# Naturalisation. Referees



## lagdm (Sep 1, 2009)

I read carefully all the instructions to fill in my naturalisation application and it was turned down by the Nationality Checking Service because my foreign referee is not a resident in the UK. 
Initially, I was planning to ask for this reference to one of the two professional people I meet in my very first week in the UK and who have known me personally for the past three years, but then I read the booklet and I decided that it was not necessary to do that because, in the country I used to live, I have professional people that have known me for much more than 3 years. Paperwork was sent and returned. Well, I was wrong! Even though anywhere in the booklet (check page 11 of this document) says that the foreign referee must be a resident in the UK, my application was turned down for that reason. 

www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/.../guide_an.pdf

Too late for me, but if you are applying for naturalisation or, if you have plans to apply in the future bear this rule in mind and try to get to know and keep in contact with professional people as soon as you arrived in the country (there is a list of professions accepted in the UKBA web page)


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

While it doesn't specify it, if you are living in UK and applying for naturalisation here, you must nominate UK-based referees. At least you went through the checking service first so you didn't lose your application fees.


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## lagdm (Sep 1, 2009)

You are right! And (now) I understand the logic in it, but when you are asked to read very carefully 60+ pages of instructions to fill in a 15 pages application, I expect to find everything specified, the matter of the residence of the referees is not stated and may lead to mistakes like mine. Anyway, nothing is lost and hopefully I will have everything right next time, I should have asked the forum before!!!!


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

When applying abroad, local embassy/consulate contact referees living there and ask about the applicant (which they usually do), but if you are applying in UK, Liverpool nationality section won't contact overseas-based referees so must nominate ones that are UK-resident.


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

Does it matter if both of one's referees are from the same employment class? The two referees whom I'm thinking of asking are both Civil Servant friends/colleagues/drinking chums of Ed's... I met them about a year ago, so they would theoretically be eligible in October '15. 

If this is not permitted, how would I go about establishing that a potential photographer reference is considered to be "professional"? I have a life long family friend who lives and works here in London as a photographer (he's won prizes in the UK and has had work on exhibition in London and has a website detailing event and prize award dates)... he and I go way back (we grew up together in Canada and his parents are my youngest brother's Godparents) and as long as I can get in touch with him, he'd be able to sign off as a referee. What would proof would I need to show he'd be eligible?


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## lagdm (Sep 1, 2009)

Sorry I don't have the link, but there is a list of acceptable professions in the UKBA web page. I printed it and have it in front of me, "photographer" is not in the list, but "civil servant (permanet)" is. Maybe if you Google "Referrees: :list of acceptable professional persons" you will find it.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

The actual list in the Nationality Instructions Chapter 6 is in http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/s...ityinstructions/nichapter6/annexa?view=Binary
Photographer (Professional) is included.


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