SECTION 5: REFEREES & IDENTITY
Your application must be endorsed by two referees and a recent passport size photograph
stapled or clipped into the space provided. The photograph must show the whole of the
front of your face in reasonable light. It should not show your face wholly or partly
concealed by your hair (beards, sideburns and moustaches excepted) or by a scarf or
traditional dress. It should not show you wearing dark glasses or a hat, hood, cap or scarf.
Each referee should have known you personally for at least 3 years.
One referee should 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, e.g. 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 should be:
• 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 (unless that conviction can be disregarded in line with the table shown on page
16 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 he/she has professional standing in that country,
has known you for three years and the Consul considers his/her 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.
Once you have two referees and they have completed Section 5 you should recheck the
information you have provided and go to Section 6.