Referee who was away from the UK

Hello,

I have a potential referee. He is a friend of mine, a British citizen and a registered solicitor. However, he was away from the UK for the past three years working abroad. Currently he is back in the UK looking for a job, he is a registered solicitor but his license has expired since he was abroad.

I couldn't find any requirements about how long the referee should have been residing in the UK. All I could find is that they require the referee address(es) for the past three years.

Could this friend be my professional referee?

Thanks

There is no such requirement. They merely need to have known you for 3 years and be a profession on the list.

Thanks for your prompt reply. Does this also mean that the referee does not have to currently reside in the UK?