Referee queries

[Natapp23]

Hi All,

Hope you're all well.

I contacted Home Office telephone helpline with these queries. Suprisingly they were unable to answer anything, referring simply to the guidance documents. I stated the guidance documents didn't provide the clarity I required. I also emailed nationalityenquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk but received a pre-loaded FAQ email which still failed to answer my queries and it stated an individual response won't be provided.

Could anyone help me?

1. The application states two referees are required, one with a professional qualification of any nationality and the second being a British citizen who is over 25 years old. Specifically regarding this second type of referee, the guidance states this must be a British citizen however when completing the online application, it stated this could be a British, Commonwealth or an Irish Citizen. I have an Irish referee I would like to use, should I go ahead with this?

2. Also, being Irish is deemed to be from Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland or either (for the purpose of acting as a referee).

3. I am applying as a spouse of a British Citizen who has lived in the UK for over 3 years. What documentation do I need to provide to prove this? My currently nationality and passport is Italian and doesn't have any stamps on entry.

4. When submitting documents, do you upload them online as a scan? It states passport must be original, so is this submitted via post? Also, does my spouse who is already a British Citizen have to submit original passport?

Thank you all

[contorted_svy]

Hi All,

Hope you're all well.

I contacted Home Office telephone helpline with these queries. Suprisingly they were unable to answer anything, referring simply to the guidance documents. I stated the guidance documents didn't provide the clarity I required. I also emailed nationalityenquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk but received a pre-loaded FAQ email which still failed to answer my queries and it stated an individual response won't be provided.

Very unsurprising in the collective experience of the forum, advisors on the UKVI helpline do tend to just refer you back to the guidance (or even provide contradicting advice).

Could anyone help me?

1. The application states two referees are required, one with a professional qualification of any nationality and the second being a British citizen who is over 25 years old. Specifically regarding this second type of referee, the guidance states this must be a British citizen however when completing the online application, it stated this could be a British, Commonwealth or an Irish Citizen. I have an Irish referee I would like to use, should I go ahead with this? I would stick with what the guidance and the form say and use a British citizen with a British passport.

2. Also, being Irish is deemed to be from Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland or either (for the purpose of acting as a referee). As I said earlier I am not sure you can use an Irish citizen, but if they were in Northern Ireland they would be British, not Irish nationals

3. I am applying as a spouse of a British Citizen who has lived in the UK for over 3 years. What documentation do I need to provide to prove this? My currently nationality and passport is Italian and doesn't have any stamps on entry. Marriage certificate for proof of marriage, your spouse's British passport as proof they are British, P60s or council tax in your name for residence.

4. When submitting documents, do you upload them online as a scan? It states passport must be original, so is this submitted via post? Also, does my spouse who is already a British Citizen have to submit original passport? Yes you will upload them, you won't need to send originals.

Thank you all

Please review the guidance here https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... t_2023.pdf as you will also need to provide LITUK test and English language test as well as fulfill the rest of requirements.

[Natapp23]

Thank you for the prompt reply. I was hoping I could use the Irish contact but I guess I will need to find a British national instead to be safe.

My spouse and I got married abroad so not sure whether this provides the clarity of having lived in the UK however it is certainly required to go down the 6(2) applying as a spouse of a British Citizen route so this will be provided anyway. The P60s and council tax are great documents however the home office checklist on the application didn't ask for this. Would you upload these as well anyway or wait for them to request something specific?

That's great, so nothing needs to be posted. That helps with travel arrangements!

[Natapp23]

Should have also mentioned, I have ILR via EU settled status.

I've taken the Life In the UK Test recently and passed. I also have a bachelors degree through a UK university.

[contorted_svy]

Thank you for the prompt reply. I was hoping I could use the Irish contact but I guess I will need to find a British national instead to be safe.

My spouse and I got married abroad so not sure whether this provides the clarity of having lived in the UK however it is certainly required to go down the 6(2) applying as a spouse of a British Citizen route so this will be provided anyway. You may need to provide an approved translation of the marriage certificate if it is not in English. The P60s and council tax are great documents however the home office checklist on the application didn't ask for this. They ask to prove your residence and that is what you can use to prove it, so even if not explicitly named you need to upload them Would you upload these as well anyway or wait for them to request something specific? Upload them on the UKVCAS website before you attend the biometrics appointment.

That's great, so nothing needs to be posted. That helps with travel arrangements!

[contorted_svy]

Should have also mentioned, I have ILR via EU settled status.

I've taken the Life In the UK Test recently and passed. I also have a bachelors degree through a UK university.

You will need to provide UAN and dates of pre-settled and settled status under the "previous immigration applications" section, the UAN of the LITUK test and upload the degree certificate (select the appropriate box on the application)

[alterhase58]

Thank you for the prompt reply. I was hoping I could use the Irish contact but I guess I will need to find a British national instead to be safe.

My spouse and I got married abroad so not sure whether this provides the clarity of having lived in the UK however it is certainly required to go down the 6(2) applying as a spouse of a British Citizen route so this will be provided anyway.This is for proving the marriage, not residence. The P60s and council tax are great documents however the home office checklist on the application didn't ask for this. Would you upload these as well anyway or wait for them to request something specific? Upload one type of those documents, not all.

That's great, so nothing needs to be posted. That helps with travel arrangements!

[Natapp23]

Should have also mentioned, I have ILR via EU settled status.

I've taken the Life In the UK Test recently and passed. I also have a bachelors degree through a UK university.

You will need to provide UAN and dates of pre-settled and settled status under the "previous immigration applications" section, the UAN of the LITUK test and upload the degree certificate (select the appropriate box on the application)

Yes I entered the following:
Have you made any previous UK immigration applications in the UK or abroad? YES
Enter your reference number if known REFERENCE NUMBER ON EU SETTLED STATUS LETTER

Also, another section asks:
Have you been granted indefinite leave to enter, or remain, in the UK? YES
Date your leave was granted (if known) DATE ENTERED
Was your indefinitely leave to enter or remain granted under the EU settlement scheme? YES
Enter your reference number SAME REFERENCE AS ABOVE

[Natapp23]

Thank you for the prompt reply. I was hoping I could use the Irish contact but I guess I will need to find a British national instead to be safe.

My spouse and I got married abroad so not sure whether this provides the clarity of having lived in the UK however it is certainly required to go down the 6(2) applying as a spouse of a British Citizen route so this will be provided anyway. You may need to provide an approved translation of the marriage certificate if it is not in English. The P60s and council tax are great documents however the home office checklist on the application didn't ask for this. They ask to prove your residence and that is what you can use to prove it, so even if not explicitly named you need to upload them Would you upload these as well anyway or wait for them to request something specific? Upload them on the UKVCAS website before you attend the biometrics appointment.

That's great, so nothing needs to be posted. That helps with travel arrangements!

Okay thank you for the guidance. I already have an officially translated certificate in English.

[contorted_svy]

Should have also mentioned, I have ILR via EU settled status.

I've taken the Life In the UK Test recently and passed. I also have a bachelors degree through a UK university.

You will need to provide UAN and dates of pre-settled and settled status under the "previous immigration applications" section, the UAN of the LITUK test and upload the degree certificate (select the appropriate box on the application)

Yes I entered the following:
Have you made any previous UK immigration applications in the UK or abroad? YES
Enter your reference number if known REFERENCE NUMBER ON EU SETTLED STATUS LETTER

You need to enter UAN and dates for your pre-settled status in this section too.

Also, another section asks:
Have you been granted indefinite leave to enter, or remain, in the UK? YES
Date your leave was granted (if known) DATE ENTERED
Was your indefinitely leave to enter or remain granted under the EU settlement scheme? YES
Enter your reference number SAME REFERENCE AS ABOVE

[Natapp23]

Should have also mentioned, I have ILR via EU settled status.

I've taken the Life In the UK Test recently and passed. I also have a bachelors degree through a UK university.

You will need to provide UAN and dates of pre-settled and settled status under the "previous immigration applications" section, the UAN of the LITUK test and upload the degree certificate (select the appropriate box on the application)

Yes I entered the following:
Have you made any previous UK immigration applications in the UK or abroad? YES
Enter your reference number if known REFERENCE NUMBER ON EU SETTLED STATUS LETTER

You need to enter UAN and dates for your pre-settled status in this section too.

Also, another section asks:
Have you been granted indefinite leave to enter, or remain, in the UK? YES
Date your leave was granted (if known) DATE ENTERED
Was your indefinitely leave to enter or remain granted under the EU settlement scheme? YES
Enter your reference number SAME REFERENCE AS ABOVE

I couldn't find this from going through previous emails. Surely they will be able to find all this no?

[contorted_svy]

You need to provide all detail at the best of your ability. Their records may not be complete. If you can't find the details you can do a SAR with UKVI and see if you can recover it that way.

[CR001]

You need to provide all detail at the best of your ability. Their records may not be complete. If you can't find the details you can do a SAR with UKVI and see if you can recover it that way.

The reference number is not mandatory, the form clearly states "if known"!!!

[Natapp23]

Thanks, good to know