Citizenship Invitation letter with Guidance Notes

[Joythornz]

Last 10/11/2015, I have received the brown envelope containing a letter advising me that I was successful with my application for naturalisation and my supporting documents.

The letter also noted that I should receive my letter of invitation from my Local Authority to attend the citizenship ceremony.

Today, I have received that letter from my local council and they have booked me for a particular date to attend the ceremony. The letter mentioned that I need to bring an ID (passport, driving license, etc) and the Home Office letter titled 'Citizenship Invitation' with Ceremony Guidance notes on the back.

The letter I receive from the famous brown envelope has no title 'Citizenship Invitation' and the back of the paper is blank.

The letter from my local council mentioned that if I have not receive the HO letter titled Citizenship Invitation with guidance notes at the back, I should request a copy from the HO via sending an email to: nationalityenquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Do I need to contact the HO and ask for a copy of the letter my local council specifically asked me to bring?

Or is the letter from the brown envelope the one I need to bring on my ceremony date?

Please advise.

[Joythornz]

P.S.

The letter from my local council advise if I don't bring the HO letter with the title "Citizenship Invitation" with guidance notes on the ceremony appointment along with an ID, I will not be admitted to the ceremony.

I am just worried that the letter I receive from the brown envelope is different from what my local council is specifically asking for.

[HelloitsmeAbby]

Call the council. Explain your doubts and they will tell you.

Don't panic so much! You have been approved

[JAMES11]

you just have not received your invitation letter yet, its from UKBA.

[JS69]

the letter you received saying your application is successful and the citizenship invitation letter is one and the same. congratulations.

[fwd079]

No need to worry. Just either go to the ceremony they invited you for, or book a private ceremony which costs a fee but you get to choose the time and date.

[Joythornz]

you just have not received your invitation letter yet, its from UKBA.

Guess what arrived today?

Yep JAMES11, you were right. I have received the Citizenship Invitation letter with guidance notes at the back this afternoon.

So the letter which came with my passport/supporting documents in a brown envelope is NOT the letter I thought I would be bringing on my ceremony appointment.

Happy that everything is in place.

To those who are waiting on their approval letter, take note that you should be receiving the following separately (in some cases I heard they arrive at the same time):

1. Citizenship Invitation letter with guidance notes at the back. It only contains 1 piece of paper in a brown envelope. The header or title will read:
CITIZENSHIP INVITATION
APPLICATION FOR BRITISH CITIZENSHIP BY
(your name and date of birth)

2. A ceremony invitation letter from your local council/authority. In my case, they have provided me a date for the naturalisation ceremony so I don't need to book an appointment.

3. If you've applied by post, your supporting documents that you've provided on your application (e.g. passport, marriage certificate, etc) with an enclosed letter advising that your application has been successful.

Hope this post will help future applicants waiting on their approval.

Thank you to those who responded and tried to help me. Much appreciated.

[ChOudhry1]

you just have not received your invitation letter yet, its from UKBA.

Guess what arrived today?

Yep JAMES11, you were right. I have received the Citizenship Invitation letter with guidance notes at the back this afternoon.

So the letter which came with my passport/supporting documents in a brown envelope is NOT the letter I thought I would be bringing on my ceremony appointment.

Happy that everything is in place.

To those who are waiting on their approval letter, take note that you should be receiving the following separately (in some cases I heard they arrive at the same time):

1. Citizenship Invitation letter with guidance notes at the back. It only contains 1 piece of paper in a brown envelope. The header or title will read:
CITIZENSHIP INVITATION
APPLICATION FOR BRITISH CITIZENSHIP BY
(your name and date of birth)

2. A ceremony invitation letter from your local council/authority. In my case, they have provided me a date for the naturalisation ceremony so I don't need to book an appointment.

3. If you've applied by post, your supporting documents that you've provided on your application (e.g. passport, marriage certificate, etc) with an enclosed letter advising that your application has been successful.

Hope this post will help future applicants waiting on their approval.

Thank you to those who responded and tried to help me. Much appreciated.

Congratulations.
Will you please explain a bit more as I am a bit confused. I applied for British nationality with my wife and daughter. All separate applications on deferent dates.
I received my approval letter on the type you mentioned as 1. and I called council and booked my ceremony got the certificate and all done with this one letter which was tilted as invitation to ceremony.
My wife also got the same letter and we booked her ceremony which is due on 12 th dec.
Yesterday we received a letter of approval for our daughter and it is type 2 as you mentioned above. It says that you must wait for the ceremony invitation letter and do not contact the council until you get it. And if you don,t get this letter in two weeks you contact the home office.
Please let me know that we will get this citizen ship invitation from home office or council or both since council will not accept this letter of approval we have already got from home office.
I am wondering why they want us to wait for three letters that is ,one we have received and waiting for another two before she can get her certifcate in a ceremony where we all had the same type of case applied from the same Ncs.

[Joythornz]

Congratulations.
Will you please explain a bit more as I am a bit confused. I applied for British nationality with my wife and daughter. All separate applications on deferent dates.
I received my approval letter on the type you mentioned as 1. and I called council and booked my ceremony got the certificate and all done with this one letter which was tilted as invitation to ceremony.
My wife also got the same letter and we booked her ceremony which is due on 12 th dec.
Yesterday we received a letter of approval for our daughter and it is type 2 as you mentioned above. It says that you must wait for the ceremony invitation letter and do not contact the council until you get it. And if you don,t get this letter in two weeks you contact the home office.
Please let me know that we will get this citizen ship invitation from home office or council or both since council will not accept this letter of approval we have already got from home office.
I am wondering why they want us to wait for three letters that is ,one we have received and waiting for another two before she can get her certifcate in a ceremony where we all had the same type of case applied from the same Ncs.

Hi ChOudhry.

I've mentioned 3 letters on my post because I have applied via post. So the 3rd letter was inside the self-addressed envelope that I have provided on my application that the Home Office used to return my passports and other supporting documents. This letter is just a confirmation that my application was successful but it advised that it is NOT the invitation letter.

But you, your wife and daughter applied through NCS and got approval on your applications, the three of you will only receive two letters - 1. Citizenship Invitation letter with guidance notes at the back (which you will receive from the Home Office) AND 2. A ceremony invitation letter which you will receive from your local council/authority.

I think in your daughter's case, she received her ceremony invitation from your local council first so just be patient that her approval letter (Citizenship Invitation letter with guidance notes at the back) will arrive shortly.

That's what happened to me. I panicked so soon when I receive the letter from my local council and have not yet receive the invitation letter from the Home Office. Then the next day, I've received my letter from the HO.

I have read somewhere in this forum that there were cases where some people managed to book their ceremony with their local council after only receiving their Home Office letter of approval (Citizenship Invitation letter with guidance notes at the back), like the case with you and your wife. Since you've already booked the ceremony for you and your wife with your local council, I am not sure if your local council will still send you your ceremony invitation letter.

I would suggest to give it a week to wait on the Home Office letter for your daughter. If after a week, no letter still then contact the Home Office to send your daughter a copy of the Citizenship Invitation letter with guidance notes as per what was advised on the letter.

All the best to you and your family. Hope the above helps and maybe a moderator on this forum could provide you with more helpful information.

Joy