Citizenship Referees: Who Can Be Your Referee
Every British citizenship application requires two referees who can vouch for your identity and character. Choosing the right referees and ensuring they understand their role is important for a smooth application. This guide explains the requirements in detail.
- Section
- British Citizenship
- Reading time
- 8 min
- Last checked
- 3 September 2026
- Source
- The published Immigration Rules and GOV.UK guidance, linked throughout this guide.
- Rowan does not
- Look at your own case, tell you which route to choose, or say what the Home Office will decide. This guide shows the published rules and where to read them.
In short
- You need two referees: one professional person and one British citizen passport holder who is a professional or over 25.
- Both must have known you for 3+ years; the professional referee can be of any nationality.
- Referees cannot be family members or your immigration adviser.
- The Home Office may contact referees to verify their statements.
You need two referees for your citizenship application: one professional person (of any nationality) and one holder of a British citizen passport who is either a professional person or over 25. They must have known you for at least 3 years and cannot be family members. This guide covers who qualifies, what they need to do, and common mistakes.
The Two Referee Requirement
The Home Office requires two referees for every citizenship application. These referees serve as independent verification of your identity and character. The requirements for each referee differ slightly.
The referee requirement is set out in the GOV.UK naturalisation guidance (Guide AN).
Referee 1: The Professional Person
Your first referee must be a professional person. This means someone who works in a recognised profession or holds a recognised position. Examples include:
- Doctors, dentists, and nurses
- Teachers and lecturers
- Solicitors and barristers (but not your own immigration adviser)
- Accountants
- Civil servants
- Police officers
- Bank or building society officers
- Members of Parliament
- Ministers of religion
- Social workers
This referee can be of any nationality, but must have known you personally for at least 3 years.
Referee 2: British Citizen Passport Holder
Your second referee does not need to be a professional, but they must:
- Hold a British citizen passport
- Be over 25 years of age (or be a professional person)
- Have known you personally for at least 3 years
- Not be related to you by birth or marriage
- Not be related to your other referee
- Not be your solicitor or immigration adviser
- Not be employed by the Home Office
- Not have been convicted of an imprisonable offence in the last 10 years (the Home Office will not usually accept such a referee)
This could be a friend, colleague, neighbour, or community member who knows you well and can vouch for your character.
What Referees Need to Do
Your referees will need to:
- Sign a declaration on your application form (or a separate referee form) confirming your identity, that you are of good character, and that the details in your application are correct to the best of their knowledge
- Provide their personal details including full name, date of birth, passport number, profession, and contact information
- Be available for verification. The Home Office may contact them by phone, email, or letter to verify their statements. This is not guaranteed but referees should be prepared for it
Referees do not need to attend an interview or provide written references. The declaration on the form is usually sufficient.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Referee issues are one of the most common causes of delays in citizenship applications. Avoid these mistakes:
- Using a family member. No matter how well they know you, family members are not eligible
- Using someone who has not known you for 3 years. The Home Office checks this carefully
- Using two referees who do not hold a British citizen passport. EU settled status, an Irish passport or a permanent residence card do not count for this purpose. At least one referee must hold an actual British citizen passport
- Not briefing your referees. Make sure they know they may be contacted and understand what they are confirming
- Using your immigration adviser. Even if they hold a British passport, they cannot be your referee. The same applies to anyone employed by the Home Office
Finding Suitable Referees
Many applicants struggle to find referees who meet all the requirements. Here are some suggestions:
- Your GP or doctor: If you have been registered with the same GP for 3 or more years, they are an ideal professional referee
- Your manager or employer: If they have known you for 3+ years (and, for the second referee, hold a British citizen passport)
- A teacher or lecturer: Particularly if you studied in the UK
- A colleague or friend: For the second referee, anyone who meets the requirements
- A community or religious leader: If you are part of a religious community or community group
If a Referee Is Contacted
The Home Office may contact your referees to verify their statements. This usually happens by phone or letter. They may be asked:
- How they know you and how long they have known you
- Whether they can confirm your identity
- Whether they believe you are of good character
- Whether the information on the form is correct
It is important that your referees answer honestly and consistently with what is on the application. Brief them before you submit your application so they are not surprised by a call from the Home Office.
Changing Referees After Submission
If a referee becomes unavailable after you submit your application (for example, they move abroad, become seriously ill, or cannot be contacted), you should inform the Home Office as soon as possible and provide an alternative referee. This will cause some delay but is better than having a referee who cannot be verified.
To minimise this risk, choose referees who are likely to remain contactable throughout the processing period.
Further Resources
For full citizenship requirements, visit GOV.UK. See our guides on how to apply for British citizenship, citizenship requirements, the ceremony, applying for a passport, residence calculator, English requirement, and voting rights.
You may also find our Home Office Contact Guide andDIY vs Solicitor helpful.
Questions and answers
Who can be a referee for a citizenship application?
You need two referees. One must be a professional person (such as a doctor, teacher, solicitor, or civil servant) and can be of any nationality. The other must hold a British citizen passport and be either a professional person or over the age of 25. Both must have known you for at least 3 years. Neither referee can be related to you, related to the other referee, employed by the Home Office, or be your solicitor or immigration adviser.
Can a friend be my citizenship referee?
Yes, one of your two referees can be a friend, provided they hold a British citizen passport, are over the age of 25 (or are a professional person), and have known you for at least 3 years. The other referee must be a professional person. Your friend must not be a family member or related to you by marriage.
What do referees have to do?
Referees sign a declaration on your application form confirming your identity, that you are of good character, and that the information in your application is correct to the best of their knowledge. The Home Office may contact them to verify their statements. They do not need to attend an interview.
Can my referee live outside the UK?
Ideally, your referees should be UK-based, as the Home Office may need to contact them. However, there is no strict requirement that they live in the UK, provided they meet the published conditions (one holding a British citizen passport, the other a professional person of any nationality) and can be reached for verification. A UK-based referee is strongly preferred.
This guide is general information about published immigration rules. It is not advice about an individual application under s.82 Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, and Rowan is not regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority. Immigration rules change several times a year. For advice on a particular situation, contact an adviser authorised by the Immigration Advice Authority or an immigration solicitor. Always check GOV.UK for the authoritative current rules.