questions about the online citizenship application

Just wondering if anyone who has had recent experiences with the citizenship application online can comment? I'm looking at the paper application, but found the old paper copy wasn't a 100% helpful guide when doing the ILR application....
So with the citizenship application now online, how does the referee section now work? The people I was hoping to ask don't live near me, but maybe this is no longer anything logistically challenging if I'm just giving their names, or is there more involved?
Also, can somecone confirm (before I shred my all the paper correspondence I've saved for 5 years, and switch back to paper-free!), that the only item I need for proving my residence/existence for the citizenship application is my passport(s)?
thanks!

Just wondering if anyone who has had recent experiences with the citizenship application online can comment? I'm looking at the paper application, but found the old paper copy wasn't a 100% helpful guide when doing the ILR application....
So with the citizenship application now online, how does the referee section now work? The people I was hoping to ask don't live near me, but maybe this is no longer anything logistically challenging if I'm just giving their names, or is there more involved?

I mailed paper copies with my images to my referees and provided them with a postage paid envelope to expedite the return. Neither one of my referees were geographically close to me, so this seemed like the most efficient option. I also didn't want to burden them with the hassle of going to the post office (but this was back when the pandemic was in a much more restrictive lockdown phase).

Thanks, Heidi1961. I was hoping it was fully online, but I'll probably end up doing just as you did. Can't wait until it's all done and dusted!

I did my application in April, and I also posted mine to the referees. I also included the postage and envelope for their return so they could just drop it in the postbox. I was also hoping it'd be fully online, as I believe the passport one is.

Regarding the proof of residence, I used every passport I have had since being here (two of them, as I had to renew at one point). I'm a USC with ILR (SET-M), so I went based off of those requirements. The person who assisted with my biometrics was a bit arrogant and acted like he knew all of the rules. He insisted that "passports aren't stamped" and that I needed proof of a five-year mortgage and council tax. I was really firm with him that I didn't need those bits, and he really tried to belittle me in front of the other people there. I told him to go ahead and look at my passport to see the stamps (he didn't), and so if you get someone who is as arrogant as him, just be really firm. He said to me, "At the end of the day it's your application!" Anyway...

Best of luck to you! You're almost done with the Home Office!

Thanks, SWGF1, good advice! And you're right, I can't wait to be done with the home office. And my husband and I thought the US system was difficult, ha! Seems like a piece of cake in retrospect.

I just came on here to ask this exact questions about the MN1 child citizenship form.  I had not realised that this was not a fully online process and it was only when I got to the end and it asked me to confirm that I would be providing copies of the referee declarations that I realised there was a problem.  There is no link to a declaration for the referees to sign, so I'm not entirely sure what they are supposed to do/provide.  There is a paper version of the entire form and I'm now wondering if I'm supposed to just chop out those bits of the form and then hand them to the kids' referees with photos?  I cannot express how sick to the stomach and stressed this whole process is.  Sorry for hijacking!

Hi DropBear20,
I feel your pain. I haven't started my application yet, so can't really help you, so if you don't get a response, maybe try a new thread? It does feel as if the online system was thrown together without anyone going through it to make sure it made sense from a user perspective. I hope you get an answer, best of luck!

I just came on here to ask this exact questions about the MN1 child citizenship form.  I had not realised that this was not a fully online process and it was only when I got to the end and it asked me to confirm that I would be providing copies of the referee declarations that I realised there was a problem.  There is no link to a declaration for the referees to sign, so I'm not entirely sure what they are supposed to do/provide.  There is a paper version of the entire form and I'm now wondering if I'm supposed to just chop out those bits of the form and then hand them to the kids' referees with photos?  I cannot express how sick to the stomach and stressed this whole process is.  Sorry for hijacking!

Once you have finished the online application and paid it gives you the link to get the form that needs to be completed. At least it did when we applied late last year, during lockdown. I just found the link for the form. https://visas-immigration.service.gov.uk/documents/1st_Referee_Declaration_MN1.pdf hope this helps

Once you have finished the online application and paid it gives you the link to get the form that needs to be completed. At least it did when we applied late last year, during lockdown. I just found the link for the form. https://visas-immigration.service.gov.uk/documents/1st_Referee_Declaration_MN1.pdf hope this helps

Thank you, that is really helpful.  I'm really hoping that I can get hold of the referees again soon (everyone has physically gone on holidays!) as I'm guessing I have to send the paperwork in after submission within a certain period of time.  As the poster said above, it definitely does feel like the online version has been just thrown together! 

Once you have finished the online application and paid it gives you the link to get the form that needs to be completed. At least it did when we applied late last year, during lockdown. I just found the link for the form. https://visas-immigration.service.gov.uk/documents/1st_Referee_Declaration_MN1.pdf hope this helps

That form is confusing me. So you're supposed to write the details of the applicant on the back of the photo which you then glue? Won't that make the writing ineligible?

It also says this:

 "On the back of the applicant’s photograph, please write
their full name and date of birth. The photograph should
then be glued into the space aside.

There are rules about what your photograph should look
like."

Who is it speaking to (see bold)? So the referee needs a photo?

That form is confusing me. So you're supposed to write the details of the applicant on the back of the photo which you then glue? Won't that make the writing ineligible?

It also says this:

 "On the back of the applicant’s photograph, please write
their full name and date of birth. The photograph should
then be glued into the space aside.

There are rules about what your photograph should look
like."

Who is it speaking to (see bold)? So the referee needs a photo?

I glued it such that the writing could still be seen.

The applicant provides a passport photo so the referee can identify them. The referee does not need a photo.

That form is confusing me. So you're supposed to write the details of the applicant on the back of the photo which you then glue? Won't that make the writing ineligible?

It also says this:

 "On the back of the applicant’s photograph, please write
their full name and date of birth. The photograph should
then be glued into the space aside.

There are rules about what your photograph should look
like."

Who is it speaking to (see bold)? So the referee needs a photo?

I was confused by the name-on-the-back-then-glue-it thing, too.  But now I've had time to think about it, I think the name on the back is just there in case the glue fails to hold the photo during posting.  If the photo gets detached from the form, it allows the photo to be kept with the correct application.  Maybe?