To prove a five-year stay in the UK

[Berkay]

Hi there,

I will apply for British citizenship and need to offer two referees who have known me for more than three years. The question is: Will the home office call these two referees? And what type of information from my application will be available to these two referees? I mean their ability to access my information in the application.

Thanks,

[alterhase58]

Referees are not called routinely.
UKVI do not share your personal data with referees or discuss your application with them.
You do not have to share all your details with them.

Personally I explained to my referees what the application is about, what data I provide to UKVI and the process. Nothing to worry about.

And let’s be sensible referees share some of their personal data with us/UKVI, on our behalf.

[AmazonianX]

Hi there,

I will apply for British citizenship and need to offer two referees who have known me for more than three years. The question is: Will the home office call these two referees? And what type of information from my application will be available to these two referees? I mean their ability to access my information in the application.

Thanks,

Most probably they will not be contacted.
More or less none, you download a for particularly for referees to fill, not the case where they have access to your application.

[Berkay]

Thank you for this. For example, I'm not happy that they can see my relationship status on the application.


Best,

[alterhase58]

Worth noting that referees are only contacted in case their details are not clear or they may not be qualified to act as referee in the first place. In that case you would be asked to provide another referee (it's not something to be refused over).
Or, if it turns out the naturalisation application was made fraudulently, Home Office will talk to them.

[Berkay]

Thanks, I thought they would receive a link to my application, allowing them complete access.

[CR001]

Thanks, I thought they would receive a link to my application, allowing them complete access.

They don't. You simply complete their details in the form and they sign the form and you upload with your supporting documents. That is it.

[Berkay]

Thank you so much for your help. That makes a lot of sense.

[contorted_svy]

Thank you for this. For example, I'm not happy that they can see my relationship status on the application.


Best,

As other people stated referees do not normally get contacted. If they do contact them, they will ask to confirm things like your address/date of birth and their relationship to you (eg friend, former line manager). I informed my referees if this just in case they would be contacted,so they could confirm these details. No personal details will be disclosed to them by UKVI.

[PM74Juve]

Thank you for this. For example, I'm not happy that they can see my relationship status on the application.


Best,

The referees will be signing to say to the best of their knowledge your application details are correct. Your referees therefore could ask to see your application form before it is submitted so that they feel confident taking the risk on of being a referee. They may also ask the name of the other referee since they will be confirming they are not related to them.

I would be inclined to choose referees who you are happy sharing personal details with... after all these referees are supposed to personally know you and if they are unaware of your relationship status I query whether they are suitable.

Unlikely they'd be contacted.

The process is that each referee will sign a simple form called the referee declaration while you will put their personal information in your application. General advice is to get the forms completed before submitting the application because then referees can check their own details in the application are correct (if you supply a copy - available as incomplete application online) and you are not left in a situation of applying without key evidence you will need.

[PM74Juve]

To add...

Here is the Referee Declaration form (it says first but it is generic to any)
https://visas-immigration.service.gov.u ... on_MN1.pdf

[Berkay]

Hi there,

I want to apply for naturalisation as a British citizen. I need to prove that I have been in the UK for at least 5 years.

I moved to the UK five years ago and haven't left since. I'm NOT a European citizen. I recently renewed my passport.

My question is whether uploading images of my new passport, which has no stamps and my previous passport, which was stamped when I entered the UK, will be acceptable to the Home Office.


Best,

[SupperDog]

Yes the enter stamp on your previous passport is sufficient.

[AmazonianX]

Hi there,

I want to apply for naturalisation as a British citizen. I need to prove that I have been in the UK for at least 5 years.

I moved to the UK five years ago and haven't left since. I'm NOT a European citizen. I recently renewed my passport.

My question is whether uploading images of my new passport, which has no stamps and my previous passport, which was stamped when I entered the UK, will be acceptable to the Home Office.


Best,

Your passports covering the qualifying period is acceptable.

[contorted_svy]

Passport covering the qualifying period and you will declare you haven't travelled. The will cross check your data with the border office.

[Berkay]

Thank you. I'm wondering whether it would be beneficial to also include my P45 and P60 forms that I've received thus far, alongside my passports, or if it might be excessive.

[contorted_svy]

It won't be necessary. Just explain in a cover note you didn't travel.

[Berkay]

Does the time spent waiting for the result begin with the online application or with the submission of supporting documents at the biometric appointment?

[zimba]

Does the time spent waiting for the result begin with the online application or with the submission of supporting documents at the biometric appointment?

No application is processed until you enroll your biometrics

[PM74Juve]

Does the time spent waiting for the result begin with the online application or with the submission of supporting documents at the biometric appointment?

Study of the timelines very strongly suggests online application but as above obviously they cannot process application without the biometrics and evidence submitted.... however given the timelines are beyond the timeline available for biometrics I suspect that when UKVCAS appointment occurs is pretty much irrelevant.

[contorted_svy]

Once you apply, attend the appointment and then as annoying as stressful as it is the best thing to do is to be patient and wait, two or three weeks if you book your biometrics appointment later won't change things that much.

[Berkay]

I just saw someone's timeline for naturalisation below. If we consider the biometrics appointment date, it will be ~1 month and 11 days to receive the result, which is a bit unusual. It looks like they count it from the online application.


Date of application: 4 Dec 2023
Method of application: Online
Date of enrolling biometrics by UKVI: Croydon, free appointment – 30 Jan 2024
Date of receipt of approval: 11 Mar 2024

[contorted_svy]

Hard to say, and every application is different. This person was lucky to get approved so quickly for sure.

[AmazonianX]

I just saw someone's timeline for naturalisation below. If we consider the biometrics appointment date, it will be ~1 month and 11 days to receive the result, which is a bit unusual. It looks like they count it from the online application.


Date of application: 4 Dec 2023
Method of application: Online
Date of enrolling biometrics by UKVI: Croydon, free appointment – 30 Jan 2024
Date of receipt of approval: 11 Mar 2024

Deductions and conjectures, each application is attended to differently, timeline is a guide.
Even from same household and applying same day do get feedback at different times

[Berkay]

I know, I meant that it is possible to receive the result in just one month if everything goes well.