Now that you know you will need to complete this step and secure a countersignature, here is what must be done by the person countersigning for you, and who qualifies as a legal counter signatory.
Requirements that must be met by your counter signatory:
- Must have known applicant for a minimum of two years, or their guardian in the case of a minor less than sixteen years old
- Must know applicant in more than a professional manner. Relationship should be more involved than simply working together, Friends, neighbors, and colleagues are acceptable
- Must have, or be retired from, a valued and recognized profession or have a reputable community reputation
The counter signatory cannot be in an intimate relationship or live at the same address as the applicant. They also cannot be related by birth or marriage.
Previously applicants were able to contact their General Practitioners for a countersignature but this is no longer allowed. The high demand made it infeasible to maintain for doctors inundated with requests. The only exception is if a medical professional is a close friend of the person applying.
For applications from within the UK, the counter signatory must currently live in the UK and possess a valid Irish or British passport.
For applications from outside the UK, the counter signatory must possess a valid passport from either Great Britain, Ireland, the US, other EU nations, or Commonwealths. If their passport is not from the UK a color copy of their passport’s photo page is also required with your application. A UK passport is one way for you to get your application fast-tracked, but you will not be rejected for utilizing another option.
