British Citizenship and British passport

[Seena]

Dear All,

First of all big THANKS to everyone who helped me during my application for British citizenship. I received an approval letter today for my British citizenship and it contains the below wording...

I am pleased to say that your application has been successful and you will receive a letter inviting you to attend a citizenship ceremony. When you attend the ceremony you will be presented with a certificate of British citizenship.

Please note, this letter is not an invitation to a ceremony. You should not contact your local authority until you have received your invitation. If you have not received your invitation within the next 2 weeks, you should email us at Citizenship.Support@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Now i am bit confused, If i am not wrong, was that not the process once you have your approval you would contact your local authority for a ceremony date.... ? but in my case it says that "you will receive a letter inviting you to attend a citizenship ceremony"...

Please advise and thanks in advance...

P.S: I applied on 31st March and approval date is 10th July and was on the based of spouse of BC.

[Wanderer]

Dear All,

First of all big THANKS to everyone who helped me during my application for British citizenship. I received an approval letter today for my British citizenship and it contains the below wording...

I am pleased to say that your application has been successful and you will receive a letter inviting you to attend a citizenship ceremony. When you attend the ceremony you will be presented with a certificate of British citizenship.

Please note, this letter is not an invitation to a ceremony. You should not contact your local authority until you have received your invitation. If you have not received your invitation within the next 2 weeks, you should email us at Citizenship.Support@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Now i am bit confused, If i am not wrong, was that not the process once you have your approval you would contact your local authority for a ceremony date.... ? but in my case it says that "you will receive a letter inviting you to attend a citizenship ceremony"...

Please advise and thanks in advance...

P.S: I applied on 31st March and approval date is 10th July and was on the based of spouse of BC.

You will get a letter saying 'call and arrange' then you call them to arrange a date and they send a letter confirming.

Simples!

PS that sounds a bit condescending but wasn't meant to be!

[Seena]

Thanks for your reply Wanderer

And am sorry if you think I am showing an attitude. Its just the way, i worked in different offices.

[Wanderer]

Thanks for your reply Wanderer

And am sorry if you think I am showing an attitude. Its just the way, i worked in different offices.

No no!! It's me - I started writing my response and it sounded a bit 'wrong' - I like using the term 'simples' cos my partner is Russian but here it sounded a bit like a piss take. However I still like it!!

My fault, nothing you said or intimated!

[noajthan]

...

Now i am bit confused, If i am not wrong, was that not the process once you have your approval you would contact your local authority for a ceremony date.... ? but in my case it says that "you will receive a letter inviting you to attend a citizenship ceremony"...

Please advise and thanks in advance...

...

You may receive a letter from your designated council advising they have put your name down for the next available group ceremony (& giving the date/time details).
If that date (& type of ceremony) are acceptable you can just turn up.

That's what happened for my wife; we even phoned the council to confirm (to be sure) and were told it wasn't necessary.

Have a lovely day.

[Seena]

Thanks very much for your reply noajthan,

Any idea how long the second letter will take to arrive ? My approval letter only arrived yesterday on 16th July. Based on your wife experience any idea how long it took her ceremony invitation letter to arrive ?

OR if any one else can share their experience....

Thanks
Zara

[noajthan]

Thanks very much for your reply noajthan,

Any idea how long the second letter will take to arrive ? My approval letter only arrived yesterday on 16th July. Based on your wife experience any idea how long it took her ceremony invitation letter to arrive ?

OR if any one else can share their experience....

Thanks
Zara

Seena,
Strangely, in our case, the council letter arrived before the HO approval letter.
You can see the timings here:
http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... e#p1128799
- this was over the Christmas period which may have affected the timings.

Maybe there's no real rhyme or reason to it - it may just depend on how busy the HO's & council's postrooms are.
If you've received one letter already the other should come quite soon.

[Seena]

And last question

Was the ceremony invitation letter sent by registered post / private courier or by royal mail ?

Thanks
Zara

[noajthan]

And last question

Was the ceremony invitation letter sent by registered post / private courier or by royal mail ?

Thanks
Zara

Zara,
As far as I remember the council letter came via regular mail.
(I work away a lot & do not recall having to be around to sign for the letter).

[boloney]

And last question

Was the ceremony invitation letter sent by registered post / private courier or by royal mail ?

Thanks
Zara

Zara,
As far as I remember the council letter came via regular mail.
(I work away a lot & do not recall having to be around to sign for the letter).

Second class Royal mail, mine came few days after the letter from HO.
They offered me date for group ceremony, than I called them to see how much odes private one cost, they said something around 70 GBP as far as I remember and it was one charge for me and my wife.

[Seena]

Dear All,

I received the second letter today about my ceremony, in which they stated that I should contact my local authority, which i did and the lady on the counter booked me for a private ceremony on Friday.

I have few question if someone please clarify the below questions for me.

1- What would happen on Friday ? Would i receive the naturalization certificate on the same day ?

2- If I get the naturalization certificate on Friday, how would I apply for my Passport ? Is there any interview process that I need to book ?

3- What kind of form can i use to fill out for my passport ?

4- How soon can i get my British passport as I am going out of the country on my sister's wedding on 4th August.

Thanks in advance...
Zara

[geriatrix]

1. You’ll have to make an oath of allegiance (or you can make an affirmation if you prefer not to swear by God) and a pledge. This means you’ll promise to respect the rights, freedoms and laws of the UK. You’ll be presented with your certificate of British citizenship and a welcome pack. Some local councils take photographs or videos of the event for you to buy.
2. See Passport.
3. As above.
4. It can take up to 6 weeks for your "first" British passport to be issued.

[noajthan]

Dear All,

I received the second letter today about my ceremony, in which they stated that I should contact my local authority, which i did and the lady on the counter booked me for a private ceremony on Friday.

I have few question if someone please clarify the below questions for me.

1- What would happen on Friday ? Would i receive the naturalization certificate on the same day ?

2- If I get the naturalization certificate on Friday, how would I apply for my Passport ? Is there any interview process that I need to book ?

3- What kind of form can i use to fill out for my passport ?

4- How soon can i get my British passport as I am going out of the country on my sister's wedding on 4th August.

Thanks in advance...
Zara

1] You go to the office/venue.
You should take your invitation & HO approval letters with you.
They will interview you briefly before the ceremony. (Nothing to worry about).

Yes.
You choose the form of words you wish to use at the ceremony (to swear an oath or pledge allegiance) & will receive your certificate on the day.

If you are religious & choose to swear an oath of allegiance you may take a holy book with you; (my wife took her Bible).

The ceremony is performed by the official with various speeches and the oath/pledge (which you will speak).
At that moment you are naturalised as a British citizen & receive your certificate.

The national anthem will be sung.
There will be an opportunity for photographs.

Don't worry too much about learning the words to the oath/pledge or for the national anthem - they will give you papers with all the words on.

Take care of your certificate as it is the proof you are British and have a right of abode in UK.
You must not laminate the certificate

2] You apply separately for the passport.
You can get the form from Post Office (or apply online).

You have the option of applying online or applying by post or applying via the Post Office's Check & Send service (for a small extra fee, about £9).

The passport office will write to you in due course about booking the mandatory passport interview.

3] See #2

4] Be aware it takes time to be processed as a first-time applicant for a British passport; there is no 'fast track process'.

You will be called for an interview at a regional passport office.
If all is satisfactory your passport will be granted & sent to you a few days after the interview.

This process can take 6 weeks or more.
- this will not all happen before 4 August

Note that you need to submit all uncancelled passports with your application.
If you are a married woman and hold a passport in a different name (maiden name) compared to the name you have naturalised in there may be some challenges in obtaining a passport.

If you need to travel soon and are a dual citizen you could use your foreign passport (before applying for British passport).

Note: If you do that you will need to carry & present your naturalisation certificate on your return to show you are British & have right of abode in UK.
(This is because your BRP & any ILR will be invalidated once you have become British).

Have a lovely day at your ceremony.

[Seena]

Thanks very much for your reply.

We are also in the middle of changing address, would the passport office need proof of address ?

[Seena]

Dear All,

I will have my naturalization certificate on coming Friday. We are in the middle of moving address. While applying for my British Passport would the passport office require proof of address ?

At the moment we don't have any proof of address for our new appartment & will take a while to arrange that.

Thanks
Zara

[noajthan]

Dear All,

I will have my naturalization certificate on coming Friday. We are in the middle of moving address. While applying for my British Passport would the passport office require proof of address ?

At the moment we don't have any proof of address for our new appartment & will take a while to arrange that.

Thanks
Zara

You need to state your address but are not asked to provide proof of address.

What you need to submit is in the guidance, here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... s_4_14.pdf

[Seena]

Dear All,

I have attended the ceremony on Friday 24th July and received my naturalization certificate and applied for my British Passport on Monday 27th July. I understand that the first time passport takes about 6 weeks to process. Does any one has experience on their first time passport ? what is the next step for me and how long it took for you ?

Thanks
Zara

[akvk47]

Hi Seena,

congrats on your neutralization, i got my British passport last month the next step you will receive a letter from passport services in around 4-6 weeks depends on the their workload, once you get the letter you need to book an appointment for interview by calling the number on the letter you need to provide the reference number mentioned on the letter. and after you are done with the passport interview you will get your British passport in 10-12 days again depends on the their workload.

the complete process may take more than a month

hope this was helpful
akvk47

[mavdi]

Looking at the current passport timelines and if you're lucky you can get your passport within 3 weeks of application if you book your interview as quickly as possible.

[Seena]

Folks,

Seems the passport service is acting fast. I just received an interview letter this morning, will call the passport office and see what date would i get.

Once the interview is done, do you think I would received my passport in 2 weeks ?

Sorry for asking but we need to travel and need flight bookings....

Thanks

[CR001]

Folks,

Seems the passport service is acting fast. I just received an interview letter this morning, will call the passport office and see what date would i get.

Once the interview is done, do you think I would received my passport in 2 weeks ?

Sorry for asking but we need to travel and need flight bookings....

Thanks

Once your interview is done and if there are no further queries on your application, you should receive your passport within a week (usually a couple of days)

[Seena]

Dear All,

I have booked interview for my first time British Passport. So, what kind of question can I expect ? Could someone please give me some tips OR sample questions based on your experience ?

How long will the interview last ? Any tips / suggestions / advise... ?

Thanks in advance everyone for your continuous help & support....

Zara

[epa123]

interview is nothing to do with immigration, this is just interview to make sure identity is say who you are. even people who born here dont have a child passport have to go through the same interview. nothing to worry

they will ask question like past addresses your direct debit etc noting much,

[nawaz]

Look at the sticky threads on the top of this forum. Here are some sample questions,

http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... 64893.html

[Seena]

Dear All,

This post is dedicated to ALL the Great experts on the forum who helped me during the process of my ILR and my British citizenship. I finally received my passport today and booked our hols for the next week.

Thanks everyone once again for your help/support and priceless advise.....

Love you all....
Zara