Naturalisation and Passport Pilot Scheme

[MeMcMa]

So Happy Today!
Finally I got the letter of Approval. I have booked a private ceremony for the 24/02/16.

And then it will be time for my new passport I guess. Phew! What a journey.

Question is...Do you get a refund of £80 from Home Office as I have decided to have a private ceremony?

Thank you.

[ILR4PVM]

So Happy Today!
Finally I got the letter of Approval. I have booked a private ceremony for the 24/02/16.

And then it will be time for my new passport I guess. Phew! What a journey.

Question is...Do you get a refund of £80 from Home Office as I have decided to have a private ceremony?

Thank you.

Congrats !

No refund as per previous posts:

http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... 52384.html

http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... -1520.html

But unsuccessful applications seem to receive a refund owing to the fact that there is no ceremony. Also nowhere does it say that private ceremony fees charged is minus this £80. Another grey area since people's priority is to get it over with asap !

[MeMcMa]

So Happy Today!
Finally I got the letter of Approval. I have booked a private ceremony for the 24/02/16.

And then it will be time for my new passport I guess. Phew! What a journey.

Question is...Do you get a refund of £80 from Home Office as I have decided to have a private ceremony?

Thank you.

Congrats !

No refund as per previous posts:

http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... 52384.html

http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... -1520.html

But unsuccessful applications seem to receive a refund owing to the fact that there is no ceremony. Also nowhere does it say that private ceremony fees charged is minus this £80. Another grey area since people's priority is to get it over with asap !

Thank you
Oh I see! I didn't think they would but I wanted to be sure and hear from others.

Have a great week.

[Kindsoul]

Couldn't find an all inclusive post for JCAP applications, so here is my experience so far. Beware, long post !

Eligibility criteria: 5 years T2 ICT + 1 year ILR (Employee with same company, no convictions or FPNs)
Language criteria met: Foreign degree with 10 points in PBC
Method of application: JCAP in NCS (Wandsworth)
Date of application: 10/02/2016

After deciding to use the JCAP pilot scheme, I called up 3 councils - Hackney, Southwark, Wandsworth. Wandsworth seemed to be the most friendly, consistent, knowledgeable and cheaper. They also had online booking & payment facility (for the other 2 had to declare card number over the phone) with lots of open slots for even the next day. So booked an appointment for 3/2 and paid £50 online. Then emailed ncs@wandsworth.gov.uk to inform that it is going to be a joint application. Got an acknowledgment same day itself confirming this. (Joint applications are being processed only on weekdays 9 AM to 3 pm - so book your slot accordingly). Later had email conversations where my queries were very well addressed (details posted in page 8 of this thread previously). Had to reschedule the appointment to 10/2 which was done with a no hassle phone call.

My appointment was at 10 am and was called in by 10:10.

Documents submitted:
AN form Jan 2016 version (got an NCS email that old form versions and old version counter signature pages will no longer be accepted)
Passport form (Mobile number not in Sec 2 but in Sec 8; Sec 3 - even though it asks for un-cancelled passports, NCS updated it to 2 with both my passport numbers cancelled and latest; Sec 4 No grandparents details needed ; Sec 5 left blank; Sec 10 left blank)
2 Passports (latest and a previous expired)
ILR BRP
3 photos (1 with full name and dob on back glued to AN form, 1 with full name and dob on back, 1 left blank - No counter signature needed on any of the photos)
LIUT pass certificate (NCS kept the original and informed that home office will return it only if the application is unsuccessful - so take your own copy to keep with you for future reference)
Degree certificate + Points based calculator printout (I had already met the English qualifications for my ILR application in Jan 2015, so this was not mandatory. NCS gave me the choice to keep it or not, I opted in just in case)
AN fee payment form (Download and print from gov.uk)
Passport fee payment form (From the booklet that comes along with the application picked up from post office)

What the Registrar did:
1. He had a NCS checklist cover page, wrote JCAP in big and bold on the top and then my basic details. It has various sections which he kept filling as he stepped though the various documentation.
2. AN form - Checked basic details front page, had quick glance thorough the forms to check it has all the pages, the previous addresses page with continuation on to page 22, the number of days outside uk page, counter signature pages.
3. Passport form - again basic checks as explained above in documents submitted
4. Asked if I would like to include ILR BRP original with the application for which I said no, so he reminded the new law that BRP should be returned within 5 days of the ceremony.
5. Took copies and returned all originals except the LIUT pass certificate.
6. Paid the extra £10 for JCAP using debit card.
7. He pasted the new JCAP barcode sticker on the passport application and my receipt (more on it below). Then went though a set of basic questions from a sheet called NCS Client care record all of which are actually covered in the AN form as well. Signed the original and I got a copy of it.
8. He confirmed that after the ceremony, the passport will be mailed to the home address and there is no passport interview.

Receipts received:
1. NCS Receipt - This had the Royal mail tracking number and details on home office contacts to where the AN form is being sent.
2. Local Authority Passport check Receipt - This has the new JCAP barcode sticker and also has the contact address of 'Team 24' in HMPO which he confirmed as being the separate team that deals with JCAP applications.
3. NCS Client care record copy
4. Receipt for the extra £10 payment for JCAP.

All together, it took 30 minutes - quite stress free experience.

Fees:
AN Naturalization = £1005
Passport = £72.50
NCS = £60

I will update the FEB timeline thread once everything starts moving.

Thanks very much for sharing your experience with us it will surely help many people like me here as i am also appying in 2 weeks time. I hope you receive your approval soon.

[Kindsoul]

So Happy Today!
Finally I got the letter of Approval. I have booked a private ceremony for the 24/02/16.

And then it will be time for my new passport I guess. Phew! What a journey.

Question is...Do you get a refund of £80 from Home Office as I have decided to have a private ceremony?

Thank you.

Many congratulation. Glad to hear that.

[WR1]

So Happy Today!
Finally I got the letter of Approval. I have booked a private ceremony for the 24/02/16.

And then it will be time for my new passport I guess. Phew! What a journey.

Question is...Do you get a refund of £80 from Home Office as I have decided to have a private ceremony?

Thank you.

No refund as the private ceremony fee is higher than the standard ceremony fee hence which is why you are paying an additional amount to cover the extra higher fee.

So for example if a council is charging say £200 for the private ceremony, then the actual amount would be £280, of which you are paying the additional £200 to cover the difference.

[fielddrive]

So Happy Today!
Finally I got the letter of Approval. I have booked a private ceremony for the 24/02/16.

And then it will be time for my new passport I guess. Phew! What a journey.

Question is...Do you get a refund of £80 from Home Office as I have decided to have a private ceremony?

Thank you.

Congrats!

You won't get a refund of £80 as any private ceremony fee tops up the £80 you have already paid.

PS: check your TL on December applicants your date of approval appears as 24/2?

[tehminamazher]

Just camse back from the Brent NCS and it was not a very good experience.

We were a bit early and the document checking procedure was more or less similar to what ILR4PVM has written.

-The lady who was checking our documents was in a rush and was moaning that she is under pressure for doing three applications in a single application time slot. I have booked appointment for 3 applications me , my husband and my daughter but the lady has booked slot for 1 apploication and took payment for three apllications, it was starnge as it showed total lack of internal coordination between the departments( They are receiving payments for 3 application and book 1 appointment)
-The table was not enough for her to check the 3 applications as there were so many documents
-During checking of our application she was emailing some other cleint and was instructing another colleague to complete the wedding documents for another couple.
-They have lost my recepit of the payment and upon requesting the same lady gave me a hand written receipt that the money was received on that date and said it was lady that booked your appointment, she has not given me the card receipt to hand over to you.
-While our application was being checked receptionist came and told that next client is asking how long they have to wait?
-She sent all out three applications in the same envelope and on asking when our daughters application will be processed she was unabale to give any suitable answer.
-She quickly went through the forms without thoroughly checking what we have written.
-She told us that the application will be with the HO and I can track it with the DX number she has provided and for further inquiries we need to ring the number given on the form.


When we asked something to reconfirm she said she can't advise us anything ,she can only check what we have submitted.

Again I think what I have been advised on the forum was 100% better as compared to what I was advised by their advisors
They have given me wrong information about English language requirement over the phone about the ceremony: Upon inquiry I was told that our cermony will be held in Brent , I told her that I am from Bucks, she insisted that you need to write in the form if you want your ceremony to be in Bucks

I have updated the February 2016 timeline thread and will update once again as our application makes progress.

I will rate 1/5 for the services offered by Brent NCS starting from booking my appointmmet , inquires over the phone and through email , and todays experience at the NCS.

Thanks for this wonderful forum once again.

[narsii]

Looks like approval process has started for January applicants
Regards,
Narsii

Date applied 12/01
Date of approval 09/02
Date applied for naturalisation through NCS 12/01/2016
Date of acknowledgment 16/01/2015
Date biometrics done 18/02/2016
Date of approval 09/02/2016
Dated 02/02/2016

[cs95tdg]

tehminamazher, that sounds like a rather horrendous experience. Hopefully they sent everything through without error, and glad you had most of the answers you needed from this forum here beforehand anyway. That's just completely the opposite of my experience there, but if it had happened to me I would personally send a written complaint highlighting the sequence of errors experienced from beginning to end - at the very least to serve as a means for them to improve their service.

narsii, yes looks like that was another quick one.

[zahmed05]

You're harsh on NCS They are not there to advise you about your application. All they have to do is make sure all the criteria is met and required documents are submitted.

Re appointment, It's more of booking error rather than the lady taking your application.

Calm down and best of luck!

[Casa]

Do bear in mind if you are considering making a complaint, NCS staff are not permitted to give advice, only to check documents and the correct completion of the application form.

[cs95tdg]

Yes, I do agree on the point about the NCS not being able to advise applicants. Re-reading my post, perhaps it does look like I may have been overly critical. I suppose what caught my attention at a glance was primarily the booking error - which appeared to have resulted in a rushed checking service for 3 applications (human error by anyone is always possible even when checking a single application - but considering 3 (AN/MN + Passport) were being checked within the time allocated for one didn't appear acceptable in my view). There was also the comment about the ceremony - which is incorrect & misleading, but I suppose not really an issue as long as you know what's supposed to happen anyway. Ceremony at local council, unless you explicitly request it elsewhere on the form.

On a separate but somewhat related note, I personally believe in providing feedback, whether it be as a complaint or any other means that's available & have seen results from doing so. If no one were ever to give feedback or complain there would really be no way of improving a service which could be improved. I know not everyone shares the same view, or has the time to spare for this - but sharing as food for thought.

[tehminamazher]

Yes I also agree with you cs95tdg.

They have not provided any form to provide feedback.

On the other hand I used NCS Aylesbury for my sons MN1 a year back and they were much more efficient, organised as compared to Brent NCS.

Any idea how can I provide them the feedback now. I have checked the council website and it mention procedures for making a complaint.

[cs95tdg]

Any idea how can I provide them the feedback now. I have checked the council website and it mention procedures for making a complaint.

You can try using their customer services email address... https://www.brent.gov.uk/your-council/a ... -services/

[MeMcMa]

So Happy Today!
Finally I got the letter of Approval. I have booked a private ceremony for the 24/02/16.

And then it will be time for my new passport I guess. Phew! What a journey.

Question is...Do you get a refund of £80 from Home Office as I have decided to have a private ceremony?

Thank you.

Congrats!

You won't get a refund of £80 as any private ceremony fee tops up the £80 you have already paid.

PS: check your TL on December applicants your date of approval appears as 24/2?

So Happy Today!
Finally I got the letter of Approval. I have booked a private ceremony for the 24/02/16.

And then it will be time for my new passport I guess. Phew! What a journey.

Question is...Do you get a refund of £80 from Home Office as I have decided to have a private ceremony?

Thank you.

Congrats!

You won't get a refund of £80 as any private ceremony fee tops up the £80 you have already paid.

PS: check your TL on December applicants your date of approval appears as 24/2?

Thank you. Gosh!!!
I had so much excitement that I ended up making a mistake on the dates! Ooops! Correcting it now.


Cheers everybody.

[tehminamazher]

Please can someone confirm me the digits in the tracking number provided by the NCS

I tried tracking my parcel and its not coming as its saying the enter the correct info.

My tracking number has 9 digits and the postcode I am using is L3 9JQ

To me it looks like that they have omitted one digit from the tracking number.

[Arsal385]

Please can someone confirm me the digits in the tracking number provided by the NCS

I tried tracking my parcel and its not coming as its saying the enter the correct info.

My tracking number has 9 digits and the postcode I am using is L3 9JQ

To me it looks like that they have omitted one digit from the tracking number.

It should be a royal mail tracking number. Try to avoid any space between the numbers. NCS normally gives correct tracking numbers. If still invalid call them straight away and give your reference number.

[zahmed05]

It should be a royal mail tracking number.

Brent NCS uses DX

[fbutt50]

I agree with the sub-standard service provided by NCS Brent because I was also very unhappy when I used their service and I warned people in my old posts as well from their low quality service. They don't even look for any mistake properly in your form and just try to wrap up everything quickly and give you a wrong tracking number in the end to check delivery status 10 times a day and u never see anything on status except invalid tracking number. Only one advantage using them is you get your originals back straightaway.
They don't even check whether the applicant is meeting the criteria or not.

[ashdaone1]

I am not sure if this will be of any consolation. but I see your point. As am one of the first few who applied in the first week of Dec. I applied for both Nat and Passpt through NCS- Cheltenham (Gloucestershire) on the 2/12, on the 4/12 money for Naturalisation was taken, then I did my Biometrics on the 6th or 9th/12 and passpt money was taken out my account on the 8/12.
So am now just waiting for the outcome, coz everything has been done!

Hi MeMcMa,

Did you have any updates on your application so far? Couldnt find it on the timeline thread.

Cheers,
Ash

[Wfshah]

I just need some guidance, i have applied through pilot scheme, recieved approvala md booked ceremony for 24th now what happens next? Like returning bio metrics? And what happens with certificate? Do i have to take it from council and send it to home office or something? Can any1 guide me here please?

[zunera mahmood]

Whats ur time line ..can u update it PlZ. .
Thanks

[cs95tdg]

I just need some guidance, i have applied through pilot scheme, recieved approvala md booked ceremony for 24th now what happens next? Like returning bio metrics? And what happens with certificate? Do i have to take it from council and send it to home office or something? Can any1 guide me here please?

You receive your naturalisation certificate when you take oath at the ceremony. Once that is done, you should receive your passport directly in the post within approximately 10 days. The only additional step you are now requested to do is return your ILR BRP within 5 days of receiving your certificate at the ceremony.

Do take a read through the catch-22 comment posted by one of the moderators in the link below, to see if that may also apply to you in the future, before you return your BRP. http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... l#p1301085

[fielddrive]

Brent is getting a lot of 'unlove' from this forum... This was my experience as well with them the caller was rude so ended up using Wandsworth way nicer and more professional to deal with.

Another possible reason is they could be very busy and they were the first to introduce NCS service in the country when it was first introduced so getting tired of being asked same questions lol

Just speculating