If you are preparing a British citizenship application, you need two people who can vouch for you. A UK citizenship referee must meet specific Home Office rules on profession, passport, age, independence and how long they have known you.
This guide explains who can act as a British citizenship referee, who cannot, what a referee has to provide and how to avoid the mistakes that cause delays. It covers adult applications for naturalisation, with a short note on children and applicants abroad.
What Does a Citizenship Referee Do?
A citizenship referee confirms the applicant’s identity and supports the details in your British citizenship application. Each referee completes a referee declaration, which is a signed statement about their own eligibility and their knowledge of you personally.
The Home Office uses each referee declaration to check the applicant’s identity against your supporting documents. It may contact referees directly if anything needs clarifying, so each proposed referee should be willing to respond promptly and give a full name and contact details.
Your referees do not write a general character reference. They complete the referee section of the online application or paper form used for your UK citizenship application, sign it and confirm that your photograph is a true likeness of you. A British citizen referee or professional referee must be independent and trustworthy, which is why referee eligibility rules and the Home Office criteria below are strict, and why referees matter so much to British nationality applications.
How Many Referees Do You Need for British Citizenship?
You need two referees for an adult application when applying for British citizenship. Your citizenship application must be endorsed by two referees, and they must be two separate people, even where one person could meet either role.
The two roles are set out below.
| Requirement | Professional referee | British passport referee |
|---|---|---|
| Nationality | Any nationality | Holder of a British citizen passport |
| Professional status or age | Must be a professional person | Either a professional person or over 25 |
| Time known to you | At least 3 years | At least 3 years |
| Independence | Not related to you or the other referee | Not related to you or the other referee |
One referee can be of any nationality but must be a professional person. The second referee must be a British citizen passport holder and either a professional person or over the age of 25. At least one referee must therefore be a professional person, and each must have known the citizenship applicant personally for at least 3 years.
These referee requirements appear in the Home Office Guide AN for naturalisation, and the wider immigration rules and nationality forms guidance set out the eligibility requirements for the application as a whole. Always check the current Home Office guidance before you ask anyone to act as a referee for British citizenship.
Who Can Be a Professional Referee?
The professional referee must hold recognised professional standing and must act in a professional capacity when confirming your details. They can be of any nationality and do not need a British passport.
Home Office guidance gives examples such as a minister of religion, a civil servant or a member of a professional body, for example an accountant or a solicitor. The solicitor cannot be the one representing you on the application.
Examples of Acceptable Professional Persons
The Home Office list of acceptable professional persons is long, and what matters is recognised professional status, not a job title alone. Commonly used examples include:
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Legal and finance: solicitor, barrister, accountant, recognised company bank or building society official, surveyor.
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Education and care: teacher or lecturer, social worker, nurse, dentist, optician, health visitor.
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Public service: permanent civil servants, police officer, local government officer, councillor, Member of Parliament, Justice of the Peace.
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Business: director of a limited company, manager or personnel officer of a limited company, director or manager of a VAT-registered company.
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Other recognised roles: minister of a recognised religion, journalist, professional engineer, funeral director, trade union officer, qualified paralegal.
Some entries are narrower than they first appear. The list also names a limited company assurance agent, a peace commissioner or legal secretary (a peace legal secretary entry applies only to a fellow or associate member of the relevant professional body), a recognised company journalist, justice of the peace, and a person who holds an honour such as an OBE or MBE.
Armed services officers, opticians and paralegals appear on the list only where they meet the stated status, so an armed services optician paralegal would need to be checked against each entry.
Is a Doctor or GP an Acceptable Choice?
Do not assume a doctor automatically qualifies. Some commentators note that the published adult list does not simply name doctors or GPs, so check the current list before relying on one.
Even where a doctor does qualify, they must still know you personally and have done so for at least 3 years. A professional connection as a patient alone is not enough.
Can a Retired Professional Act as a Referee?
It depends on the profession. A retired person can usually act as a referee in the second role if they hold a British passport and are over 25, but whether they still count as a professional person turns on their continuing recognised status.
If your professional referee is retired, confirm their standing before you submit. At Axis Solicitors, our immigration team often reviews referee choices at this stage, because a borderline referee is one of the easier problems to prevent.
Who Can Be the British Passport Referee?
The second referee must be a British citizen passport holder. They must also be either a professional person or over 25.
This means a friend, neighbour or colleague can act as a referee without any profession, provided they are over 25, hold a British passport and have known the applicant personally for at least 3 years.
Why the Passport Type Matters
The rule refers to a British citizen passport, not simply a British connection or British nationality held in another category. Someone who is settled in the UK but not a British citizen cannot fill this role, whatever their immigration status.
The wording of the guidance has caused some confusion over whether both referees must be British. Only one referee must be a British passport holder, and the professional referee can be of any nationality. Where you have two British citizen referees available, using them is a sensible, low-risk option.
Applying From Outside the UK
If you apply from abroad and know no suitable British citizen, the Home Office may accept alternatives. These can include a Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of your country of residence who has professional standing there, has known you for at least 3 years and is acceptable to the Consul handling your application.
Who Cannot Be a Referee for British Citizenship?
Some people are ruled out however well they know you. Each referee must not be related to you, related to the other referee, your solicitor or agent representing you with this application, or employed by the Home Office.
| Not permitted | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| A relative of yours | Referees must be independent of you. |
| A relative of the other referee | The two referees must be independent of each other. |
| Your solicitor or agent on this application | They are involved in preparing the case. |
| A Home Office employee | Avoids a conflict of interest. |
| Someone who has known you under 3 years | They cannot confirm sustained personal knowledge. |
| Someone with a recent unspent conviction | The Home Office will not usually accept them. |
Do Criminal Convictions Affect a Referee?
Yes, in some cases. The Home Office will not usually accept a referee convicted of an imprisonable offence in the last 10 years, unless the conviction is spent.
An imprisonable offence is one for which a court could impose a prison sentence, even if the referee was not actually sent to prison. A referee convicted of an imprisonable offence should check whether the conviction is spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, which sets different rehabilitation periods for different sentences. Under UK laws on rehabilitation, a spent criminal offence is treated differently from an unspent one.
Checks may be carried out to confirm that referees have no unspent convictions and that their signatures are genuine. A referee who is unsure about their record should say so before signing.
Can Family, Friends or Colleagues Be Referees?
Relatives are never permitted, including relatives by marriage. Friends and colleagues are fine if they meet the other rules.
Your employer or manager can act as a referee if they qualify as a professional person and have known you for at least 3 years. A colleague who is not a professional can only be the second referee if they are a British citizen passport holder and over 25.
British Citizenship Referee Requirements: What Information Must Each Referee Provide?
Each referee must supply personal details and sign a declaration form in the referee section. You will normally need the following referee details before you start applying for British citizenship:
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Full name and date of birth
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Addresses for the last 3 years
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Profession
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Telephone number and email address
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British passport number, if they are a British passport holder
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Details of how they know you and for how long
By signing the referee declaration, the referee declares that your photograph is a true likeness of you. They also declare that they are qualified to act, are not related to you or the other referee, are not your representative, are not employed by the Home Office, have no disqualifying conviction and have known the applicant personally for the required period.
Providing false information knowingly or recklessly is a criminal offence under section 46(1) of the British Nationality Act 1981, so each referee should read the declaration carefully. Ask your referees to read the guidance first, because an error is hard to correct once the form is submitted, and a granted citizenship decision depends on accurate details and consistent supporting documents.
What Are the Referee Rules for a Child’s Application?
For a child, at least one referee should normally be someone who has dealt with the child in a professional capacity. Examples include a teacher, doctor, health visitor, social worker or minister of religion.
If no such person can be found and you can show you tried, the Home Office can accept two referees who meet the adult criteria. The three-year acquaintance rule applies to adult applicants only.
How Do You Choose Suitable Referees?
Start with the rule that is hardest to meet and work backwards. To identify suitable referees, begin with someone who holds a British citizen passport and has known you personally for at least 3 years.
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List people who have known you for 3 years or more and are not related to you.
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Identify which of them is a British passport holder and is over 25 or a professional person.
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Identify one referee who is clearly a professional person from the accepted list, such as a personnel officer, civil servant or social worker.
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Check that the two are not related to each other and that neither is employed by the Home Office.
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Ask each person about any conviction in the last 10 years.
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Confirm their details are accurate and consistent before you complete the form.
Choose referees who will remain contactable. If the Home Office cannot reach a referee, it may ask you for a replacement referee, which can delay your application. Tell each referee in advance that the Home Office may contact them.
What Mistakes Cause Referee Problems?
Most referee problems come from small oversights, not serious issues. These are the ones we see most often:
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Assuming any British person qualifies: the referee must also be a professional person or over 25.
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Missing the three-year rule: a respectable job title does not replace personal knowledge of you over time.
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Using related referees: two people related to each other cannot both act, even if neither is related to you.
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Asking your adviser to sign: anyone representing you on the application is excluded.
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Giving false information: inaccurate referee details or declarations can lead to refusal and can have wider consequences for you and the referee.
If you are unsure whether a referee qualifies, resolve it before you submit, not after. Our guide to British citizenship by naturalisation explains how referees fit alongside residence, good character, the Life in the UK test and English language requirements, and sets out all the eligibility requirements in one place.
If a citizenship application is refused and you believe the decision was wrong, our overview of immigration appeal strategy and evidence sets out the options.
How Axis Solicitors Can Help You Choose and Check Your Referees
Axis Solicitors is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA No. 653526), with offices in Manchester, Birmingham and London. We are an independent law firm, not affiliated with UKVI or any government body. Our team can support you with the following.
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British Citizenship: we review your eligibility, check your referee choices against the current guidance and prepare your application and supporting evidence.
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Immigration Appeals: if an application is refused, we can assess the decision and advise on whether a challenge is possible.
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Indefinite Leave to Remain: if you have not yet settled, we can check your eligibility and guide you on indefinite leave to remain before you plan for citizenship.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many referees do I need for British citizenship?
You need two referees for an adult application. Both must have known you personally for at least 3 years, and one must be a professional person.
Can a family member be my referee?
No. A referee cannot be related to you, and the two referees cannot be related to each other.
Do both referees need a British passport?
No. Only one referee needs a British citizen passport. The professional referee can be of any nationality.
Can my solicitor act as a referee?
Not if they are representing you on the application. A solicitor who is not acting for you can qualify as a professional person if they have known you personally for at least 3 years.
Can someone with a criminal record be my referee?
Usually not if they were convicted of an imprisonable offence in the last 10 years and the conviction is unspent. Spent convictions are treated differently under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
What if I do not know anyone who meets the requirements?
Think broadly about teachers, colleagues, employers and long-standing friends. If you apply from abroad, the Home Office may accept a Commonwealth citizen or a local professional in some circumstances.
Speak to a Solicitor About Your Citizenship Application
If you are unsure whether your chosen referees meet the rules, our British citizenship service can review them and your wider eligibility before you apply. If an earlier application has been refused, our immigration appeals service can advise on the next step.
To discuss your situation, speak to a solicitor at Axis Solicitors through our contact page.
