Applicants who are submitting applications for British citizenship must provide 2 referees to establish your identity.

The referees must be people you know for over 3 years.

One referee can be holder of a British passport holder and the other referee must be a professional person over the age of 25. Eligible professionals include, but are not limited to: accountant, barrister, chemist, dentist, police officer, social worker and many more. A list of acceptable professions are shown below:

• 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
• 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

Although your referees must have known you for 3 years, they must not be related to you or to the other referee; must not be your representative; must not be employed by the Home Office and must not have a criminal conviction unless a certain time period has lapsed.

For applicants who are under the age of 18, referees can anyone who they have dealt with such as teachers, doctors and social workers. If the above did not accept being a referee, you can provide evidence showing that you have attempted to do so and provide referees that are on the adult applications.

If you require support with your British citizenship application or any aspect of other immigration matters, please contact Sincere Immigration on 020 3877 0007.

SINCERE IMMIGRATION