How to get your passport application witnessed

Witnessing your Application: Sections 6, 7, 8 & 9

Section 6: If your passport has been lost or stolen:

• Complete Section 6 of the application form, explaining how your previous passport was lost or stolen
• Have it witnessed and stamped by the person witnessing Section 9 of your application
• Report the loss to the police and include a police report of the loss
• See “Documentation” for additional documents to submit with your application
• Do not, under any circumstances, try to travel on a passport that has been reported as lost or stolen.

Section 7: Consent of parents or guardians

The consent of all guardians is required for all children under 18 years of age, unless the child is married. Guardianship should not be confused with custody which involves the day to day caring of the child.

Parents/guardians must:

• Complete applicant’s name
• Fill in own name, address and phone number
• Sign in the presence of a listed witness (same as the Section 9 witness list)

The witness must:

• Complete, sign, date and stamp Section 7, including a work landline telephone number - mobile telephone numbers are not acceptable
• Sign each column separately if they witness both parents/guardians' signatures

If the witness does not have an official seal/stamp, please submit their business card/ a copy of their membership card for their profession’s governing body/ other confirmation from their profession’s governing body that they are a practising member of their profession. 

Sections 8 and 9: Identification

Your application form is only valid for six months from the date your witness signs Section 9.

A practicing member of one of the professions listed below can witness your passport application form as long as they are satisfied as to your identify and that your four photos are a true likeness of you. Make sure you bring photo identification with you.

• Honorary Consul of Ireland
• Police officer
• Member of clergy
• Medical doctor or dentist
• Lawyer
• Bank manager/assistant bank manager
• Elected public representative
• Notary public/commissioner for oaths
• Justice of the Peace
• School principal/vice principal
• Accountant
• Presidents of Irish Community organisations as listed under “Application forms”

You must:

• Sign Section 8 of the form in the presence of the witness. Everyone aged seven and over must sign their own form.  If an applicant under seven is unable to sign, a parent/guardian should sign their own name in the right hand box.

The witness must:

• Complete, sign and stamp Section 9 of the form, including a work landline phone number - mobile phone numbers will not be accepted
• Insert the form number from Section 9 on the back of two of the four photos
• Sign and stamp the back of those two photos

If the witness does not have an official seal/stamp, please submit their business card/ a copy of their membership card for their profession’s governing body/  other confirmation from their profession’s governing body that they are a practising member of their profession. 

If one parent is deceased

The living parent fills in and signs the relevant part of Section 7 in the presence of a suitable witness.

The original death certificate of the deceased parent together with a Sole Guardian Affidavit form (AFF1) must be submitted. This affidavit should be completed in the presence of a solicitor/commissioner for oaths confirming that the living parent is the sole legal guardian of the child. Print an AFF1 form.

Only mother named on child’s birth certificate

The mother of the child must fill in and sign the relevant part of Section 7 of the passport application form in the presence of a suitable witness.

She must also complete a sworn affidavit form (AFF1) in the presence of a solicitor/commissioner for oaths, confirming her as the sole legal guardian. Print an AFF1 form.

One parent is unwilling or unavailable to give their consent.

If one parent is unwilling or unavailable to give their consent for their child’s passport to be issued, a court order directing the Passport Service to dispense with that parent’s consent will be required to proceed with the child’s application.