Referee UK Citizenship

Dumb question...for the professional referee...do they have to reside in UK?

I am pretty much not very social here and I have to meet people from the list by May I think in order to meet the 3 year requirement.  I  am trying to get myself a list of potentials, but not sure if I can use people from US..since I moved here I barely leave the house.

Dumb question...for the professional referee...do they have to reside in UK?

I am pretty much not very social here and I have to meet people from the list by May I think in order to meet the 3 year requirement.  I  am trying to get myself a list of potentials, but not sure if I can use people from US..since I moved here I barely leave the house.

You can use your US contact for the professional referee. 

One referee must be a person of any nationality who has professional standing, such as a minister of religion, civil servant or a member of a professional body, for example, accountant or solicitor (but not representing you with this application). A list of acceptable professional persons can be found on our website. The other referee must be the holder of a British citizen passport and either a professional person or over the age of 25.
Each referee must not be:
• related to you
• related to the other referee
• your solicitor or agent representing you with this application • employed by the Home Office
We will not accept a referee who has been convicted of an imprisonable offence during the last 10 years (unless that conviction can be disregarded in line with the table shown on page 17 of the Booklet AN).
If you are living abroad and do not know a British citizen who is qualified to act as one of your referees, a Commonwealth citizen or citizen of the country in which you are residing may complete and sign the form, provided they have professional standing in that country, has known you for 3 years and the Consul considers their signature to be acceptable.
Checks may be carried out to ensure that the referees do not have unspent convictions and are qualified to act for you and that their signatures are 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.

Guide AN-  https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/751826/AN_Guide_-_November_2018_.pdf

You should also read booklet AN https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/384912/2903160_requirements_an_booklet.pdf

You can use your US contact for the professional referee. 

One referee must be a person of any nationality who has professional standing, such as a minister of religion, civil servant or a member of a professional body, for example, accountant or solicitor (but not representing you with this application). A list of acceptable professional persons can be found on our website. The other referee must be the holder of a British citizen passport and either a professional person or over the age of 25.
Each referee must not be:
• related to you
• related to the other referee
• your solicitor or agent representing you with this application • employed by the Home Office
We will not accept a referee who has been convicted of an imprisonable offence during the last 10 years (unless that conviction can be disregarded in line with the table shown on page 17 of the Booklet AN).
If you are living abroad and do not know a British citizen who is qualified to act as one of your referees, a Commonwealth citizen or citizen of the country in which you are residing may complete and sign the form, provided they have professional standing in that country, has known you for 3 years and the Consul considers their signature to be acceptable.
Checks may be carried out to ensure that the referees do not have unspent convictions and are qualified to act for you and that their signatures are 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.

Guide AN-  https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/751826/AN_Guide_-_November_2018_.pdf

You should also read booklet AN https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/384912/2903160_requirements_an_booklet.pdf

The professional one was the one that worried me the most, b/c if it had to be someone residing in the UK...I would struggle.  I have professionals from the list that I can use, but they live in US.

I think it will be easier for me to do the UK passport holder for someone who is just over 25 and not related to me, then I can leave the professional one for someone back home.

Thank you! I feel less stressed about it now.

Thank you! I feel less stressed about it now.

You're very smart to think ahead like this! 

It would be a great thing to get the life in the UK test out of the way while you're at it. 

Yes they have to reside in the UK, if the applicant does, eg if you are applying from the UK.
If you are applying for some form of British nationality based on ancestry from the United States, you can use a US-based professional referee.

No, they do not.

Yes they have to reside in the UK, if the applicant does, eg if you are applying from the UK.
If you are applying for some form of British nationality based on ancestry from the United States, you can use a US-based professional referee.

There is no mention in the official requirement that the profession referee needs to live in the UK.. in fact, it doesn’t mention anything about the British referee having to live in the UK either. Many people on this forum have used a professional referee based in the US and their citizenship application has been approved.

The requirements are that:
- one referee must be the holder of a British passport and be either a professional person or over 25

- the other referee must a person of any nationality who has professional standing

The requirements do not say anything about where either of those referees must be living when you apply. They only mention what happens if YOU live abroad and don’t know a suitable British citizen referee.

See page 11 of the official government guidance:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/751826/AN_Guide_-_November_2018_.pdf#page10


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