Picture does not look like me

[Sahro_357]

Hi everyone I would like some advice. I have recently applied to become a British citizen. I went to the NCS for help and guidance and they were wonderful. This is my first time applying and i hope I'm successful. Okay so here's the issue. There has been a letter sent to one of my referees with a picture of someone who looks like me saying "do you know this person?" So the picture looks like me but at the same time it does not. I'm confused because it looks like a photoshopped picture of me. Are they trying to play mind games? I'm very worried and don't know what to do.

[Sahro_357]

Hi everyone I would like some advice. I have recently applied to become a British citizen. I went to the NCS for help and guidance and they were wonderful. This is my first time applying and i hope I'm successful. Okay so here's the issue. There has been a letter sent to one of my referees with a picture of someone who looks like me saying "do you know this person?" So the picture looks like me but at the same time it does not. I'm confused because it looks like a photoshopped picture of me. It's in black and white and it's not very clear. Are they trying to playmind games? I'm very worried and don't know what to do.

[iffi786]

Hello
When did u applied and how long after they send letter ...and how much time period they given to him.

[Sahro_357]

Hi thanks for you reply. He only received the letter a few days ago. The time period is 10 days

[vinny]

It's not the photo you submitted?

[Sahro_357]

No it's not.

[chrisybrie]

Hi,

I am so sorry to hear that. It must be confusing and nerve wrecking for you. I have seen posts were referees have been contacted by the Home office but I have no heard anything about "look alike" pictures before.

Does the picture look like any of the passport photos you have sent to the home office before or does it look like any of the picture in your documents?

Also, when you look at the picture, is it you? or is it definitely not you?

[Sahro_357]

Hi, it does look like a picture of me but a very old one. I've only known this person who is doing the reference for four years. I don't understand why they would send a picture that's old and not one I've sent recently. Aren't they supposed to send a picture of me now and not one I might have took 10/15 years ago? It's all very confusing. The picture I have taken recently looks very different to the one they've sent him.

I rang the HO and they said that it should be a recent picture. They also asked me if it's a picture of me? It's not a very clear picture. I don't get it, what should I do.

It's weird because i don't think it's me. But it does look like it could be me. It looks like a picture I might have sent 10 years ago, I'm 25 now and I don't look like that anymore, I don't even recognize it myself.

[gaffarn]

This is not the first time I am hearing this. One of my referees told me that she has been a referee for 3 other people, how I know her is that she and I attended College together and were very good friends for 14 years now, so we told the home office this in my AN form application for naturalisation.

But she told me that in the past when she has been a referee the home office did send her a picture of the person she was refereeing asking her if she knows this person, with not much information then that. So this is what they do sometimes.

I would advise you to tell your friend who is your referee to say yes she knows you. Because that picture despite being lie photoshop photo unclear etc is definitely you because if you've been here in the UK for many years definitely you send them some photo everytime you ask for a visa renewal and have forgotten every single picture you sent them however they have a file on you with all these pictures there, so they chose that one printed it and send it to your referee to verify, so now he/she must verify otherwise you don't get your naturalisation.

[Sahro_357]

I spoke to someone again and they said it should be a picture of me in the last 6 months a recent one.

[Sahro_357]

This is not the first time I am hearing this. One of my referees told me that she has been a referee for 3 other people, how I know her is that she and I attended College together and were very good friends for 14 years now, so we told the home office this in my AN form application for naturalisation.

But she told me that in the past when she has been a referee the home office did send her a picture of the person she was refereeing asking her if she knows this person, with not much information then that. So this is what they do sometimes.

I would advise you to tell your friend who is your referee to say yes she knows you. Because that picture despite being lie photoshop photo unclear etc is definitely you because if you've been here in the UK for many years definitely you send them some photo everytime you ask for a visa renewal and have forgotten every single picture you sent them however they have a file on you with all these pictures there, so they chose that one printed it and send it to your referee to verify, so now he/she must verify otherwise you don't get your naturalisation.

Thanks for your reply. I spoke to the home office now and they said the picture should be within the last 6 months a recent picture.

[Sahro_357]

This is not the first time I am hearing this. One of my referees told me that she has been a referee for 3 other people, how I know her is that she and I attended College together and were very good friends for 14 years now, so we told the home office this in my AN form application for naturalisation.

But she told me that in the past when she has been a referee the home office did send her a picture of the person she was refereeing asking her if she knows this person, with not much information then that. So this is what they do sometimes.

I would advise you to tell your friend who is your referee to say yes she knows you. Because that picture despite being lie photoshop photo unclear etc is definitely you because if you've been here in the UK for many years definitely you send them some photo everytime you ask for a visa renewal and have forgotten every single picture you sent them however they have a file on you with all these pictures there, so they chose that one printed it and send it to your referee to verify, so now he/she must verify otherwise you don't get your naturalisation.

Thanks for your reply. I spoke to the home office now and they said the picture should be within the last 6 months a recent picture. A recognizable one.

[gaffarn]

In the post just above mine, in the first line you said "it does look like me but a very old one".

This means its one picture you sent them in the past getting a visa renewal, granted its unethical because you were younger and definitely they should have picked a recent picture because that your referee should know you for about 3 years in most cases, in your case he/she knows you 4 years. So most likely didn't know you when you looked like that picture so by chance could have said no I don't know this person, and you would lose your naturalisation etc.

But....what is the point in arguing now with home office, isn't the point just to get this naturalisation fast from them, you know how they delay, if you argue send a new picture etc, they send your referee the picture you applied with and she/he verifies, how long will that process be?

Just inform your referee like you did in that post above my first post on this thread "it does look like me but a very old one". The referee verifies that and you wait for a the approval letter, remember how long these home office are taking with the naturalisation applications and move onto next stage passport etc.

But ....I suppose the point you are making is what I have highlighted in bold in this post...thanks for telling everybody what they did here because even my referee said that's what they have done in the past with others she has given a referee to. Because others that have applied here can go warn their own referees to look out for this from the home office.

[gaffarn]

Tell me what else they are saying in the letter, other then verify the picture, do they put your name and some other questions about you?