A friend is having difficulty getting ID validated for a new passport, old one mislaid!
The PO have listed so many options, but so far all the ones she has tried have said no. The validation by the notaire was not accepted by the PO. She is off to the bank tomorrow, but is not hopeful 
Can anybody help, please
What ID are the Passport Office demanding??
Accountant and pilot.
Some of these people are only dealt with online or telephone, so no joy there, and some are away until September.
What was the problem with the notaire’s validation?
without knowing what the notaire did that wasn’t acceptable.. and not remembering what/how “the approved person” is meant to validate…
I’m wondering, do you have a local Post Office (la Poste). I know our Post Mistress will happily sign and “officially stamp” whatever, provided she knows what she’s being asked to validate 
Local Govt Officer is at your Mairie.. 
and they have the official stamp too
She is waiting for a reply.
Waiting for their return next week. Good idea about the post office, I will pass it on 
Whoever confirms ID for lost passports has to be UK resident - that’s why notaire was refused. It’s no longer a letter - they receive an email with questions
surely that’s not always possible for someone living permanently in France ?
Mairie?
So what if you lose your passport in Outer Mongolia, with no UK citizens of any sort and only goats for 300 miles ? Which graduate student thought that one up?
Notaire should have been accepted as a legal officer. Next I’d try her French bank if she has an account, ask then to stamp some proof of French residence as well.
If she continues to get resistance from PO, which I would find astounding, this is one of the few things I’d ever bother the UK Consulate in Paris with.
Mairie also.
I look forward to hearing how this is eventually solved, because I am sure it will be. Meanwhile I am wondering if the UK has someone like Mr. R. sending out all sorts of unexpected new rules to local authorities and passport offices 
Live in the UK- UK passport holder - over 18 - not family - knows you personally (not doctors - bank managers etc unless your friends/colleagues).
Hasn’t changed in 20+ years.
That’s the solution.
Oh dear,
perhaps the thread title could be amended to highlight “Lost Passport” rather than just “new”
Not properly reading the thread, I couldn’t understand the difficulties being met, since we renewed our passports with ease (and certainly no need for UK validation),
But for a lost passport the criteria is very different for people living abroad, to those who live in UK. Looking at the paperwork you’ve showed us your friends are going down the wrong route.
best of luck
from Google, I think the lost passport needs to be reported to the French police so as to obtain an official (crime) number and a written report.. and contact the Embassy as already suggested.
Is this for a UK passport?
Your countersignatory must:
have known you (or the adult who signed the form if the passport is for a child under 16) for at least 2 years
be able to identify you, for example they’re a friend, neighbour or colleague (not just someone who knows you professionally)
be ‘a person of good standing in their community’ or work in (or be retired from) a recognised profession
When my daughter’s bag containing her passport was snatched in Italy, our mayor countersigned her photographs but in his capacity as company director, and he stamped it with his company stamp. On the form we identified him as company director and mayor.
We expected it to be refused because when I showed him the wording he had to write he said What does that mean, and I told him, and he wrote it in French! Too late to stop him. So I said nothing and waited for it to come back, but surprisingly it was accepted and the passport duly arrived.
This was maybe 10 years ago and I do not recall asking him for a copy of his ID. Maybe this is a new or post-Brexit requirement for signatories holding EU passports.
That’s only for applicants in the UK or validating online, it’s much wider if you’re applying from abroad or signing the actual form and photograph. I suspect the sticky bit is, if you’re overseas, you need to include a copy of the photo page of the countersigner’s passport.
Many might not be too keen on that.
If you’re applying outside the UK
Your countersignatory must have a current British, Irish or other EU, US or Commonwealth passport.
If they have a US, Commonwealth, or non-British or non-Irish EU passport, you must include with your application a colour photocopy of the page with their photograph on it.
Your application will be processed faster if they have a British or Irish passport
Thank you, I quoted the wrong bit!
I trust that when they say passport, they will also accept eg a French ID card. Otherwise this might indeed be a problem. I very much doubt our mayor would have an actual passport since in 20 years I have never known him to travel outside the EU.
You can do it by email, you give the name occupation address and email address of the person living in the UKand the passport office contact them directly, and let you know when it has gone through. That’s what I did when renewing my UK passport getting on for 3 years ago. It isn’t at all complicated.
