Who came up with this list, & when?

[Junior Senior]

A very snobby and outdated practice. Pointless, too. It should be scrapped.

[EvilPie]

A very snobby and outdated practice. Pointless, too. It should be scrapped.

In favour of what exactly?

Personally don't think it's anywhere near snobby enough. Should just be solicitors. accountants, doctors and a few others.

[Graham C]

A very snobby and outdated practice. Pointless, too. It should be scrapped.

In favour of what exactly?

Personally don't think it's anywhere near snobby enough. Should just be solicitors. accountants, doctors and a few others.

Most people would either have to fork out £100 or so or wait two weeks just to get a passport signed. 

Get rid all together, it's a dated idea.   Everything about people is available these days, it doesn't need a signature on the back of a passport photo.

[BulldozerD]

Just about anyone can call themselves an "accountant" these days, many accountants aren't qualified as such

[tikay]

A very snobby and outdated practice. Pointless, too. It should be scrapped.

In favour of what exactly?

Personally don't think it's anywhere near snobby enough. Should just be solicitors. accountants, doctors and a few others.

Most people would either have to fork out £100 or so or wait two weeks just to get a passport signed. 

Get rid all together, it's a dated idea.   Everything about people is available these days, it doesn't need a signature on the back of a passport photo.

It gets worse.

A Passport Photo is not much bigger than a postage stamp, but the countersignatory has to write this on the back of it.....

"I certify that this is a true likeness of Mr John Smith (then his signature), Anthony Person, 4 May 2012"


You'd need a degree in small writing to do that.

[Doobs]

A very snobby and outdated practice. Pointless, too. It should be scrapped.

In favour of what exactly?

Personally don't think it's anywhere near snobby enough. Should just be solicitors. accountants, doctors and a few others.

I am fairly sure it used to be like this and much shorter.   I think I used to sign them as an "other professional person" or similar.  I am guessing maybe two thirds of those didn't use to be there. 

[DungBeetle]

Just about anyone can call themselves an "accountant" these days, many accountants aren't qualified as such

Eh?  You can call yourself whatever you want on your name tag, but you can't sign off legal documents as a accountant unless you are qualified.

[The Wycher]

Just about anyone can call themselves an "accountant" these days, many accountants aren't qualified as such

Eh?  You can call yourself whatever you want on your name tag, but you can't sign off legal documents as a accountant unless you are qualified.

Best not to get into the old qualified vs unqualified accountants argument as it can take up many pages of a forum (admittedly an Accountancy forum), but they normally want you to put your letters after your name to confirm you are a qualified accountant and then I guess they can check you out at your bodies website. I've done it for a number of people and don't charge just suggest they make a charitable donation if done via work rather than for friends.

I think some form of verification makes sense as it just provides an extra albeit fairly low level of security.

[Junior Senior]

A very snobby and outdated practice. Pointless, too. It should be scrapped.

In favour of what exactly?

Personally don't think it's anywhere near snobby enough. Should just be solicitors. accountants, doctors and a few others.

Disagree. What makes them better than, for example a Senior Digital Marketing Manager for a large Corporate or an Ecommerce Director in an SME?

In favour of...using the freely available paid for background and reference checking services avaialble in the market.  Just cos Doctor Harold Shipman of Hyde says Hilda was a good egg shouldn't make her eligible for a passport renewal.

[vegaslover]

I've signed a few but never been contacted to verify any of them