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SECTION 5: REFEREES & IDENTITY
You must include a recent passport size photograph of yourself with your application. You must write your name and date of birth on the back of the photograph and this should then be glued or pasted into the space provided on the application form. The photograph must show the whole of the front of your face in reasonable light. It should not show your face wholly or partly concealed by your hair (beards, sideburns and moustaches excepted) or by a scarf or traditional dress. It should not show you wearing dark glasses or a hat, hood, cap or scarf.
Your application must be endorsed by two referees.
One referee should be a person of any nationality who has professional standing, such as a minister of religion, civil servant or a member of a professional body, e.g. accountant or solicitor (but not representing you with this application). A list of acceptable professional persons can be found on our website.
The other referee must be the holder of a British citizen passport and either a professional person or over the age of 25.
Each referee should be:
• not related to you
• not related to the other referee
• not your solicitor or agent representing you with this application
• not employed by the Home Office
We will not accept a referee who has been convicted of an imprisonable offence during the last 10 years (unless that conviction can be disregarded in line with the table shown on page 16 of the Booklet AN)
If you are living abroad and do not know a British citizen who is qualified to act as one of your referees, a Commonwealth citizen or citizen of the country in which you are residing may complete and sign the form, provided he/she has professional standing in that country, has known you for three years and the Consul considers his/her signature to be acceptable.
Checks may be carried out to ensure that the referees do not have unspent convictions and are qualified to act for you and that their signatures are genuine. It is a criminal offence to provide false information knowingly or recklessly punishable with up to 3 months imprisonment or by a fine not exceeding £5,000 or both under section 46(1) of the British Nationality Act 1981.
