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A1.15 Citizenship Referees

British Citizenship Referees – September 2025 Update

Official referee form:
https://visas-immigration.service.gov.uk/documents/1st_Referee_Declaration_MN1.pdf

 

Requirements for Referees

British citizenship applications generally require two referees:

  1. Referee 1:

Ø  May be of any nationality

Ø  Must be a professional person (e.g., minister of religion, civil servant, accountant, lawyer – but not the lawyer representing you in this application)

  1. Referee 2:

Ø  Must hold a British passport

Ø  Must be either a professional person OR aged 25 or above

  1. For child applicants:

Ø  One referee must be a professional who has engaged with the child professionally (e.g., teacher, social worker, minister of religion)

 

Key Rules

  • Both referees must have known you for at least 3 years

  • Referees cannot be:

Ø  Your relative

Ø  Related to the other referee

Ø  Your lawyer or agent in this application

Ø  A Home Office employee

  • Persons with unspent criminal convictions from      the past 10 years cannot serve as referees

  • The Home Office verifies referees'      credentials, criminal records, and signatures

  • Providing false information intentionally may result in:

Ø  Up to £5,000 fine

Ø  Up to 3 months imprisonment

Ø  Or both

 

Common Questions

Q: Can a British professional living abroad be a referee?
A: Yes – British professionals qualify regardless of residence location, provided they meet all other requirements. For child applications, referees are assessed with reasonable flexibility once core criteria are met.

 

Accepted Professional Occupations

  • Accountant

  • Airline pilot

  • Articled clerk of limited company

  • Assurance agent of recognised company

  • Bank/building society official

  • Barrister

  • Chairman/director of limited company

  • Chiropodist

  • Commissioner for Oaths

  • Councillor (local or county)

  • Civil servant (permanent)

  • Dentist

  • Director/manager/personnel officer of VAT-registered company

  • Engineer (with professional qualifications)

  • Financial services intermediary (e.g., stockbroker, insurance      broker)

  • Fire service officer

  • Funeral director

  • Insurance agent (full-time with recognised company)

  • Journalist

  • Justice of the Peace

  • Legal secretary (fellow/member/associate of Institute of Legal      Secretaries and Administrators)

  • Licensee of public house

  • Local government officer

  • Manager/personnel officer of limited company

  • Member/associate/fellow of professional body

  • MP

  • Merchant navy officer

  • Minister of recognised religion (including Christian Scientist)

  • Nurse (RGN/RMN)

  • Officer of armed forces

  • Optician

  • Paralegal (certified/qualified paralegal or associate member of      Paralegal Association)

  • Person with honours (e.g., OBE/MBE)

  • Pharmacist

  • Photographer (professional)

  • Police officer

  • Post Office official

  • President/secretary of recognised organisation

  • Salvation Army officer

  • Social worker

  • Solicitor

  • Surveyor

  • Teacher/lecturer

  • Trade union officer

  • Travel agent (qualified)

  • Valuer/auctioneer (member/associate of recognised association)

  • Warrant officer/chief petty officer

Official list: https://www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications/accepted-occupations-for-countersignatories