Second referee is UK Citizen but has no UK passport

Hello Everyone,

My wife is Romanian, has settled status, and is now applying for UK citizenship.
She has been seriously ill which has isolated her while in the UK so she does not know professionals here.
As her 'professional' referee she wants to use a friend who lives abroad who at one point was also an ex-partner (i.e. they had a relationship) but to whom she was never married.
Can she use this ex-partner as a referee, or does he count as 'family' and therefore disqualified?

Secondly, if she can use him can she put him down as a friend or does she have to state he was an ex-partner?

Finally, if the ex-partner above is disqualified could she use a Romanian 'notar' i.e. a notary who lives in Romania as the professional referee. Notaries are not on the official list of professionals from the Home Office (that can be used as referees) but 'paralegals' are. Could a Romanian notary be used as a paralegal?

Many thanks.

i would rather advise asking one of your friends in the UK that knows her and is a professional.

Thank you.

Unfortunately, I have been recovering from cancer and she has had severe rheumatoid arthritis and have become socially isolated as a result so we simply don't know any such professionals in the UK which is why I am asking if she can use her ex-partner from abroad.

Thank you

I feel like an ex-partner could be seen as a bit too close a relationship though it is a grey area. The professional referee can be of any nationality as far as their occupation is in the list of accepted professions and preferably they are also chartered in their country. I would say a notary should be fine as they usually belong to national professional orders (though I don't know if this is the case in Romania).

Thank you

Hi All,

My wife is Romanian, has settled status and is applying for UK Citizenship.
Her second referee is a UK citizen from birth and has lived in the UK all his life.
However I have just found out that he has no UK passport simply because he only works and holidays in the UK and does not need a passport. He has had UK passports in the past but the closing date has passed a long time ago.
The Referee Declaration form says "the second referee must normally be the holder of a British citizen passport and either a professional person or over the age of 25"
I have been recovering from cancer and my wife has severe rheumatoid arthritis so as a result are socially isolated and have struggled to get referees. I am just wondering because it uses the word 'normally' that this might leave it open to them making an exception here and allowing a UK citizen who has no passport to be the second referee.

Thanks,

Frogline

Frogline wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 16, 2024 12:37 pm

Hi All,

My wife is Romanian, has settled status and is applying for UK Citizenship.
Her second referee is a UK citizen from birth and has lived in the UK all his life.
However I have just found out that he has no UK passport simply because he only works and holidays in the UK and does not need a passport. He has had UK passports in the past but the closing date has passed a long time ago.
The Referee Declaration form says "the second referee must normally be the holder of a British citizen passport and either a professional person or over the age of 25"
I have been recovering from cancer and my wife has severe rheumatoid arthritis so as a result are socially isolated and have struggled to get referees. I am just wondering because it uses the word 'normally' that this might leave it open to them making an exception here and allowing a UK citizen who has no passport to be the second referee.

Thanks,

Frogline

You'll need to dig deep and find someone else. The passport is a way to ID the individual. Simply because he/she would have had a passport issued by HMPO and it would be on their database, hence easily verifiable.

I'm sure you want a smooth sail in the process and not extended delays. Give 'em what they can verify.