The naturalisation application Form (AN) necessitates that an applicant is endorsed by two referees. One referee must be an individual of any nationality with professional standing, such as a minister of religion, civil servant, or a member of a professional body like an accountant or solicitor (who is not representing the applicant with the application). The second referee typically needs to hold a British citizen passport and be either a professional person or be over the age of 25.
Referees must meet the following criteria:
- They cannot be a relative of the applicant.
- They cannot be a solicitor or agent representing the applicant in the naturalisation application.
- They must not be related to the other referee.
- They must not be employed by the Home Office.
- They must not have been convicted of an imprisonable offense within the last 10 years (unless that conviction can be disregarded following the guidelines outlined in the UKVI Guidance).
- They must have personal acquaintance with the applicant.
- They must be willing to provide comprehensive details of their knowledge about the applicant.
- They should inform the Home Office of any reason why the applicant should not be registered.
- Who can act as a professional referee for naturalisation as a British Citizen?
Who Are Acceptable Professional Referees For Naturalisation Application?
When applying for naturalisation as a British citizen, it's essential to provide references or referees who can attest to your character, residency, and suitability for citizenship. 'Acceptable professional persons’ to act as a referee for an application for naturalisation as a British Citizen include:
- Accountant
- Airline pilot
- Articled clerk of a limited company
- Assurance agent of recognised company
- Bank or building society official
- Barrister
- British Computer Society (BCS) - professional grades which are Associate (AMBCS), Member (MBCS), Fellow (FBCS)
- Broker
- Chairman or Director of limited company
- Chemist
- Chiropodist
- Christian science practitioner
- Commissioner for oaths
- Councillor: local or county
- Civil servant (permanent)
- Dentist
- Designated premises supervisors
- Director or Manager of a VAT registered charity
- Director, manager or personnel officer of a VAT registered company
- Driving instructor (approved)
- Engineer (with professional qualifications)
- Fire service official
- Funeral director
- Insurance agent (full time) of a recognised company
- Journalist
- Justice of the Peace
- Legal secretary (members and fellows of the Institute of legal secretaries)
- Local government officer
- Manager or Personnel officer (of limited company)
- Member of Parliament (MP)
- Member of Her Majesty’s Armed Forces
- Merchant Navy officer
- Minister of a recognised religion
- Nurse (RN, SEN or holder of a BA in nursing)
- Officer of the armed services (active or retired)
- Optician
- Paralegal (certified or qualified paralegals, and associate members of the Institute of Paralegals)
- Person with honours (such as OBE, MBE and so on)
- Personal licensee holders
- Photographer (professional)
- Police officer
- Post Office official
- President or secretary of a recognised organisation
- Salvation Army officer
- Social worker
- Solicitor
- Surveyor
- Teacher, lecturer
- Trade union officer
- Travel agency (qualified)
- Valuers and auctioneers (fellow and associate members of the incorporated society)
- Warrant officers and chief petty officers