Recognised professions
You must work in or be retired from a recognised profession and know the applicant personally.
Examples of recognised professions include:
accountant
airline pilot
articled clerk of a limited company
assurance agent of a recognised company
bank or building society official
barrister
chairman or director of a limited company
chiropodist
commissioner for oaths
councillor - local or county
civil servant - permanent
dentist
director, manager or personnel officer of a VAT-registered company
engineer with professional qualifications
financial services intermediary, for example a stockbroker or insurance broker
fire service official
funeral director
insurance agent of a recognised company - full time
journalist
Justice of the Peace
legal secretary - fellow or associate member of the Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs
licensee of a public house
local government officer
manager or personnel officer of a limited company
member, associate or fellow of a professional body
Member of Parliament
Merchant Navy Officer
minister of a recognised religion including Christian Science
nurse - registered
officer of the armed services
optician
paralegal - certified, qualified or associate member of the Institute of Paralegals
person with honours - OBE or MBE
pharmacist
photographer - professional
police officer
Post Office official
president or secretary of a recognised organisation
Salvation Army Officer
social worker
solicitor
surveyor
teacher or lecturer
trade union officer
travel agent - qualified
valuer or auctioneer - fellow or associate member of the incorporated society
Warrant Officer or Chief Petty Officer
Professions that are not accepted
You cannot confirm someone’s identity if you:
are a doctor, unless you state you know the applicant well (for example they’re a good friend) and you recognise them easily from their photo
work for HM Passport Office
work at UK Visas and Immigration and are involved with applications for British citizenship or right of abode in the UK
Do you think that the Applicants retired Chiropodist, Optician or Dentist is more qualified than your Doctor?
This list was so obviously made up by some stupid jobs-worth in the Passport Office with very little thought and who cannot begin each profession with a capital letter. That's how I missed minister of a recognised religion including Christian Science. A Rastafarian accepted?
No problem, my son has used a friend who works on the oil rigs to say that he knows my Grand-daughter's father, my son, and his job is not on the list, unless maybe, he was a Sally Army Officer in a previous life. 555