Can I get a witnessed signature at a police station?

Posted by Adept-Safety-8524@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 34 comments

Currently in the process of applying for an Irish passport for my newborn. Last step in the whole process is signing the documents. However the Irish passport office requires the signatures to be witnessed by a professional who they need to be able to contact to verify that they witnesses the signature.

In Ireland on of the easiest ways to do this was to get the Desk Sargent at the local Garda Barracks act as witness.

My question is could I get this done at my local police station?

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Specific-Sundae2530@reddit

Go to any solicitors that advertises 'commissioner of oaths' I've had stuff witnessed before you'll have to pay but it's pretty straightforward

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plz_be_nice_im_sad@reddit

But that costs

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NobleRotter@reddit

It's usually ridiculously cheap and comes with a free story about how solicitors do this for next to nothing because they're such upstanding people

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FrustratedDeckie@reddit

In a lot of cases it’s because they’re required by the The Commissioners for Oaths (Fees) Order 1993 to only charge £5 for witnessing and £2 for extra documents for many types of oath and statutory declarations where the only task is witnessing and not drafting

They do like to make up tall tales of charity and history about it though (or they bend the truth and try to charge hundreds because they “reviewed” the declaration before witnessing it)

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Dependent_One6034@reddit

Cost me £5 a few years back, I asked why it was cash only, and he basically said it goes toward to firms Christmas doo.

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FrustratedDeckie@reddit

The guy I usually use for stat decs etc describes it as going into his “slush fund”…. He apparently uses it to buy ice creams and lollies in summer and cakes in winter for the office, supposedly they used to use it to buy supplies for a literal slush puppy machine for office events, but the effort keeping it clean and working just wasn’t worth it.

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SoftwareFew9236@reddit

I think you can go to your GPs too :)

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TwoPlyDreams@reddit

Don’t eat an appointment for a non health matter.

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WeDoingThisAgainRWe@reddit

They don’t use an appointment to do it. They do it as an admin piece.

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Captain_Piccolo@reddit

And why should their admin time be taken up signing stuff for people?

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WeDoingThisAgainRWe@reddit

You’re right. Fuck anyone who needs help with something.

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wedontneednoeduc@reddit

They charge you.

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Captain_Piccolo@reddit

Most GPs won’t sign anything to do with passports anymore.

I don’t see anything to do with passports on your “helpful” link either.

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nikhkin@reddit

I do not believe police stations offer this service.

Most solicitors will offer this for a nominal fee. Call up a local solicitor and ask what they'll charge. The last time I needed something similar, it was £10.

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thombthumb84@reddit

Has to be cash. £10 is the going rate.

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Diplomatic_Gunboats@reddit

Quite a number of pharmacists also do this, just no one thinks to ask them.

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Alyssa9876@reddit

It depends what they define as professional. In the past I have witnessed passport photos for people when I was a civil servant. Recently a friend who is also a county court judge witnessed the kids for us. Used to have a neighbour who was a headmaster who did stuff like this as well. Not sure what counts as professional currently or for the Irish authorities as only done UK passports. But worth checking then asking around family and neighbours to see if anyone qualifies and can do it for you.

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Minimum-Perception72@reddit

Yes, double check what they accept as "professional", in the UK the list is more varied that you'd think. I'm a solo director of a very small ltd (basically I'm self-employed but operate through a vat registered LTD) and I've been able to sign documents before.

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bluejackmovedagain@reddit

The list for Irish passports is much shorter. That's why most people get the police to do them.

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PositivelyAcademical@reddit

Yes, it is shorter than the UK passport list, but it isn’t that different. Especially as it doesn’t require the witness to know/recognise the applicant - they may verify your identity by you showing them your ID.

u/Adept-Safety-8524, the list is here. For free options, pharmacists, clergy, or elected public representative (local councillor) would be my go to suggestions.

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miowiamagrapegod@reddit

The list for recognician in Ireland is quite restrictive

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poopio@reddit

When I got my UK passport I got the manager at my local to witness it for me!

Was interesting when I had to go to the passport office for an interview and they asked how I knew him.

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spoons431@reddit

Civil servants are not acceptable for an irish passport!

The list of people who can sign is really restricted especially when compared to Biritsh ones

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BOrdinary01@reddit

London Irish Centre in Camden. Did mine free and everything went fine. I made a donation but you dont have to. Think they have similar on Scotland if that end is closer. It was a few quid to get to London but I treated it as a day out. I tried solicitors but it was like talking to a brick wall.

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GoodDoc@reddit

This was several years (over 15 years I think), but I'm Irish living in London and I was able to get my local publican to witness my signature.

She is Irish so knew the system, and I was a regular so she knew who I was. Didn't need to go through that process the last time I had to renew it.

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Crazycatladyanddave@reddit

If you have a local Irish centre they will do this for you and be available to answer the phone. A lot of them have a specific day/time for it to be done but they are great.

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Realistic-Muffin-165@reddit

Not quite a passport but I discovered my work had in-house solicitors who signed a document for me with no issues.

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No_Jellyfish_7695@reddit

I had a bunch of documents needing verifying for a visa application and when I found my work colleague lawyer would do this for free, I was so chuffed!

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pippaskipper@reddit

Do you have a friend that works for government/council?

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SnooHabits8484@reddit

Not enough for an Irish passport. Solicitor, police, clergy iirc.

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spoons431@reddit

Hi OP what i found when trying to pics for an irish one signed is ehat throws * a lot * of people is that for an irish passport the person signing doesnt actually have to know you, whereas for the UK one they have to have known you for 2+ years.

There is difference as for the irish one the person is just witnessing your signature, whereas they are verifying your ID with the British one.

In theory a UK police officer can sign sign, but because of the above they typically aren't used to signing these and often times won't do it. (Unless.you are in NI).

The list of acceptable people is also really restricted when compared to the British one. What you might find easiest to do is to find a church and get someone like a priest to sign it!.

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