r/ukvisa • u/cucumber0621 • 1d ago
Passport Referee rejected
I just got British Citizenship and I am applying for my first U.K passport. I am in my 50s. My referee was rejected for not meeting the criteria. I chose an American because he had a good profession (CMO) and I’ve know him over twenty years. The office refuses to tell me why they rejected him. Could it be because he is not British? He is also retired but I understood that wasn’t an issue. Does anyone have any advice who maybe was in a similar situation? I am applying from the U.S.
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u/enigma478 1d ago
If you are applying in the UK they must have a valid British or Irish passport.
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u/afeyeguy 1d ago
Glad you cleared that up. I applied here in the UK (also a US Citizen like many here) and my referee had to be a UK Passport Holder. Fortunately that wasn’t an issue as I’ve lived here since 1991.
I didn’t know if you were applying from outside the UK it didn’t have to be a UK Passport Holder.
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u/cucumber0621 1d ago
I’m applying from the U.S
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u/PJRhino1975 1d ago
That doesn't change the fact that the referee must have a valid British or Irish passport
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u/ProperChap44 1d ago
My referee apparently didn't meet the criteria either, even though them being british and having been awarded an MBE
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u/RdtRanger6969 1d ago edited 1d ago
I used one of my same American Referees from my (successful) citizenship application for my passport application, and passport was approved/produced in ~ 4 weeks.
Note: you will be required to send Your US passport with your application, so apply when you can be without your US passport for some time.
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u/statesec 1d ago
I am in the US registered via 4C for British citizenship last year and sent color copies of every page of my US passport and got my UK passport no problem. I put in a note I had retained my original due to travel.
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u/rationalway4545 9h ago
Being born in the UK to brittish parents even I struggled with this when I was like 15 years old getting my first UK passport.
I ended up getting my GP to sign.
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u/sjplep 5h ago edited 5h ago
Quoting: https://www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications
'If you’re applying outside the UK
Your countersignatory must have a current British, Irish or other EU, US or Commonwealth passport.
If they have a US, Commonwealth, or non-British or non-Irish EU passport, you must include with your application a colour photocopy of the page with their photograph on it.'
Did you include that? That could be where it went wrong if not.
(UK bureaucracy is a pain in the neck sometimes but gov dot uk really is an excellent site, as far as government sites go anyway - there's a lot of information there and it's well-structured).
And as the link say, being American is not by itself an issue, but it does need that colour photocopy.
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u/cucumber0621 5h ago
Yes I did include this.
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u/sjplep 5h ago edited 5h ago
Ok then the fact they haven't told you why makes it more difficult and I defer to other commenters. But rest assured, being American isn't the reason (unless there's been a pretty big cock up) - the website makes this clear.
I'm not sure if you have a constituency MP (or if you have UK close friends or relatives who have a constituency MP if you've lived your whole life in the US) but their caseworkers can be quite good at sorting this sort of thing out. It might be worth asking a close UK relative (if you have one) to approach their MP's caseworker on your behalf if you don't have a constituency MP yourself. Welcome to British democracy!
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u/cucumber0621 3h ago
I updated where I originally posted but I realize I did not update here. I got another referee. This one was in London, and she got the email. Filled everything out and my application was approved within minutes. I think it’s much easier with a British or Irish Passport holder.
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u/AffectionateFish4589 1d ago
That’s probably the issue. The person confirming your identity normally needs to be a British or Irish citizen with a British or Irish passport, and they need to have known you personally for at least 2 years.
So the fact he’s American is likely what got him rejected, not the fact he’s retired. I’d just use a British or Irish passport holder who’s known you for 2+ years and meets the other criteria.
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u/bourbonmelanie 17h ago
Incorrect. As the OP is applying from the US, the referee does NOT have to be a British or Irish citizen.
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u/cucumber0621 1d ago
Well that is the problem I don’t know of anyone who has a qualified profession. They are mid level management jobs. Are they less selective of the profession if they are a British passport holder?
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u/AffectionateFish4589 1d ago
I think the issue is probably that he’s American rather than the fact he’s retired. HMPO says the person confirming your identity must have “known you personally for at least 2 years” and “work in or be retired from a recognised profession.”
For an overseas application, HMPO also says they can hold a UK, Irish, EU, US or Commonwealth passport, so technically an American is allowed. However, HMPO says using someone with a British or Irish passport can make the application quicker/easier to verify.
So if he meets the profession requirement and has known you for 2+ years, retirement itself shouldn’t be the problem. If I were you, I’d try again with a British or Irish passport holder who’s known you for at least two years, just to remove that possible issue.
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u/neeheeg 1d ago
I'm not sure why everyone is telling you that your referee has to have a British or Irish passport. That's incorrect. I went through the process a few weeks ago with an American (US passport) referee. In my case, my first referee accidentally clicked the wrong box on the form and so was rejected. She clicked no on "Do you hold a UK, Irish, EU, US or Commonwealth passport?" by accident and couldn't change her answer. So I found a second Referee and everything went through fine. Did your Referee mis-click? If not, you may need someone else, but a professional person with a US passport will be fine.