A couple of specific naturalisation questions

[global gypsy]

I am getting prepared for my naturalisation application coming up in 2 months' time, and had couple of specific questions related to the application form (Form AN):

1. Section 3.5 - Address of tax office or tax office reference
- What goes here? I wasn't aware we had a specific tax office assigned to us?

2. Section 5.1 - Referees
- Can someone confirm that a medical doctor can be one of the referees of professional standing? The form does mention doctor, but I thought I read somewhere on this forum that doctors are not eligible to be included under the 'persons of professional standing' category. Or was this for the passport application, which comes later?

Thanks in advance.

[Filipinas]

Following your numbering:

1. Check your payslip or your P60 it is usually stated there which office/address your employer is using. If not, best to check with your HR.

2.Doctors are ok as referees.

Filipinas

[global gypsy]

Filipinas - thanks for your response.

I checked my most recent P60, and the HM Revenue & Customs Office name is shown as Northwest Metropolitan Area. No address is provided.
There is also an Employer PAYE reference given in the P60 - do you know if this is the same as Tax office reference?

[Filipinas]

Yup that's right, those are the ones that you need.

Cheer,
Filipinas

[global gypsy]

Thanks, Filipinas.

[global gypsy]

Filipinas - my earlier question was triggered by the following:

1) If you check here:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/briti ... ngtheform/
it mentions: "One referee should be a person of any nationality who is of professional standing such as a doctor, minister of religion, civil servant or a member of a professional association such as an accountant or a solicitor. See the list of Acceptable professional persons."

2) When you click on the Acceptable professional persons link, it takes you here:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitec ... er6/annexa

3) And if you open that document, you find it doesn't mention Doctor in the list of acceptable professions!

I wonder if this is an oversight on the part of UKBA - or a correct statement, meaning Doctor is not an accepted category of profession.

The reason I am asking this is that I don't want to go thru the hassle of finding a doctor to act as referee, then discover later that my application is rejected on these grounds!

If anyone has successfully used Doctor as referee for their naturalisation application, that would be reassuring. Thank you.

[Filipinas]

Doctors are definitely of professional standing and are ok to be used as a referee for as long as they know you for at least 3 years; and that they are willing to act as your referee. In fact, for some surgeries, doctors charge a fee to be a referee. This must be an oversight from UKBA as registered nurses and dentists are accepted.

And although UKBA rarely do check on referees just make sure that the doctor you chose could answer information regarding you if a spot checking is made. If you still have doubt about this, try calling 0845 010 5200 and they'd be able to give you the clearest answer on the matter.

Filipinas

[global gypsy]

Oh no, I asked this precisely because I know two doctors quite well, who have known me for several years. It's just that I wanted to make sure I didn't have to start looking for someone else to act as referees.

I find it quite striking that the BIA website provides inconsistent information on a key point such as this. But then, I suppose we shouldn't be surprised at the unprofessionalism of bureaucracies.

[Filipinas]

You are very right in saying that it's pretty odd that they are inconsistent with the guidelines that they provided - and this is not the first time such issuewas raised (i.e. doctor not being listed on the rundown of referees- but in the general guideline it is mentioned). Anyway, if you would search "doctor + referee" on the search engine you'd see that there have been some discussions on the matter and that some others have used doctors as their referees- there was even one who just found out that he had to pay £20 for the request, after his GP did the paperworks for him (hahaha- well, at least it was done and over with). Well, there were other GPs or doctors as well who refuse to do it coming up with various excuses. Oh well, definitely doctors are of professional standing.

Good luck!

Filipinas

[global gypsy]

I called BIA today. The lady who answered the phone told me it is ok for a qualified medical doctor to act as a referee of professional standing.

I then told her their website has inconsistent info and perhaps they should rectify it - and her answer was 'uh, uh'.

Oh well.

[rosetaylor01]

Hi..
Thats really good and right one..