Referee for British Citizenship: Requirements Explained

Section A: What is a Referee for British Citizenship?

A referee for British citizenship is someone who confirms your identity and gives the Home Office a degree of assurance about who you are as part of your naturalisation application.

Their role sounds like a straightforward tick-box exercise, but it carries weight. Every applicant has to provide two referees and both have to meet specific eligibility rules. Those rules are stricter than many people expect, and caseworkers will look closely at whether each referee genuinely qualifies and has known you for long enough. Errors here do not always lead to refusal, but they can slow your application down or force you to supply replacements at a later stage. Problems usually arise where people assume a colleague, neighbour or family friend will be acceptable without checking the full criteria. The sections that follow explain the rules in detail and highlight the areas that typically cause delay or further Home Office enquiries.

1. Naturalisation vs Registration Referee Rules

Both naturalisation and registration applications require referees, but the Home Office applies the rules slightly differently depending on whether the applicant is an adult or a child.

Every adult naturalisation application requires two referees. One has to be a British citizen who holds a British passport and is either a professional person or over 25. The second has to be a professional person who can be of any nationality. Both must have known the applicant for at least three years and meet the usual restrictions.

Most registration applications also require two referees, but there is an additional rule for children. At least one referee for a child has to be someone who has worked with the child in a professional capacity at some stage, for example a teacher, doctor, health visitor or social worker. The second usually has to be a British citizen passport holder who is either a professional person or over 25. If no suitable professional who knows the child is available, the Home Office can accept two referees who meet the adult criteria, provided the parent can show they made reasonable attempts to find a child-focused referee.

For adults registering based on entitlement (such as certain historic status routes), the referee rules typically follow the same structure as the adult naturalisation criteria.

In summary, referees are required for all British citizenship applications, but the type of referee needed varies depending on whether the applicant is a child or an adult, and whether the application is made under naturalisation or registration routes.

2. Referees for children applying for British citizenship

If the application for citizenship is for a child, at least one of the British citizenship referees must be a person who has engaged with the child at some stage within a professional capacity. This could be, for example, someone working as either a teacher, doctor, health visitor, social worker or minister of religion. The other referee must normally be the holder of a British citizen passport ‘and’ either a professional person or over the age of 25.

Where a child applicant cannot provide a referee who has dealt with them in a professional role, and has provided documentation to show that they have attempted to do so, UKVI may instead accept two referees who meet the criteria for referees on adult applications.

Section B: British Citizenship Referee Requirements

There are various requirements that must be met when applying to become a British citizen. This includes showing that you have been continuously resident in the UK for the required period, pass the Life in the UK test, prove your English language ability, prove you are of good character, and provide the names of two people who can help prove your identity, and these are known as your ‘referees’.

All applicants who wish to apply for British citizenship are required to provide two referees to verify their identity. It is therefore vital you know what you are going to need from them at the outset before making your application.

It is also important to note that not everyone can be a referee for your citizenship application. Your proposed referee must meet the Home Office criteria, so it is essential you know who is eligible to avoid any issues arising once your application is submitted.

The referees should be people who know you and can help prove you are who you say you are.

Referees have to be adults aged 18 or over and each one has to know you personally and have known you for at least three years. At least one referee has to be a professional person. The other referee needs to be a British citizen who holds a British passport and is either a professional person or over the age of 25. The professional referee can be of any nationality, provided they are of recognised professional standing, for example a solicitor, accountant, teacher, director of a VAT registered company or another accepted profession listed in the nationality guidance. Neither referee can be related to you or to each other, act as your legal representative on the application or be employed by the Home Office. The Home Office will also not usually accept a referee who has been convicted of an imprisonable offence in the last ten years where the conviction is not yet spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

Section C: Who Can be a Referee for British Citizenship?

There are certain referee eligibility requirements that must be met, where the referee will be required to complete the relevant section of the application form declaring that they are qualified to act as a referee and that the photograph you have provided in support of your application is a true likeness of you.

1. Who can act as a Referee for British Citizenship?

For both references, the referee must have known you for at least three years.

At least one referee has to be a professional person. The list of the government’s accepted professions is lengthy and can be found on the gov.uk website. Eligible professions include (but are not limited to): accountant, barrister, chemist, councillor (local or county), dentist, director of a VAT registered company, journalist, member of parliament, optician, police officer, social worker, solicitor or trade union official. This professional referee can be of any nationality and does not need to be a British citizen in order to be eligible to give you a reference for your application.

The requirements for the second referee differ slightly in that they must be a British citizen who holds a British passport and is either a professional person or over 25 years of age.

• be related to you
• be related to the other referee
• be your legal representative or your agent representing you in this application
• be employed by the UK’s Home Office
• have been convicted of an imprisonable offence during the last 10 years for which the sentence is not classed as spent under the UK’s Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974

If you are currently living outside of the UK and do not know a British citizen who is qualified to act as one of your referees, the Home Office can accept a Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the country in which you are residing as one of your referees. They need to have professional standing in that country, have known you for at least three years and be acceptable to the British Consul dealing with your application.

If you want to avoid jeopardising or delaying your application, you should ensure your referees meet these requirements.

2. Who cannot be a British Citizenship Referee?

The referee cannot be related to the applicant or the second referee, represent the applicant on the application, be employed by the Home Office or have been convicted of an imprisonable offence in the last ten years for which the sentence has not been spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The referee should also advise the Home Office of any reason why they believe the applicant should not be registered as a British citizen.

If it becomes clear that a referee does not meet the necessary requirements, the Home Office will expect the applicant to find a suitable referee who meets them. This will delay your application, so in order to avoid any additional wait, you should make sure you only include those who are eligible.

3. Can a retired person be a referee for British citizenship?

Because only one of the referees needs to be of professional standing, the second referee can be any British citizen over the age of 25, so a retiree would be suitable. In some cases a retired person may also still count as a professional referee if they remain on the register of their professional body or hold a recognised professional status. The guidance does not turn on whether they are currently working, but on whether they are of accepted professional standing and otherwise eligible.

Section D: What does a British Citizenship Referee have to do?

When completing the application form for British citizenship, whether by registration or naturalisation, the applicant will need to provide a recent passport-size photograph and upload this (if applying online) or affix this to the form (if applying by post) before asking each of the two referees to complete their declaration to prove the applicant’s identity.

Referees are required to provide the Home Office with particular information about themselves and sign a declaration. A referee must provide the following information:

• Their full name
• Addresses for the last three years
• Date of birth
• Profession
• Telephone number
• Email address
• British passport number (if they are a British passport holder)
• Details about how they know the applicant

You can then upload the signed declarations as part of your online application. The Home Office will check the referees’ details and may contact them directly if there is anything they want to clarify.

Each referee will be required to sign a declaration stating that the photograph is a true likeness of you. They will also be required to declare that they are qualified to act as a referee, plus each of the following statements:

• that they are not your relative
• that they are not a solicitor or agent representing you on this application
• that they are not related to the other referee
• that they are not employed by the Home Office
• that they have not been convicted of an imprisonable offence during the last 10 years
• that they have known you personally for more than 3 years
• that they are willing to give full details of their knowledge of you
• that they will advise UKVI of any reason why you should not be registered or naturalised.

Each of your referees should first read the nationality forms guidance to confirm that they are eligible to act as a British citizenship referee. This can be found at GOV.UK.

Having made the various relevant declarations, each referee will then need to describe in a short statement how they know you, together with their age and profession. They will also be required to provide their full name, gender and their current address. If they have been at this address for a period of less than 3 years, the minimum time for which they must have known you to be able to act as your referee, they will need to provide their previous address. Finally, each referee must provide their telephone number, email address and current passport number, before signing and dating their declaration.

Importantly, the section above their signature will state: “I understand that I may be liable for prosecution resulting in a penalty of up to 3 months imprisonment or a fine not exceeding £5000 or both if I knowingly or recklessly make a false declaration.”

In relation to your photograph, where each of your British citizenship referees are endorsing that this is a true likeness of you, this must show the whole of the front of your face in reasonable light. It must not show your face wholly or partly concealed by your hair, although beards, sideburns and moustaches are permissible, or by either a scarf or traditional dress. It must also not show you wearing dark glasses or a hat, hood or cap.

Section E: Issues with your British Citizenship Referees?

Having submitted your application to register or naturalise as a British citizen, together with endorsements from your British citizenship referees, your application will be referred to a UKVI caseworker. At this stage, various checks will be carried out to ensure that both of your referees meet the relevant requirements and that their signatures are genuine, where UKVI may contact each of the referees as part of their enquiries in this respect.

Following these checks and any further enquiries, if it is clear from the information provided that one or both referees do not meet the relevant British citizenship referee requirements, you will be asked by UKVI to provide a different referee. As such, this type of mistake is not necessarily fatal to your application, although providing references from unsuitable referees could delay any citizenship decision by your caseworker.

There are a number of reasons as to why a referee may not be deemed suitable. This could be because you have failed to provide endorsements from people suitably qualified to act for you, for example, at least one person who is a professional and one other who holds a British passport and is either a professional or over 25. It could also be that one or both referees have unspent convictions, where UKVI will not usually accept a British citizenship referee who has been convicted of an imprisonable offence during the last 10 years.

Importantly, both you and any British citizenship referees acting for you should bear in mind when either applying for citizenship or endorsing a citizenship applicant, that it is a criminal offence to provide false information knowingly or recklessly in a citizenship application. Under section 46(1) of the British Nationality Act 1981, this offence is punishable with up to 3 months imprisonment and/or a fine of up to £5,000. As such, when completing the application or endorsement, or if contacted by an UKVI caseworker about the application, it is imperative to respond honestly and accurately to all questions.

Even if your application for British citizenship is successful, your certificate of citizenship may be withdrawn if it is found to have been obtained by fraud, false representation or concealment of any material fact, including false references.

Section F: British Citizenship Requirements

There are different ways to apply for British citizenship, including registration and naturalisation.

You may be eligible to apply to either register or naturalise as a British citizen, for example:

• if you were born in the UK and are not automatically classed as a British citizen
• if you are married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, provided you have lived in the UK for the last 3 years and have indefinite leave to remain or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, where you can apply for citizenship immediately
• if you have indefinite leave to remain, where you can usually apply for this after you have lived in the UK for a period of 5 years, although to apply for citizenship with indefinite leave you must usually have lived in the UK for 12 months after getting it
• if you have settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, where to apply for citizenship with settled status you must again usually have lived in the UK for 12 months afterwards.

An application for British citizenship made on the basis of any one of these or any other applicable reason must be made to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), the department of the Home Office that deals with the decision-making both for visa applications and British citizenship. Having submitted the relevant paperwork, including endorsements from your two British citizenship referees, the matter will be referred to an UKVI caseworker.

1. Proving how long you have lived in the UK

This is called the “residency requirement”. You will need to prove your residency even if you have done so before when you previously applied for settled status. The length of time you are required to prove depends on your situation. You should calculate exactly when you were in the UK during the last three years if you are married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, or five years if you are not married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen.

You will also need to ensure you were in the UK on the same day, either three or five years before corresponding with the day you make the application.

You can be out of the UK for up to 90 days in the year before you apply. If you have been out of the country for longer, you could delay applying until you satisfy the time limits.

The Home Office now focuses on whether you were lawfully in the UK for the relevant qualifying period, rather than on whether you were always working or meeting previous “right to reside” tests. If you held valid leave or status under the EU Settlement Scheme during the period you are relying on, that will usually satisfy the lawful residence requirement, although issues such as immigration breaches or long absences can still cause problems.

2. Passing the Life in the UK test

Before applying for British citizenship you must pass the Life in the UK test. The test asks questions about UK laws, the legal system, working and other details of life in the UK. You can take the test any time before you apply.

You do not need to take the test if you have already passed it (for example; you passed the test when you applied for indefinite leave to remain) or if you are under the age of 18 or over the age of 65.

If you have a long-term physical or mental health condition that means you cannot reasonably be expected to prepare for or pass the test, the Home Office can agree to waive the requirement at any age. In practice, this often affects applicants in their 60s, but it depends on the medical evidence rather than age alone. You will need medical evidence from your GP or consultant confirming your condition and explaining why it makes passing the test unrealistic.

If you have either a physical or mental health condition that prevents you passing the test, you might not have to take it, but you will need your GP to confirm your condition is unlikely to change, and it makes it impossible for you to pass the test because of the condition you have. For example, a learning disability or brain injury that prevents you remembering things.

The test can be taken as many times as is needed to pass it, but a fee is payable each time. The current fee for the Life in the UK test is £50. Official preparation materials, including the handbook and practice app, are sold separately.

There is an official handbook which you can buy, and you can also download an app to practise — search for the official Life in the UK Test by TSO.

You must score at least 75% to pass. The test lasts 45 minutes and there are 24 questions to answer. There are over 30 test centres in the UK and you can choose the one closest to you when you book.

3. Proving you understand English

You will not be required to prove you understand English if you are from an exempt country; you have a degree that was taught or researched in English or if you are under the age of 18 or over the age of 65.

The same rules apply as passing the Life in the UK test detailed above for those who are aged between 60 and 64 and can show they are unlikely to be able to learn English before they reach the age of 65. Or you have a physical or mental health condition that prevents you from passing the test, again this must be confirmed by your GP.

If you have to take the test you will need to pass both a listening and speaking element at an approved centre. Fees are set by each provider but in practice the test usually costs between £150 and £170. For most immigration routes, English test results are treated as valid for two years. For naturalisation, an older test can sometimes be reused if it was accepted in a previous successful UKVI application and the test and provider are still approved, so you should check the current Home Office requirements.

4. Being of good character

Before you can apply for British citizenship, you will need to prove you are of good character. The Home Office may decide you are not eligible if you have any unpaid UK taxes, an NHS debt, been declared bankrupt or have a serious or recent criminal record, broken any immigration rules in the last ten years, or have spent time in the UK without lawful immigration status, including periods before you were granted leave or status under the EU Settlement Scheme if you are an EEA national.

It is essential you are honest within your application and include everything that is relevant. This might include things such as a criminal conviction or previously overstaying a visa. If the Home Office subsequently finds you have left something out of your application, they may refuse to accept it.

If you think you may have problems proving you are a person of good character, it might be a sensible move to contact an adviser who specialises in such matters before you apply.

Section G: Summary

Referees play a significant part in a citizenship application because they help the Home Office verify your identity and assess whether there is anything about your background that needs closer attention. Every applicant has to provide two referees who meet strict eligibility rules, and caseworkers will check those details carefully. Problems usually arise where someone assumes a friend or colleague qualifies without confirming the criteria, or where the referee has not known the applicant for long enough. Incorrect or unsuitable referees can lead to delays, requests for new referees or, in some cases, the application being treated as invalid. Getting this right at the outset reduces the scope for further enquiries later in the process and avoids unnecessary disruption to your timeline.

Section H: Need Assistance?

DavidsonMorris are experienced UK nationality and immigration law specialists. We advise and support individuals making a Home Office nationality application, including naturalisation applications to change status to British citizenship. For professional guidance and help with your UK citizenship application, contact us.

Section I: Referee for British Citizenship FAQs

Who can act as a referee for British citizenship?

Referees must be adults aged 18 or over who have known you personally for at least three years. One referee has to be a British citizen who holds a British passport and is either a professional person or over the age of 25. The second referee has to be a professional person and can be of any nationality. Neither referee can be related to you or to each other, act as your legal representative on the application or be employed by the Home Office. UKVI will also not usually accept a referee who has an unspent conviction for an imprisonable offence within the last ten years.

What does a referee need to do?

Each referee has to complete and sign the Home Office declaration confirming they are eligible to act as a referee, that they have known you for the required period and that the photograph provided with your application is a true likeness. They must also provide their full contact details, recent address history, profession, date of birth, passport number if they hold a British passport, and a brief explanation of how they know you. Their declaration forms part of the application and the details they provide may be checked by a caseworker.

Can a family member be a referee?

Referees cannot be related to you in any way. This includes spouses, partners, parents, children, siblings, in-laws and extended family. They also cannot be related to each other.

Can my employer or colleague act as a referee?

Yes, provided they meet the general eligibility requirements. A colleague or employer can often fall within the list of accepted professions, but they must have known you for at least three years and must not be acting as your representative on the application.

Do referees need to sign the declaration in person?

The declaration does not have to be signed in your presence. Many applicants email the form or send it by post and ask the referee to return a signed copy. What matters is that the referee is satisfied the information is correct and that the photograph is an accurate likeness.

Will the Home Office contact my referees?

They can. Caseworkers may contact referees if they need to check the details provided or if anything in the declarations requires clarification. This can include questions about how the referee knows you, whether they remain satisfied the photograph is a true likeness and whether they are aware of any reason why you should not be granted citizenship. Referees therefore need to be willing and able to respond if contacted.

What happens if a referee does not meet the requirements?

If a referee is found to be unsuitable, UKVI will normally ask you to provide a replacement. This avoids refusal, but it delays the application and can lead to further checks while the caseworker reviews the new information. If you cannot provide two suitable referees when asked, the application may be treated as invalid.

Is there a time limit for referee signatures?

There is no set expiry period for a referee’s declaration, but the Home Office expects the signatures to be reasonably recent. If your application is submitted long after your referees have signed their statements, the caseworker may ask you to obtain updated declarations.

Can a retired person be a referee?

A retired person can act as the second referee if they are a British citizen over the age of 25 and meet the other general criteria. A retired person may also still qualify as a professional referee if they remain on their professional register or hold recognised professional status, but this depends on the individual circumstances.

What if I live overseas and do not know an eligible British referee?

If you are applying from abroad and cannot provide a suitable British citizen referee, the Home Office can accept a Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of your country of residence as one of your referees. They must be of professional standing, have known you personally for at least three years and be acceptable to the British Consul handling the application.

Can problems with my referees lead to refusal?

Referee issues usually lead to delay rather than refusal because UKVI will ordinarily give you the chance to provide replacements. However, if you fail to respond to a request for new referees, or if the issues raise wider concerns about the credibility of your application, the case can be treated as invalid or refused. Caseworkers also take false or misleading referee declarations seriously, which can lead to refusal and criminal penalties where the information was knowingly incorrect.

Section J: Glossary

Section K: Additional Resources & Links