British citizenship
Choosing referees for your citizenship application
Describe a possible referee: how long they have known you, their job, passport and age. The tool says whether they fit either slot.
Can this person be my referee?
As a referee
First referee only
| Known for at least | 3 years |
| First referee | professional, any nationality |
| Second referee | British passport, professional or over 25 |
Neither may be related to you or to each other, act as your agent, or work for the Home Office.
A naturalisation application must be endorsed by 2 referees, according to Home Office Guide AN. One can be of any nationality but must be a professional person, such as a minister of religion, a civil servant, or a member of a professional body like an accountant or a solicitor who is not acting for you. The other must hold a British citizen passport and be either a professional person or over the age of 25. Each must have known you for at least 3 years. Neither may be related to you or to the other referee, act as your solicitor or agent on the application, or work for the Home Office, and a referee convicted of an imprisonable offence in the last 10 years will not usually be accepted. The Home Office may check their convictions, standing and signatures. Knowingly or recklessly giving false information is an offence under section 46(1) of the British Nationality Act 1981, punishable by up to 3 months in prison, a fine of up to £5,000, or both.
My application timeline
Biometrics by
24 December 2026
| Decision usually by | 9 May 2027 |
| Then the ceremony | within 90 days of the invitation |
| Missed biometrics deadline | application invalid |
Biometrics within 45 days of submitting; decision usually within 6 months (Guide AN).
Questions, dates and fees by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method
The two slots
| First referee | Second referee | |
|---|---|---|
| Nationality | any | holds a British citizen passport |
| Profession or age | professional person | professional person, or over 25 |
| Known you for | 3 years or more | 3 years or more |
| Must not be | related to you or the other referee, your solicitor or agent, Home Office staff | same |
| Convictions | no imprisonable offence in the last 10 years (usually) | same |
Guide AN gives three examples of a professional person: a minister of religion, a civil servant, and a member of a professional body such as an accountant or solicitor. It does not publish a closed list, so if a candidate's job is not obviously "professional", choose someone else for the first slot rather than argue the point after you have applied.
Testing four candidates
Adaeze needs two referees. She runs four names through the tool at the top:
- Her GP practice manager, Nigerian, known for six years, member of a professional body. Fits the first slot, not the second (no British passport).
- Her neighbour Tom, British, aged 68, retired bus driver, known for nine years. Not a professional, but British and over 25: fits the second slot.
- Her cousin, a British solicitor. Related to her: excluded from both slots, whatever the profession.
- A British church minister she met two years ago. Qualifies on profession and passport, but has not known her for 3 years. Not yet.
Her pair is the practice manager and Tom. They are not related to each other, and neither is helping her with the application.
What the referees actually do
Guide AN describes referees as people who know you and can help prove your identity, and says they endorse the application. Their details go into the form when you apply. The Home Office may then check that they have no unspent convictions, that they are qualified to act for you, and that their signatures are genuine. Tell your referees in advance that their details may be checked, and give them the facts they are confirming, such as how long and in what capacity they have known you.
The warning in Guide AN is addressed to everyone involved: providing false information knowingly or recklessly is a criminal offence under section 46(1) of the British Nationality Act 1981, with up to 3 months' imprisonment, a fine of up to £5,000, or both. A referee who signs for someone they barely know, or overstates how long they have known them, takes that risk personally.
Common reasons a referee is turned down
- They have known you for less than 3 years, often a new manager or a recent friend.
- They are family, including relatives by marriage, or related to your other referee.
- They are the solicitor or adviser handling your application.
- They work for the Home Office.
- They were convicted of an imprisonable offence in the last 10 years.
When to line them up
Choose referees before you start the form: the 3-year rule means someone you met recently cannot be added in a hurry. The timeline tool below shows what follows submission: biometrics within 45 days, then a decision usually within 6 months. The full order of steps is on the application page, and the declarations you make about yourself are covered under good character.