Referee Question: how do you know the applicant

[Priya_Rai]

As part of my naturalisation application, I am getting the Nurse at my local surgery to sign as one of the referees. I however note from the form and the guidance notes that the referee should know the applicant "personally". I am slightly confused by this as I am not sure if it means that the professional referee should know me in "personal capacity" i.e. as a friend OR in whichever capacity but personally i.e directly.

The nurse would write - i have known the applicant as patient at the surgery. My coworker at the Bank is also happy to sign the reference for me but she too would write" I know the applicant as work colleague"

Can anybody advise on the above please?

Regards,

Priya

[Priya_Rai]

The reason I am a bit cautious here is because the passport office refused to accept Doctor's reference for my friend's son's application a few months ago saying that the GP knew the applicant in professional capacity and not personally! She then had to run around and find a professional person who was happy to state that he knew the applicant as "friend's son".

[Plum70]

Your colleague who is a banker - have you both worked closely enough together such that they can vouch for you in a personal capacity? If so then make them your personal referee and the nurse your professional referee.

[Priya_Rai]

Your colleague who is a banker - have you both worked closely enough together such that they can vouch for you in a personal capacity? If so then make them your personal referee and the nurse your professional referee.

thanks Plum70, but my question is more about the referee who is a professional. Is it ok to for them to write they know me as patient registered at the surgery/ as work colleague?

[ban.s]

The reason I am a bit cautious here is because the passport office refused to accept Doctor's reference for my friend's son's application a few months ago saying that the GP knew the applicant in professional capacity and not personally! She then had to run around and find a professional person who was happy to state that he knew the applicant as "friend's son".

what do you mean by passport office refused? was it refusal at post office check and save or IPS asked to submit a new reference?

knowing someone "personally" means knowing someone in person - e.g. you have met the person face to face, aware of his/her address/professional etc. this is different from knowing someone virtually (e.g. online or never met just spoken etc)

a person with whom you have dealt in professional capacity is perfectly fine for the purpose of naturalisation and passport application.

[Priya_Rai]

The reason I am a bit cautious here is because the passport office refused to accept Doctor's reference for my friend's son's application a few months ago saying that the GP knew the applicant in professional capacity and not personally! She then had to run around and find a professional person who was happy to state that he knew the applicant as "friend's son".

what do you mean by passport office refused? was it refusal at post office check and save or IPS asked to submit a new reference?

knowing someone "personally" means knowing someone in person - e.g. you have met the person face to face, aware of his/her address/professional etc. this is different from knowing someone virtually (e.g. online or never met just spoken etc)

a person with whom you have dealt in professional capacity is perfectly fine for the purpose of naturalisation and passport application.

thanks bans.s . IPS refused to accept the in-person application of the child saying that you can not provide reference from you GP as they know you in professional capacity and not personally. The parents argued a lot, showed all the relevant guidelines an even the senior officer go involved, but they didn't budge from their position and the parents had to rearrange for another referee.

I too faced similar problem last year in relation to my daughter's application. I cant find my post but it was for exactly the same issue.

Do you reckon that if the Nurse writes she knows me as patient it will be fine as far as the naturalisation application is concerned? Can somebody with recent experience also confirm please?

[Plum70]

Your colleague who is a banker - have you both worked closely enough together such that they can vouch for you in a personal capacity? If so then make them your personal referee and the nurse your professional referee.

thanks Plum70, but my question is more about the referee who is a professional. Is it ok to for them to write they know me as patient registered at the surgery/ as work colleague?

I see...Perfectly fine for the nurse to say she knows you as a patient. This is after all the professional capacity with which you both are acquainted.

My dentist acted as a professional referee for my application and stated 'known as a patient' and there was no problem.

[Jambo]

There have been a few reports on IPS being funny on the GP in a professional capacity. However, I haven't seen any issues with the HO with regards to naturalisation applications.

[Plum70]

There have been a few reports on IPS being funny on the GP in a professional capacity. However, I haven't seen any issues with the HO with regards to naturalisation applications.

Perhaps...again for my passport application the same dentist I used for my AN application acted as a counter-signatory and this time vouched to knowing me as 'a friend'. I was doubtful that this was the case - though he has kept my gnashes healthy for over 5 years, we only ever exchanged pleasantries - so in my view he was certainly not a friend.

Anyway, the IPS did not object and neither did I!