Choosing a referee who does not meet the Home Office requirements can slow a British citizenship application because the applicant may be asked to provide a replacement. Adult naturalisation applicants need two referees, and the rules for each are different. The referees help establish identity; they do not decide whether you meet the substantive requirements for naturalisation.
What each referee actually needs to satisfy
Referee one can be of any nationality but must be an acceptable professional person. Referee two must hold a British citizen passport and must either be a professional person or be aged over 25. Both must have known you personally for at least three years.
| Requirement | Referee 1 | Referee 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Nationality | Any nationality | Must hold a British citizen passport |
| Professional standing | Must be an acceptable professional person | Professional person, or over 25 |
| Known you for | At least 3 years | At least 3 years |
| Can be related to you | No | No |
| Can be related to the other referee | No | No |
| Can be your solicitor or immigration adviser | No, if representing you | No, if representing you |
Neither referee can be employed by the Home Office. Current guidance also says a referee must not have been convicted of an imprisonable offence within the previous 10 years.
The profession list catches people out
“Professional person” has a specific Home Office meaning. The current list includes accountants, barristers, solicitors, permanent civil servants, dentists, professionally qualified engineers, police officers, teachers and lecturers, nurses, social workers, directors of limited companies and certain managers of VAT-registered companies or charities.
A job title alone is therefore not enough. Some directors and managers qualify, while someone describing themselves simply as a consultant or business owner may not. Check the current Home Office list of acceptable professional persons before asking someone to act.
Doctors are not listed in the current nationality guidance as an acceptable professional category for referee one. A doctor who holds a British citizen passport and is over 25 could, however, potentially qualify as referee two if all other conditions are met.
Five referee mistakes to avoid
Using your immigration adviser as a referee. A solicitor or adviser representing you in the citizenship application cannot also act as your referee.
Choosing a relative. Neither referee can be related to you, and the referees cannot be related to each other.
Miscounting the three-year period. Each referee must have known you personally for at least three years before the application.
Assuming seniority is enough. A senior-sounding role does not automatically meet the Home Office definition of an acceptable professional person.
Providing inconsistent details. Names, addresses, passport information and professional details should be accurate so the Home Office can verify the referee if necessary.
What happens if a referee does not qualify
Home Office caseworker guidance says that where it is clear a referee does not meet the requirements, the applicant should be asked to provide a different referee. Caseworkers may contact a referee where this could resolve concerns, but internal guidance requires senior caseworker authority before doing so.
Fitting this into your wider application
If you are applying after Indefinite Leave to Remain, you will normally need to have been free from immigration time restrictions for 12 months before applying under the standard five-year naturalisation route. This 12-month requirement does not apply in the same way if you are married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, although you must still be free from immigration time restrictions when you apply.
Our page on British citizenship by naturalisation explains the wider residence, English-language, Life in the UK and good character requirements. If your settlement route is based on ancestry, our UK Ancestry visa services and guide to proving UK ancestry when family records do not match cover the earlier stages. Applicants using the 10 year long residence route face the same referee rules at the naturalisation stage.
Get your referees checked before you submit
If you are unsure whether your chosen referees qualify, speak to our team in Bromley before you file, or explore our full range of UK immigration services for individuals and employers.