Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO) sometimes requires applicants to provide referees (also called ‘countersignatures’ or a ‘countersignatory’ when referring to paper passport applications) when applying for passports. This is to confirm the applicant’s identity, ensure that the information they have given is accurate, prevent passport fraud, and safeguard vulnerable customers.

A referee is confirming that they have known the applicant for more than two years, the applicant is who they claim to be, and (as far as they are aware) the information the applicant has provided is true.

When is a referee required?

The HMPO guidance on referees states that a customer is required to provide a referee when applying for:

• Their first child or adult passport

• A replacement for a child or adult passport that has been damaged, lost, or stolen

• A renewal of a child’s passport (under the age of 12)

A referee may also be required if HMPO is unable to identify a customer from existing passport records because there is no photo of the customer on the previous record or they cannot be identified from their previous photo (for example, their appearance has changed since their previous passport was issued). If this is the case, the customer will be notified of the need for a referee as their application is processed.

Who can be a referee for a passport application?

The guidance states that a person verifying a passport application must be over the age of 18 and:

• a person of ‘good standing’ in the community

• have personally known the applicant for at least 2 years

• work in a recognised profession (or be retired from one)

• will lose something if they falsely countersign an application (for example, it will have a negative impact on their life if they made a false declaration)

• have a passport which HMPO can use to check their identity

The guidance does not offer a further definition of ‘good standing’.

The referee must be able to confirm the customer’s identity, that the photo provided in the application is a true likeness, and that the information the customer has provided on the application is correct to the best of their knowledge.

If the passport applicant is applying for a passport from inside the UK, then the referee must also live in the UK and have a current British or Irish passport. If the person is applying from outside the UK, the referee must have a current British, Irish or other EU, US or Commonwealth passport (although the application may be processed faster if they have a British or Irish passport).

In practice, the main issue for constituents is finding someone from a recognised profession who has known them for two years.

What counts as a recognised profession?

A list of examples of recognised professions for referees can be found on gov.uk.

A professional person can still be a referee even if their job is not on the list. The HMPO guidance confirms that the list of example recognised professions “is not a complete list”, stating that “if the customer provides a referee with a similar profession, you must consider them in line with the overall requirements”. The person can also be retired from their profession.

It is also worth noting that if the constituent has a friend, colleague or employer who is self-employed and has their details registered with Companies House, they may qualify. That is because directors of VAT-registered companies are on the list of recognised professions.

Can MPs be referees for British passport applications?

MPs are eligible to be referees for passport applications. They are included on the list of recognised professions.

However, the guidance states that referees must have known the applicant “personally” for two years. Although it does not explain this further, gov.uk information for applicants says that knowing someone personally means “as a friend, neighbour or colleague (not just someone who knows you professionally)”.

This suggests that if the MP has only known a constituent through their work and interactions with them as a Member of Parliament, they should not be used as a referee for the constituent’s passport application.

Who cannot be a referee for a passport application?

The HMPO guidance goes on to explain that a person cannot be someone’s referee if they are:

• living at the same address, in a relationship with them, or related by birth or marriage

• a doctor or General Practitioner (GP), unless they know the customer personally rather than as a patient. This has been the case for over 20 years and is designed to stop people using GP appointments for passport forms.

• an overseas agent helping the customer with their application (for example, a solicitor or commissioner of oaths)

• Home Office passport or immigration staff

If someone can’t find a referee, is there any way around it?

The guidance states that passport staff have some discretion to accept referees that do not meet the usual requirements. It provides some example scenarios of when discretion might be exercised. Some of the examples provided are as follows:

• The person confirming an identity is unqualified. The guidance states they can be accepted “if the application has no fraud indicators and the countersignatory or digital referee is 70 years old or older and fulfils the rest of the criteria to confirm the customer’s identity but are not in (or retired) from a recognised profession. For example, a person can countersign an application if they are the customer’s retired next door neighbour who was a cleaner”.

• The person confirming an identity is unemployed. The guidance states they can be accepted if “they fulfil the criteria to countersign an application, but may not be currently employed in the relevant and recognised profession…For example, a person can countersign an application if they are a qualified dentist but currently unemployed”.

• The person has known the customer less than two years. The guidance states that if a referee has known the customer for less than two years, examiners must contact the customer to discuss and advise, ask the customer for further identity documentation, contact the referee, complete additional checks, and refer the application to an operational team leader.

Where can people get advice about passport applications?

Members of the public can use HMPO’s Passport Adviceline to obtain general information about passport applications, including the process of getting an application countersigned or refereed.

Can MPs be witnesses for Irish passport applications?

Members of Parliament may also be asked about witnessing an application for an Irish passport. The professions eligible to witness an Irish passport application outside Ireland includes “elected public representative”, which would cover MPs.

The relevant Irish minister has said that “it is not a requirement for the witness to know the applicant, but to be satisfied as to his or her identity”. Accordingly, some Irish centres in Great Britain offer witnessing services, which would not be possible if the witness were required to know the applicant personally. This is different from the process for a British passport.