A Doctor can certify documents?

[ybba]

hi i am preparing for our papers to aplly for fiancee visa.some some succesfull members here certified thru a laywer. but my boyfriend says he can certify the photo copy of his passport thru his local doctor since he knew him for more than 2 years, is this possible? he said the its legal in Uk? he said that it cost 30 pounds to certify per page if you go to a lawyer is that how expensive it is?.if its thru his doctor its free,i really dont know about the law in Uk hes in london now any help would be much appreciated thnks!

[joebloggs]

no doctors have recently been removed from the list of those who can certify documents.
it shouldn't cost £30 a page, really should be paying £3-5 a page
and also some people have sent copies of their passport which have not been certified and they got their visa.

[sars_notd_virus]

some people have sent copies of their passport which have not been certified and they got their visa.

true...I just submitted a clear scan copy of all the stamp pages of my husbands passport, never certified by anyone and my visa was granted.

[joebloggs]

true...I just submitted a clear scan copy of all the stamp pages of my husbands passport, never certified by anyone and my visa was granted.

thou it did use to say on the embassy website and on the ukba website, documents should be original or certified copies, but like you sars, many people just sent copies, probably because they can check the details electronically themselves from your passport number

[ybba]

oh thnks joebloggs and sars for the info il just tell my bf doctors had been remove to certify documents i really never thougt this was allowed or possible in Uk that professional can certify documents aside from a lawyer/solicitor.

[johncar54]

As far as I understand, doctors, police officers etc can still certify passport applications. I believe the 'recent' change was in relation to certifying docs for DWP

[joebloggs]

As far as I understand, doctors, police officers etc can still certify passport applications. I believe the 'recent' change was in relation to certifying docs for DWP

http://freemovement.wordpress.com/20...y-home-office/

no, i think the bma/gmc wanted to be removed from the list because so many people were asking thier GP's, i asked mine a while ago and told me they no longer do it.

[johncar54]

http://freemovement.wordpress.com/20...y-home-office/

i think the bma wanted to be removed from the list because so many people were asking their GP's, I asked mine a while ago and told me they no longer do it.

Thanks for the list Joe. I see I am still able to sign.

[ybba]

hi jhoncar thnks for posting but is a bit confusing to me now but i guess i t wouldnot affect that much if its being to be certified by a doctor as what other member says they even got the visa without certifying thier docs.i know most people here agree that preparation for visa apllication is sometimes can be stressfull especially if you do it by yourselves im just thnkfull that lots of people extent thier help thru this forum.

[Doc Alan]

I cannot comment on visa applications, but I do have more information on passport applications since joebloggs posted the thread "Doctors ditched by Home Office" ( UK VISA/British Citizenship section, March 2011).
Tony Blair first announced ( to the Royal College of General Practitioners) over 10 years ago that "doctors are to be taken off the list of public servants who can countersign a passport application, because the job takes up too much of their time."
However, the current advice (www.direct.gov.uk.) is that countersignatories should:
* have known you for at least two years
* live in the UK.
They 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.
They should be "a professional person or a person of good standing in the community".
While doctors are not in the list of "examples of the type of person that would be suitable", I have today had it confirmed by the IPS ( an executive agency of the Home Office responsible for issuing UK passports) that doctors ARE still ELIGIBLE to sign applications. ( www.ips.gov.uk ) (0300 222 0000).
The current fee for a new passport is 77.50 GBP. The application WILL be accepted for processing if it is correctly filled in, with a doctor as countersignatory.
It's true that GP's may refuse to sign because of work pressures, or request a fee if they do agree to sign. However, my advice is to confirm with your GP if he/she is willing to sign, saving problems finding some other suitable person.
Just for the record, ANY medical practitioner, not just a GP, may sign. I have done so, many times, for no fee, and the applications have never been refused.

[bornatbirth]

the lawyer i used cost £10 for several copies, just pop into your local high street solicitors and ask..all they do is photo copy it,stamp it and sign it

[johncar54]

I am pretty sure that if a person is renewing a British Passport, as long as the persons appearance has nor changed significantly. i.e. it can be seen that it is the same person, then no countersignature is necessary

[Doc Alan]

A UK passport application need only be countersigned if it is :
* for a first passport
* to replace a lost, stolen, or damaged passport
* to renew a passport when your appearance has changed so much that it would be hard to recognise you from the photo in your last or current passport.
You can renew your passport whenever you want .You do not have to wait for it to run out. The IPS (Identity & Passport Service) can add any period that your passport has to run out, in whole months up to 9 months, to your new passport.
The turnaround times for new passports are not guaranteed. Mine was issued on 11 April after applying on 5 April this year. Don't book any travel arrangements until you have received your new passport.