Naturalisation Refereee Decleration form

[glas195]

Hello everyone — I have a couple of questions about the naturalisation referee declarations and would really appreciate any input based on your experience.

I plan to submit my application next week, but I’d like to download the referee declaration forms from GOV.UK and have my referees sign them this week. Is that OK?

Is it acceptable to add my photo to the form digitally and have the referees sign using a digital signature (like on Adobe, etc.)? It would be much easier, as my referees live quite far apart.

Thank you in advance.

[alterhase58]

Hello everyone — I have a couple of questions about the naturalisation referee declarations and would really appreciate any input based on your experience.

I plan to submit my application next week, but I’d like to download the referee declaration forms from GOV.UK and have my referees sign them this week. Is that OK? Yes - link: https://visas-immigration.service.gov.u ... on_MN1.pdf
Note the instruction to "sign the back of the photo" is out of date.

Is it acceptable to add my photo to the form digitally and have the referees sign using a digital signature (like on Adobe, etc.)? It would be much easier, as my referees live quite far apart. Yes. In any case everything is uploaded.

Thank you in advance.

[glas195]

Hello everyone — I have a couple of questions about the naturalisation referee declarations and would really appreciate any input based on your experience.

I plan to submit my application next week, but I’d like to download the referee declaration forms from GOV.UK and have my referees sign them this week. Is that OK? Yes - link: https://visas-immigration.service.gov.u ... on_MN1.pdf
Note the instruction to "sign the back of the photo" is out of date.

Is it acceptable to add my photo to the form digitally and have the referees sign using a digital signature (like on Adobe, etc.)? It would be much easier, as my referees live quite far apart. Yes. In any case everything is uploaded.

Thank you in advance.

Thanks a lot! Wow this saves me so much time and stress

[glas195]

Hello everyone — I have a couple of questions about the naturalisation referee declarations and would really appreciate any input based on your experience.

I plan to submit my application next week, but I’d like to download the referee declaration forms from GOV.UK and have my referees sign them this week. Is that OK? Yes - link: https://visas-immigration.service.gov.u ... on_MN1.pdf
Note the instruction to "sign the back of the photo" is out of date.

Is it acceptable to add my photo to the form digitally and have the referees sign using a digital signature (like on Adobe, etc.)? It would be much easier, as my referees live quite far apart. Yes. In any case everything is uploaded.

Thank you in advance.

Sorry if this question is redundant, I used Docusign to facilitate the process but it leaves headers and other artefact on the form. Am I OL to submit the form like that? (see images below)

Screenshot 2026-02-25 070623.png (10.21 KiB) Viewed 1515 times

Screenshot 2026-02-25 070540.png (28.82 KiB) Viewed 1515 times

[lolo2]

Docusign has options to remove those, check their website. You also can easily remove them manually.

Ensure the referees signature on the form is like on their passports.

[glas195]

Thanks! I was able to fix that.
I have another question please. On the question
“When Did You Arrive in the UK?”

When completing the ILR form, I looked this up and understood the question to mean: “What is the start date of the qualifying period for your visa?”

Now, on the naturalisation form, my research suggests that it means: “When did you physically enter the UK?”

Am I understanding this correctly?

[alterhase58]

Correct - the date you first entered with a visa (limited leave to remain).
If you don't know/remember the exact date estimate month/year.

[glas195]

Correct - the date you first entered with a visa (limited leave to remain).
If you don't know/remember the exact date estimate month/year.

Thanks. Just to be sure, for context:
I arrived in the UK with a student visa and sought asylum later and got refugee status in 2020.
When applying for ILR, to this question, I put the refugee grant date (2020)

So this time around I should put the date I entered as a student ? Would that cause any discrepancy?

[lolo2]

So this time around I should put the date I entered as a student ? Would that cause any discrepancy?

Yes, you can use that date. That would not cause any discrepancy.

The date you use to respond to that question will not have any impact on the decision. This has been discussed many times on this forum.

[glas195]

Thanks