Referee: is an accountant not working in accountancy ok?

[LondonApplicant]

Can a partially qualified accountant act as my referee in my application for British citizenship, even if he is not working as an accountant at the moment?

I am thinking of asking him to quote his ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales) registration number and to enclose a photocopy of his ICAEW registration certificate.

My friend is currently working in a bank but in an operations role which has little to do with accountancy and for which his accountancy qualification is not required (his job title is not accountant).

Thanks!

[Jambo]

I don't think there is such a thing as partially qualified. You either qualified or not.
He doesn't need to work as an accountant but he needs to be qualified as one.

[LondonApplicant]

I don't think there is such a thing as partially qualified. You either qualified or not.
He doesn't need to work as an accountant but he needs to be qualified as one.

I understand the term 'partially qualified' is not defined formally, but is widely used, however maybe imprecisely, in the industry, to indicate people who passed some but not all of the exams. A quick search on google or efinancialcareers.co.uk will reveal many job ads with this keyword.

Do you think an application for citizenship with a partially qualified accountant as referee (and no other 'professional' referee) would be rejected, or would the partially qualified status be sufficient proof of how 'professional' my referee is?

I quite never understood if the list of acceptable professions is just an indication or not, and what discretion the Home Office has in assessing how 'professional' a referee is.

Thanks!

[Mauser1905]

I don't think there is such a thing as partially qualified. You either qualified or not.
He doesn't need to work as an accountant but he needs to be qualified as one.

Do you think an application for citizenship with a partially qualified accountant as referee (and no other 'professional' referee) would be rejected, or would the partially qualified status be sufficient proof of how 'professional' my referee is?

I quite never understood if the list of acceptable professions is just an indication or not, and what discretion the Home Office has in assessing how 'professional' a referee is.

Thanks!

You quite seem determined to means test the UKBA referee system in your application!

I am no law expert but I suspect good chances of jeopardising your application's chances of going through smoothly in this situation. Just how difficult is to obtain a listed professional referee?

But there is definite absoluteness in being qualified and not. In betwen partially qualified doesnt fit in the equation!

Good luck.

[LondonApplicant]

You quite seem determined to means test the UKBA referee system in your application!

I am no law expert but I suspect good chances of jeopardising your application's chances of going through smoothly in this situation. Just how difficult is to obtain a listed professional referee?

But there is definite absoluteness in being qualified and not. In betwen partially qualified doesnt fit in the equation!

Good luck.

I don't mean to test anything, just trying to get some clarity.
For example, my part qualified friend works in a bank. "Bank official" is an acceptable profession, but what is the exact definition? The UKBA website doesn't say.

Also, I haven't found on the UK Border Agency website an indication of whether the list of acceptable professions is exhaustive or not. Some people seem to think it is, some think it isn't.

I happen to know university professors, architects, people who volunteer in charities helping the disabled, scientists who work on cancer research, but none of this is in the list. However, funeral directors, post office officials, professional photographers and qualified travel agents are. I am somewhat puzzled to say the least.

[Jambo]

The list is not exhaustive (for example doctors have been taken off the list following the request from GMC who felt they should be doing other things than signing application forms but are still accepted by the HO).

University lecturers are acceptable (under the teachers profession).
Scientists are acceptable if they belong to a professional organisation (i.e. they are Charted).

[LondonApplicant]

The list is not exhaustive (for example doctors have been taken off the list following the request from GMC who felt they should be doing other things than signing application forms but are still accepted by the HO).

University lecturers are acceptable (under the teachers profession).
Scientists are acceptable if they belong to a professional organisation (i.e. they are Charted).

Jambo (and the others on the forum), thank you so much for your answers.

I suppose I am just a bit frustrated by the lack of clarity and the level of discretion on this matter; in my humble opinion, a scientist working on cancer research deserves a higher standing in the community than, say, a funeral director (don't get me wrong, they're both honest and legitimate professions, but I think the former is socially more useful and prestigious), even if the scientist does not belong to any professional body.

[tree5681]

So what about qualified accountants whose qualification is no longer current, i.e. they are a chartered accountant, but not a current member of ACCA, and got their qualifications in another country?

[nnj10]

So what about qualified accountants whose qualification is no longer current, i.e. they are a chartered accountant, but not a current member of ACCA, and got their qualifications in another country?

I think UKBA require referees who are member of UK Professional body, if you are applying from UK.
I am not sure whether UKBA would check the credentials of every referee but better safe than sorry.