British Citizenship - Referees - define related

Hello everyone,

This is my first post in this lovely forum, so please let me know if I do something wrong, so I can correct it.

I will be applying for British Citizenship soon and I am at the point where I need to do the referees section.

I need to apply using the AN form:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... N_v1_0.pdf

Page 14 is the one which contains the section about referees.

On the application form it says:
"they are not a relative, solicitor or agent of the applicant, or related to the other referee;"

One of my referees is a lecturer from University and my other referee is one of my best friends from University.

The instructions say that the two referees must not be related.
Does the fact that they possibly know each other mean that they are related and therefore unsuitable?
Or "related" is just in context such as related, like family - father, sister, cousin, etc. and my two referees will be fine?

Kind regards,
atkuzmanov

The two referees should not be in a family or sexual relationship with each other. They can know each other.

secret.simon wrote:The two referees should not be ... sexual relationship with each other.

I don't believe that this is relevant or any sort of requirement. They can be boyfriend/girlfriend. As long as they aren't married to each other or in a Civil partnership, it should be fine.

You are worrying over nothing. As long as there is no blood ties or legal relationship they will be fine. My two referees were my boss from my previous company and my friend who used to work with me in the same team - of course they both know each other very well ....... Your referees are fine.

Given the fact that the Home Office would grant a visa to unmarried partners of people settled in the UK, I would argue that they would construe being a long-term boyfriend/girlfriend as being related. Of course, whether the Home Office would find out about such a relationship is a different question altogether.

ouflak1 wrote:

secret.simon wrote:The two referees should not be ... sexual relationship with each other.

I don't believe that this is relevant or any sort of requirement. They can be boyfriend/girlfriend. As long as they aren't married to each other or in a Civil partnership, it should be fine.

also to add - to avoid any potential issues - refrees shouldn't be living together (usually 2 years) in a relationship akin to marriage.

Thank you all!
All of your answers have been immensely helpful!

My referees have definitely not had sexual relationship or lived together to the best of my knowledge.
I don't think they even keep in touch.

After your replies I feel confident that they will be fine.

This is an interesting argument though, as I wouldn't think that sexual relationship would not matter, unless like @ban.s said they have been living together for more than 2 years, in which case they are seen in a relationship similar to marriage.

This has been a great first experience to me with this forum, as this was my first post.
There are so many legal terms and twists and turns in the forms and having the ability to discuss them here is great!

Kind regards,
atkuzmanov

sexual relationship is irrelevant.

'related' in this context is related either by direct blood line or by family relationship (matrimony, civil relationship or live in relationship akin to marrige).

My apologies, @ban.s.

I meant "relationship akin to marriage" and summarised it as "sexual relationship". I'll be more careful with my phraseology in the future.

just a simple question...can a businessperson who is childs..mothers’sister (auntie)’’’ husband sign d referee form for child??

Deewani wrote: ↑

Sat May 05, 2018 9:59 am

just a simple question...can a businessperson who is childs..mothers’sister (auntie)’’’ husband sign d referee form for child??

Hard one to figure out but they are related by marriage. So safer not to

thanks...so guess its better to not use it den