Witnessing a child's passport renewal identity form

MichaelR

So I am renewing a child's passport and trying to do it online. They want a witnessed form confirming the child's identity and the guardians' (parents' in this case) consent.

And the notes say two things. That the witness must know the child and that, in Ireland, the witness must be a member of An Garda.

I am not sure if any Gardai actually know my child. He didn't get in trouble! The local Garda maybe does, but it ain't easy to catch him at a time when my child is home.

So, what should I do? If I drive to the nearest 24h Garda station, can they witness it, or they can't because they do not know him personally? Do I have to wok out he schedules for the local Garda, maybe having to make my child skip afterschool supervised study? Or what do I do really?

Eoinbmw

Recently did one for my daughter and the school principle signed it for me!

Deeec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058281143/witnessing-a-childs-passport-renewal-identity-form

Just go to any Garda station with your child at any time - probably bring child's other parent too.

No need for child to miss school/creche etc as Garda stations are open evenings and weekends.

Gardai are very used to doing this.

Neyite

I was lucky, my son's best friend's parent is a garda, so she was happy for me to bring it in when she was on duty and sign it when she was on nights. You won't need to take him out of afterschool or take time off work.

No harm to ring the 24h station to check before you make the drive.

Big Bag of Chips

My colleague's husband is a guard. He had never met me, my husband or any of my children but he witnessed our passport forms. I suppose the fact I knew his wife was enough for him to say he "knew" us. Generally people don't know the guards unless they're family friends or are "known to the guards"!

As above ring the nearest/most convenient Garda station and ask the best way to get these signed. They might just tell you to come in with the child, ID and a birth cert. Or they might just tell you to bring in the form and whoever meets you at the desk will sign it!

9/10 times the garda won’t actually know you personally but as long as they’re satisfied you are who you say you are they will stamp.

I did encounter one garda previously who tried to argue she doesn’t know who I am and therefore can’t witness it. My response was along the lines of so in order to have my form stamped I either need to be your friend or a criminal like? no sense to be made there.

Generally speaking outside of fairly small localities the garda won’t know you unless they have to. As I said I understand that to mean the Garda just needs to be happy the person in front of them is the person they say they are not necessarily that they have to know you personally.

Bogwoppit

Just had it done myself at the local Garda station, there is no definition of “knowing” the child given so if you bring along yours and the child’s id. that’s enough for them to know it’s you and the child.

rex_turner

We just went to our local Garda station - both parents and child with our own passports and think we also brought proof of address. Garda didn't know us personally.

You can get school principal etc to do it as well-we didn't as it was last year during restrictions and school were limiting visitors to school premises so thought it would be easier to go Garda Station.