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Topic: Citizenship form- list of professional persons/ referees  (Read 13439 times)

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Citizenship form- list of professional persons/ referees
« on: January 03, 2013, 05:19:15 PM »
Hey there,

I am just about to submit my citizenship form & am having the night before doubts. Can anyone please give an opinion on whether Im ok with my referees?
For my first I used a professional Photographer & my second a Designated Premises Supervisor (Publican)- both of whom are on the list of professional people accepted. Every time I read the guidance on the form though I become unsure of myself (even though my professional people are covered in the list):

Your application must include details of two referees. The referees should have known you personally for at least three years. One referee should be a person of any nationality who is of professional standing such as a minister of religion, civil servant or a member of a professional association such as an accountant or a solicitor. See the list of Acceptable professional persons. The other referee must be a holder of a British citizen passport and either a professional person or aged 25 years or over.

So any insight would be appreciated, I cannot wait until this is over, even though its so less stressful than everything else it just still gets me down! Thanks!
Michelle
A pleasant deportation to citizenship!


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Re: Citizenship form- list of professional persons/ referees
« Reply #1 on: January 03, 2013, 05:34:48 PM »
I think that many of us have had some serious moments of second guessing anxiety induced by UKBA forms and procedures. So you aren't alone.

You only need one professional person and you have two. They are both on the list of accepted professions.

I don't think you have anything to worry about.

That said, if the anxiety won't go away perhaps you should use the Nationality Checking Service?

Quote
The nationality checking service is provided by local authorities (for example your county council or city council). A local authority can accept and forward your application to us.  They will ensure that your form is correctly completed, and they will copy your documents and return them to you. They will ensure that your application is validly submitted and that the unwaivable requirements for citizenship are met. However, they will not give you nationality advice.


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Re: Citizenship form- list of professional persons/ referees
« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2013, 05:39:25 PM »
Thank you & I actually did decide to go with them this time, even though we submitted everything else on our own. I think I got it in my head that everything had to be totally correct before even getting to them.... Im so used to be it being so mega, if you know what I mean...
THANK YOU for responding, I needed that.....its the "over reading" that really screws with ones head!
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Re: Citizenship form- list of professional persons/ referees
« Reply #3 on: January 03, 2013, 06:05:46 PM »
Just out of curiosity (I'm still a few years away from citizenship, but starting to think about who to use as my referees now)..... can the applicant's spouse be a referee for a citizenship application?
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Re: Citizenship form- list of professional persons/ referees
« Reply #4 on: January 03, 2013, 06:06:52 PM »
Just out of curiosity (I'm still a few years away from citizenship, but starting to think about who to use as my referees now)..... can the applicant's spouse be a referee for a citizenship application?

No.  You can't use any family members.
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Re: Citizenship form- list of professional persons/ referees
« Reply #5 on: January 03, 2013, 06:26:58 PM »
Just out of curiosity (I'm still a few years away from citizenship, but starting to think about who to use as my referees now)..... can the applicant's spouse be a referee for a citizenship application?

Some more information about suitable referees:

Quote
Each referee must have known you personally for at least 3 years. One referee should be a person of professional standing, such as a doctor, a minister of religion, civil servant or a member of a professional body eg accountant or solicitor (but not representing you with this application). The other must be the holder of a current British citizen passport. Each should be:

aged 25 years or over
not related to you
not related to the other referee
not your solicitor or agent representing you with this application
not employed by the Home Office
We will not accept a referee who has been convicted of an imprisonable offence during the last 10 years and the sentence has not become spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974...

We will not accept a referee who is or appears to be your relative.

Checks will be carried out to ensure that the referees do not have unspent convictions ... and that the referee holding a British passport is qualified to act for you and that their signature is genuine. It is a criminal offence to provide false information knowingly or recklessly punishable with up to 3 months imprisonment or by a fine not exceeding £5,000 or both under section 46(1) of the British Nationality Act 1981.



Here's the list of professionals: Annex A - List of acceptable professional persons
 
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Re: Citizenship form- list of professional persons/ referees
« Reply #6 on: January 03, 2013, 10:15:14 PM »
Anyone know how closely related they care about?  My sister-in-law met me when I first got here and besides my husband, she's the one who's known me the longest in the UK.  Could I use her?  Or her husband?  So my husband's sister's husband.  :)  I don't want to stretch it too far, but they're my best bets for applying sooner rather than later.  :)
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Re: Citizenship form- list of professional persons/ referees
« Reply #7 on: January 03, 2013, 10:18:14 PM »
Anyone know how closely related they care about?  My sister-in-law met me when I first got here and besides my husband, she's the one who's known me the longest in the UK.  Could I use her?  Or her husband?  So my husband's sister's husband.  :)  I don't want to stretch it too far, but they're my best bets for applying sooner rather than later.  :)

I considered using my husband's brother's fiancee, but in the end decided that's too close a relationship.  Use your judgment, but IMO it's a big risk to take if you have any other options available.  Is it the British citizen referee that you're worried about, or the professional one?  Remember that the professional can be of any nationality. 
On s'envolera du même quai
Les yeux dans les mêmes reflets,
Pour cette vie et celle d'après
Tu seras mon unique projet.

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Re: Citizenship form- list of professional persons/ referees
« Reply #8 on: January 04, 2013, 08:49:29 AM »
My SIL or BIL would be for the British referee...... Can't think of anyone I've known that long besides them..... Professional one is simple as I can use someone from the States.  SIL and BIL have a different last name..... but I really don't want to push it.... guess I'll see who I know in a few years' time.  :P  If I wanted to wait a few months, I could maybe use my BIL's family (husband's sisters' husband's brother & sister-in-law)..... not related by blood at all.  :P  hehehehehe
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Re: Citizenship form- list of professional persons/ referees
« Reply #9 on: January 04, 2013, 10:14:43 AM »
My SIL or BIL would be for the British referee...... Can't think of anyone I've known that long besides them..... Professional one is simple as I can use someone from the States.  SIL and BIL have a different last name..... but I really don't want to push it.... guess I'll see who I know in a few years' time.  :P  If I wanted to wait a few months, I could maybe use my BIL's family (husband's sisters' husband's brother & sister-in-law)..... not related by blood at all.  :P  hehehehehe

For a non professional British referee, it can be almost anyone who knows you personally and meets the age/passport etc requirements- I'm sure that by the time you're eligible for citizenship you'll have a British friend or acquaintance that you can use who you've known for long enough. I used a friend who happens to be a work colleague of my husband (that's how we met)- no problems.
« Last Edit: January 04, 2013, 10:16:41 AM by springhaze »
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Re: Citizenship form- list of professional persons/ referees
« Reply #10 on: January 04, 2013, 12:42:55 PM »
My SIL or BIL would be for the British referee...... Can't think of anyone I've known that long besides them..... Professional one is simple as I can use someone from the States.  SIL and BIL have a different last name..... but I really don't want to push it.... guess I'll see who I know in a few years' time.  :P  If I wanted to wait a few months, I could maybe use my BIL's family (husband's sisters' husband's brother & sister-in-law)..... not related by blood at all.  :P  hehehehehe

Your GP/Dentist?
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Re: Citizenship form- list of professional persons/ referees
« Reply #11 on: January 04, 2013, 03:15:21 PM »
Your GP/Dentist?

I've actually JUST registered with a GP yesterday and have my first appointment on Monday, but if someone had success using a family-member-in-law, that would let me apply for citizenship a year or so earlier.  :)
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Re: Citizenship form- list of professional persons/ referees
« Reply #12 on: January 04, 2013, 04:02:01 PM »
Is that something that can be checked if you did Nationality Checking Service? Or do they literally check if you have all the correct documents?

Then you'd only be out the £65 NCS fee if the relationship turned out to be *too* close?

Just a suggestion, I have no idea if this would work.


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Re: Citizenship form- list of professional persons/ referees
« Reply #13 on: January 04, 2013, 04:02:32 PM »
I am of the opinion that in-laws are too close. I even ended up going for someone from the states over my Husband's sister's husband's sister (:P).

Maybe you can use a friend of your husband's for your British referee if you don't need them to be professional? I know I met a bunch of DH's friends when I first came over.


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Re: Citizenship form- list of professional persons/ referees
« Reply #14 on: January 04, 2013, 11:22:29 PM »
What about step-father-in-law or brother-in-law's girlfriend? Still to close?

Thanks, Andy


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