Can a retired teacher sign a passport application?

[kellogs100]

Also does it matter that she is my uncles mother in law? I know it shouldn't be family but that seems fairly removed to me.

[smartowl]

I have.

[Buenchico]

It's nearly 20 years since I was in teaching, but I've signed several passport applications since then, without any problems.

The rules state:
"The person providing the countersignature must not be related to you by birth or marriage"
http://www.ips.gov.uk/passport/apply-countersi gn.asp
I doubt that the Identity and Passport Service would regard your uncle's marriage as creating a relationship between his mother-in-law and yourself. (If you go back far enough, everyone on the planet is probably related to everyone else, since we all appear to come from the same small group of people in Africa. Clearly their has to be a limit on what the IPS can regard as a 'relationship' and I would suggest that your connection to the retired teacher is much too remote to qualify).

Chris

[jno]

Mine was. I doubt this one is close enough to you to be an obstacle (but I can't be sure).

[netibiza]

I have also.

[scoobydooby]

I recently had to have my passport signed and currently now work with a retired police officer. We both work for the police but he retired after his 30 years service and then returned to my office in a support role. I asked him to sign for me but we weren't sure if he could. Anyway, i rang the passport office to enquire and was told that a retired police officer (regardless or rank) could only sign a passport if they had not worked since retirement. I would imagine this applies to teachers too. reading into this, I think the passport officials see the status as being lost if another job is secured. For example, a retired teacher wanting to top up their pension may work part-time cleaning. They are then seen as 'cleaners' by the passport office, not retired teachers. I think this is terrible and was surprised myself.