What is a citizenship referee?

A citizenship referee is a person who endorses an application for British citizenship by confirming they know the applicant and helping to prove their identity. Each application needs two referees. They must meet rules on profession, nationality, how long they have known the applicant and their relationship to the applicant and to each other.

How citizenship referees work

An application for British citizenship must be endorsed by 2 referees. When you complete the application form, you give the details of 2 referees who know you and can help prove your identity.^{[1]Home Office, Form AN: guidance (accessible)} The nationality forms guide, which covers paper applications, says the same.^{[2]Home Office, Nationality forms guide (accessible version)} See Form AN for naturalisation and Form MN1 for a child.

On the paper Form AN, the referees’ section is part 5, headed referees and identity. You stick a passport-size photograph in the form. Your referees then fill in their part. Each declares that they are qualified to act, that the photograph is a true likeness of you and that the details on page 3 of the form are correct to the best of their knowledge.^{[4]Home Office, Form AN: application for naturalisation as a British citizen (version 03/26)}

The Home Office may check. The AN guide says checks may be carried out to confirm that the referees do not have unspent convictions, are qualified to act and that their signatures are genuine.^{[1]Home Office, Form AN: guidance (accessible)}

Who can be a referee

The AN guide lists examples of a professional person. They include a minister of religion, a civil servant, or a member of a professional body such as an accountant or a solicitor. A solicitor who is representing you in the application cannot be a referee.^{[1]Home Office, Form AN: guidance (accessible)}

Each referee must not be related to you, related to the other referee, your solicitor or agent representing you with the application, or employed by the Home Office. The AN guide says the Home Office will not usually accept a referee who has been convicted of an imprisonable offence during the last 10 years.^{[1]Home Office, Form AN: guidance (accessible)} The nationality forms guide for paper applications says it will not accept such a referee.^{[2]Home Office, Nationality forms guide (accessible version)}

The paper form asks each referee to declare these points. They are not a relative, solicitor or agent of the applicant. They are not employed by the Home Office. They have not been convicted of an imprisonable offence in the last 10 years. They have known the applicant personally for more than 3 years. They are willing to give full details of their knowledge of the applicant. They will advise the Home Office of any reason why the applicant should not be naturalised.^{[4]Home Office, Form AN: application for naturalisation as a British citizen (version 03/26)}

Referees for children and for applicants abroad

For a child’s application, the MN1 guide says at least one referee must be a person who has dealt with the child in a professional role, such as a teacher, doctor, health visitor or social worker. If the child cannot provide a referee who has dealt with them professionally and has documents to show they tried, two referees who meet the adult criteria can be accepted.^{[3]Home Office, Form MN1: guidance (accessible version)}

If you or the child live abroad and do not know a British citizen qualified to act, the nationality forms guide says a Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the country where you live may complete and sign the form. They must have professional standing in that country and have known you for 3 years. The Consul must consider their signature acceptable.^{[2]Home Office, Nationality forms guide (accessible version)}

The offence of false information

A referee who gives false information knowingly or recklessly commits a criminal offence. The AN guide says it is punishable with up to 3 months in prison or a fine not exceeding £5,000 or both, under section 46(1) of the British Nationality Act 1981.^{[1]Home Office, Form AN: guidance (accessible)} The paper form repeats this warning in each referee’s declaration.^{[4]Home Office, Form AN: application for naturalisation as a British citizen (version 03/26)}

Example

Hana is applying to naturalise. She asks her accountant Peter to be her first referee. He is a member of a professional body and has known her for 5 years. For her second referee she asks her neighbour Joan, who is 52, has a British citizen passport and has known Hana for 4 years.

Hana cannot use her cousin, because a referee must not be related to her. She cannot use the solicitor who is handling her application, because that solicitor represents her.^{[1]Home Office, Form AN: guidance (accessible)} Peter and Joan each complete their part of the form and sign.^{[4]Home Office, Form AN: application for naturalisation as a British citizen (version 03/26)}

What people get wrong

Many applicants ask a relative or the adviser handling the application to be a referee. Neither is allowed. A referee must not be related to you or be the solicitor or agent acting for you.

The AN guide also says each referee must have known you for at least 3 years.^{[1]Home Office, Form AN: guidance (accessible)} A second mistake is to choose someone with a recent criminal record. The Home Office will not usually accept a referee who has been convicted of an imprisonable offence in the last 10 years.^{[1]Home Office, Form AN: guidance (accessible)} Check each referee against the list before you send the form.

The bottom line

A citizenship referee is a person who endorses your application and helps prove who you are. You need 2, they must meet the rules on standing, nationality, time known and relationship, and a false declaration is a criminal offence. Choose referees early, and check each one against the list in the guide before you apply. See British citizenship by naturalisation for how Compass can help.