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Passport application - identity confirmation

Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2023 10:07 am
by kxhbn672
I am in the process of applying for the British Passport after naturalisation. I am looking into getting someone to confirm my identity. How strict is HMPO with profession of the person that will confirm the identity based on your own experience? There are some grey areas such as engineer with professional qualifications, bank official, etc. How does HMPO verify the person’a profession?

Thanks!

Re: Passport application - identity confirmation

Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2023 10:20 am
by secret.simon
A professional referee is a member of the relevant professional body. For engineers, it is the UK Engineering Council, for lawyers the Bar Council or the Law Society, for doctors, the General Medical Council, etc.

So they can directly contact the professional body and inquire the membership status of the relevant referee.

Note that merely being a qualified engineer (i.e. a degree in that field) is not enough. They need to be a member of the relevant professional body.

Re: Passport application - identity confirmation

Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2023 12:10 pm
by kxhbn672
secret.simon wrote:
Sun Jan 15, 2023 10:20 am
A professional referee is a member of the relevant professional body. For engineers, it is the UK Engineering Council, for lawyers the Bar Council or the Law Society, for doctors, the General Medical Council, etc.

So they can directly contact the professional body and inquire the membership status of the relevant referee.

Note that merely being a qualified engineer (i.e. a degree in that field) is not enough. They need to be a member of the relevant professional body.
Thanks! How does that work for “bank or building society official”?

Re: Passport application - identity confirmation

Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2023 8:21 pm
by AmazonianX
kxhbn672 wrote:
Sun Jan 15, 2023 12:10 pm
secret.simon wrote:
Sun Jan 15, 2023 10:20 am
A professional referee is a member of the relevant professional body. For engineers, it is the UK Engineering Council, for lawyers the Bar Council or the Law Society, for doctors, the General Medical Council, etc.

So they can directly contact the professional body and inquire the membership status of the relevant referee.

Note that merely being a qualified engineer (i.e. a degree in that field) is not enough. They need to be a member of the relevant professional body.
Thanks! How does that work for “bank or building society official”?
There is a list of acceptable professions.