If you are applying for British citizenship in 2026, you will normally need two referees to support your application. Choosing a referee for British Citizenship carefully is important because each referee must meet specific Home Office requirements. If your referees do not meet the required conditions, your application could face delays or the Home Office may ask for additional information. For most adult British citizenship applications, one referee must be a professional person who can be of any nationality. The second referee must normally hold a British citizen passport and must either be a professional person or be aged 25 or over. Both referees must have known you personally for at least three years and should be able to confirm your identity and personal circumstances.
Understanding the rules before you submit your application can make the process easier. A suitable referee for British Citizenship should not be a close relative, your application representative, or someone who is not eligible under the Home Office guidance. You should also make sure that both referees are willing and able to complete the required referee declaration correctly. This guide explains who can act as a referee for British Citizenship, what qualifications they need, who cannot act as a referee, and what you should check before submitting your application in 2026.
What Is a Referee for British Citizenship?
A referee for British Citizenship is someone who confirms your identity and supports the information in your citizenship application. They provide their personal details, explain how they know you, and complete the required declaration. Most adult British citizenship applications require two referees. However, the requirements for the two referees are not identical. A suitable referee must meet the relevant Home Office conditions before you include their details in your application.
Who Can Be a Referee for British Citizenship?
For an adult application, the first referee can be a professional person of any nationality. The second referee must normally hold a British citizen passport and must either be a professional person or be aged 25 or over. Both people must have known you personally for at least three years.
Examples of people who may qualify as A referee for British Citizenship include:
- A minister of religion
- A civil servant
- An accountant
- A solicitor who is not representing you
- Another person with suitable professional standing
- A British citizen aged 25 or over who meets the second-referee requirements
Simply being a friend, colleague, neighbour, or employer does not automatically make someone eligible.
British Citizenship Referee Requirements at a Glance
| Requirement | First Referee | Second Referee |
| Nationality | Any nationality | Normally British citizen |
| British passport | Not required | British citizen passport normally required |
| Professional status | Professional person | Professional person or aged 25+ |
| Personal relationship | Known personally | Known personally |
| Minimum period known | 3 years | 3 years |
| Related to applicant | No | No |
| Related to other referee | No | No |
| Home Office employee | No | No |
| Application representative | No | No |
This table can help you decide whether someone could qualify as A referee for British Citizenship before you add their information to the application.
Can a Friend Be a Referee for British Citizenship?
Yes, a friend can potentially be a referee for British Citizenship if they meet all the applicable requirements. For example, a British citizen friend who is over 25 may potentially act as your second referee. They must also have known you personally for at least three years and satisfy the remaining conditions. A friend who does not meet the nationality, age, professional, or other requirements cannot qualify simply because they know you well.
Before choosing a friend, check:
- Their age
- Their nationality
- Whether they hold a British citizen passport
- How long they have known you
- Their professional status where required
- Whether they are related to you
- Whether they meet the other Home Office conditions
Can a Family Member Be a Referee?
No. A family member cannot normally act as A referee for British Citizenship. The Home Office requires referees to be independent of the applicant. Referees must not be related to the applicant or to each other.
You should therefore avoid using:
- Parents
- Children
- Brothers or sisters
- Spouses
- Civil partners
- Other relatives
Instead, select people who know you personally and can truthfully complete the required declaration.
Does a Referee Have to Be British?
No. Not every referee needs to be British. The first referee can be of any nationality if they meet the professional-person requirement. The second referee must normally hold a British citizen passport and be either a professional person or aged 25 or over. This means someone who is not British may potentially act as A referee for British Citizenship in the first referee position.
Can a Teacher Be a Referee?
A teacher may potentially qualify as A referee for British Citizenship, provided the relevant requirements are satisfied. For adult applications, the first referee needs suitable professional standing. The exact circumstances still matter, including the three-year personal-knowledge requirement. Child citizenship applications have additional rules. A teacher who has dealt with the child in a professional capacity may be suitable as a referee under the child-specific requirements. Parents should therefore check the guidance for the specific child application rather than automatically applying the adult rules.
Can an Accountant Be a Referee?
Yes. An accountant can potentially act as A referee for British Citizenship because an accountant is an example of a professional person. The accountant must still meet the other conditions. They should have known you personally for at least three years and must not be related to you or your other referee. They also cannot be your representative for the citizenship application. Professional status alone does not remove the other eligibility requirements.
Can a Solicitor Be a Referee?
A solicitor may potentially act as A referee for British Citizenship if they meet the relevant requirements. However, there is an important restriction. A solicitor or agent who represents you in your citizenship application cannot also act as your referee. If a solicitor knows you independently and is not representing you, they may potentially qualify if they meet all the other conditions.
Can Your Employer Be a Referee?
Your employer, manager, or colleague may potentially qualify as A referee for British Citizenship, but employment alone does not guarantee eligibility. The individual must satisfy the requirements for the relevant referee position. They must also have known you personally for at least three years. For the first referee, the professional-person requirement applies. For the second referee, the person must normally hold a British citizen passport and be either a professional person or aged 25 or over.
How Long Must a Referee Know You?
Each referee must normally have known you personally for at least three years. This is one of the most important conditions when selecting a referee for British Citizenship. For example, a professional person may have the right occupation but still be unsuitable if they have known you for only one year. Choose people who can truthfully confirm the length and nature of their relationship with you.
Who Cannot Be a Referee for British Citizenship?
Certain people cannot normally act as a referee for British Citizenship.
A referee must not:
- Be related to you
- Be related to your other referee
- Be your solicitor or agent representing you
- Be employed by the Home Office
The Home Office also states that it will not usually accept a referee who has been convicted of an imprisonable offence during the previous 10 years. The Home Office can carry out checks on referees, including checks relating to eligibility and signatures.
What Does a Referee Need to Confirm?
Someone acting as a referee for British Citizenship provides information that helps establish their identity and relationship with you.
Depending on the application form, the referee may need to provide:
- Full name
- Address
- Profession
- Personal details
- How they know you
- How long they have known you
- Relevant passport information where required
- Signature
- Required declaration
- Confirmation relating to your identity and photograph
The exact information can vary according to the application route and current form. Always use the current citizenship application form and follow its instructions.
What If You Live Outside the UK?
Applicants living outside the UK may have additional options if they cannot find a suitable British citizen referee. The Home Office guidance provides circumstances in which a Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the country where the applicant lives may be able to complete the referee declaration. Additional conditions can apply, including professional standing, having known the applicant for three years, and acceptance of the signature by the relevant Consul. If you live overseas, check the current Home Office guidance before selecting A referee for British Citizenship under this provision.
Can the Two Referees Know Each Other?
The two referees may both know you, but they must not be related to each other. They must also independently meet the relevant eligibility conditions.
For example, you could potentially have:
- A professional person who has known you for four years
- A British citizen aged over 25 who has known you for five years
If the two people are related to each other, however, they should not be used as your referees.
Referees for Children Applying for British Citizenship
The requirements can be different for children. For a child application, at least one referee should normally be someone who has dealt with the child professionally.
Examples can include:
- Teacher
- Doctor
- Health visitor
- Social worker
- Minister of religion
If a suitable professional referee cannot be found, the Home Office guidance provides circumstances in which two referees meeting the adult criteria may be accepted. Parents should check the specific child citizenship guidance before choosing A referee for British Citizenship for a child.
What If a Referee Has a Criminal Conviction?
The Home Office states that it will not usually accept a referee who has been convicted of an imprisonable offence during the previous 10 years. This means you should consider the eligibility of the person before using them as a referee for British Citizenship. The Home Office may conduct checks on referees, so applicants should not provide information that they know to be false or misleading.
What Happens If a Referee Does Not Qualify?
If the Home Office decides that a referee does not meet the requirements, you may be asked to provide another referee. Choosing a referee for British Citizenship carefully before submitting the application can help avoid unnecessary delays.
Check that both people:
- Know you personally
- Have known you for at least three years
- Meet the nationality requirements where applicable
- Meet the professional or age requirements
- Are not related to you
- Are not related to each other
- Are not your application representative
- Are not employed by the Home Office
- Meet the relevant criminal-conviction requirements
A Practical Example of Two Suitable Referees
Suppose you have known an accountant personally for four years. The accountant is not related to you and is not representing you in your citizenship application. You also know a British citizen who is 30 years old and has known that person personally for five years. If both satisfy the remaining requirements, they may fit the two referee categories. This example shows why selecting a referee for British Citizenship requires more than simply choosing someone with a suitable job or British nationality.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Choosing Someone You Have Known for Less Than Three Years
A person may have a suitable profession but still fail the three-year requirement.
Choosing a Relative
Family members cannot normally act as a referee for British Citizenship.
Using Your Immigration Solicitor
Your solicitor or agent cannot act as your referee if they are representing you in the application.
Assuming Every British Citizen Qualifies
A British citizen does not automatically qualify. The second referee must normally hold a British citizen passport and be either a professional person or aged 25 or over.
Choosing Two Related Referees
The two referees must not be related to each other.
Providing Incorrect Information
Referees should complete their declarations truthfully. The Home Office can conduct checks on referee information.
How to Choose a Referee for British Citizenship
Start by making a list of people who have known you personally for at least three years. For the first referee, look for a suitable professional person. For the second, consider a British citizen passport holder who is either a professional person or aged 25 or over.
A practical process for choosing A referee for British Citizenship is:
- List people who have known you for at least three years.
- Remove relatives.
- Remove anyone related to another potential referee.
- Check nationality and professional requirements.
- Make sure neither person represents you in the application.
- Check the other eligibility conditions.
- Confirm that both people are willing to complete the declaration.
- Use the current citizenship form when applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many referees do I need for British citizenship?
Most British citizenship applications requiring referees need two referees. The exact requirements depend on the type of application.
Can a referee be from another country?
Yes. The first referee can be of any nationality if they meet the professional-person requirement.
Can my friend be a referee?
Yes, a friend may qualify as A referee for British Citizenship if they meet all applicable requirements. A British citizen friend aged 25 or over may potentially qualify for the second referee position.
Can my family member be a referee?
No. Referees must not be related to the applicant.
Can my teacher be a referee?
A teacher may potentially qualify depending on the application and the relevant requirements. Teachers can also be particularly relevant to child applications.
Can my accountant be a referee?
Yes. An accountant can potentially qualify as A referee for British Citizenship if they meet the professional and other requirements.
Can my solicitor be a referee?
A solicitor may qualify if they meet the requirements, but a solicitor or agent representing you in the application cannot act as your referee.
Does a referee have to know me for three years?
Yes. Each referee must normally have known the adult applicant personally for at least three years.
Can someone over 25 be a referee if they are not a professional?
For the second referee, a British citizen passport holder can qualify if they are either a professional person or aged 25 or over, subject to the other conditions.
Conclusion
Before submitting your British citizenship application, carefully check that your chosen referees meet all the required conditions.
First Referee
- Must be a professional person of any nationality.
- Must have known you personally for at least three years.
- Must not be related to you.
- Must not be related to your second referee.
- Must not be your application representative.
- Must not be employed by the Home Office.
Second Referee
- Must hold a British citizen passport.
- Must be a professional person or aged 25 or over.
- Must have known you personally for at least three years.
- Must not be related to you.
- Must not be related to your first referee.
- Must not be your application representative.
- Must not be employed by the Home Office.
Choosing a referee for British Citizenship who meets these requirements can help you avoid unnecessary problems with your application. As nationality rules and application forms can change, always check the latest GOV.UK guidance for your specific citizenship route before submitting your application.
