90 days validity of Naturalisation approval letter

[ram13]

Hello Guys,

We applied for naturalisation and British passport at the same time in March 2016(under pilot project) and we received the approval letter on 14/6 with the date on the letter as 02/06.

In the letter it is advised that we will have to book for the ceremony within 21 days to the (local)council. The earliest appointment in my council is 09th August. But we booked holidays in August and will be outside UK. So i booked the ceremony appointment in the 2nd week of september 2016. Council sent me the confirmation of our booking via email.

But I heard that we should attend the ceremony within 90 days from the approval date which is 02/6. Due to the unavailability of appointments and my holiday plan, I had to book for september 2016 which is more than 90 days from the date of approval mentioned in the approval letter.

No where in the application or approval letter says we will have to attend the cerenomy within 90 days from the date of approval. Can any one please clarify on this 90 days validity?

Thanks.

[CR001]

Yes, you need to attend ceremony with 90 days of approval but not sure if Sept would be ok. You could book a private ceremony sooner if you wish (costs extra)

[ram13]

I think Private appointments are only an option but home office can't impose us to go for it. Not sure.

I spoke to the council about this 90 days validity. Council also said that we will have to attend in 90 days but as long as council can book an appointment, we should be OK. What they explained was, the 90 days counts from the immediate date available in that council.

In my case,

Approval letter was dated: 02/06
Earliest appointment in the council: 09 Aug
90 days count starts from: 09 Aug

But I will be out of country during Aug and return on Sept. So I booked for sept and council sent me the confirmation of my appointment.

If this really a problem in my case, council would have not booked my appoinment for september.
Any advice on this please.

[CR001]

It is 90 days from date of approval, not from 'council's availability'.

Your choice, but suppose it should be ok as you have a date booked.

[ram13]

I have been looking for this 90 days validity rule for approval letters. But i couldn't find this either our naturalisation application form or approval letter.

Would you mind sharing any home office link which says applicant has to attend the ceremony within 90 days from the date of approval?

[Casa]

6.11.22.4 We should also notify the relevant local authority or authorised person of the decision in relation
to that applicant and enclose the applicant’s undated certificate of registration or naturalisation.
"The notification, which will be generated automatically when "ceremony approved" action is
taken on NCID, will explain to the relevant authority that if the applicant fails to attend a
ceremony within the prescribed time limit, the certificate should be returned to the Home Office.
75
6.11.22.5 If the applicant asks for an extension of time and gives an acceptable reason (see 6.11.22.6
below), an extension of up to 3 months may be allowed (or whatever longer period may be
justified by the reason given for the request). CCST action these requests.
6.11.22.6 We should normally agree to extend the deadline where:
• the applicant is temporarily abroad (Nb. If this is a naturalisation case under s.6(1) of the
BNA 1981, any absence of 6 months or longer may affect the applicants ability to meet the
future intentions requirement and the case should be referred to a Senior Caseworker)
• the applicant (or a close family member) is ill
• there has been some form of administrative error, either by the Home Office, a Post abroad
or the local authority (e.g. the ceremony invitation was not received in time or was sent to the
wrong address)"
and
6.11.22.13 If an applicant does not attend a citizenship ceremony within the 90 day time limit, the local
authority will notify CCST. CCST will then write out to the applicant for an explanation as to why
they did not attend the ceremony. If a reasonable explanation is provided CCST will look to
extend the deadline (see 6.11.22.6).
6.11.22.14 If an explanation is not provided, the application will be refused. The applicant will be informed
that it will not be possible to become a British citizen because the Home Secretary is not able to
register or naturalise a person who has not attended a ceremony and taken an oath/pledge.

[ram13]

Thanks mate for this info.

My understanding from your post is, if the applicant missed either to book an appointment or missed to attend the booked ceromony, then all this process will kick in.

In my case, i already booked the ceremony appointment and council conformed the appointment via email, so i believe 90 days rule doesn't apply to me.

From the information you posted, my understanding on the process is: when the applicant booked the appointment with local council, they will inform the date of ceremony of an applicant to home office. then home office will prepare the certificate and send it to council. If the applicant fails to attend the ceremony, local council returns the certificate to home office.

Please advise if my understanding is not correct.

[Casa]

Thanks mate for this info.

My understanding from your post is, if the applicant missed either to book an appointment or missed to attend the booked ceromony, then all this process will kick in. Note the failed to attend a ceremony within the prescribed time limit. It doesn't mention failed to attend a booked ceremony

In my case, i already booked the ceremony appointment and council conformed the appointment via email, so i believe 90 days rule doesn't apply to me.
Wise to get written confirmation of this from the Council holding the ceremony.

From the information you posted, my understanding on the process is: when the applicant booked the appointment with local council, they will inform the date of ceremony of an applicant to home office. then home office will prepare the certificate and send it to council. If the applicant fails to attend the ceremony the local council returns the certificate to home office. Note: and enclose the applicant’s undated certificate of registration or naturalisation.The Council holding the ceremony will add the date to the certificate when you attend the ceremony and then notify the HO.

Please advise if my understanding is not correct.

[ram13]

Do you mean to say that council simply book the ceremony appointment without checking the validity of applicant's approval letter?

Is it applicant's responsibility to calculate the 90 days period and make sure to book appointment within this time limit? if so, would this not be a mistake from local authority side?

[Casa]

Do you mean to say that council simply book the ceremony appointment without checking the validity of applicant's approval letter?

Is it applicant's responsibility to calculate the 90 days period and make sure to book appointment within this time limit? if so, would this not be a mistake from local authority side?

6.11.22.4 We should also notify the relevant local authority or authorised person of the decision in relation
to that applicant and enclose the applicant’s undated certificate of registration or naturalisation.


The local authority will have on record the date of approval following notification from the HO together with the undated certificate. My concern would be that this hasn't been cross-checked by the Council employee when booking your ceremony, which is why I suggested that you confirm you can attend outside of the 90 day limit. Has there been any comment on this in the booking email you received?

[ram13]

Yes, i asked the same question that i would be falling out side of 90 days of time limit by the time i return from our planned holidays. Then the lady explained me that 90 days counts from the date of the immediate appointment in the council NOT from the date on the approval letter.

The confirmation email says just date and address. It is a standard confirmation email. Once council confirmed via email, is it not council's responsibility/mistake? IF council is wrong, them am i not fall in to the following category and be considered?

"6.11.22.6 We should normally agree to extend the deadline where:
• the applicant is temporarily abroad (Nb. If this is a naturalisation case under s.6(1) of the
BNA 1981, any absence of 6 months or longer may affect the applicants ability to meet the
future intentions requirement and the case should be referred to a Senior Caseworker)
• the applicant (or a close family member) is ill
• there has been some form of administrative error, either by the Home Office, a Post abroad
or the local authority (e.g. the ceremony invitation was not received in time or was sent to the
wrong address)"

[Casa]

Either the local authority are misguided in that 90 days counts from the date of the first available appointment , or the HO official guidance is flawed in the requirement that the ceremony is attended within 90 days of the date of the approval letter. They can't both be right.
I agree that you may well have grounds for redress if there has been an administrative error, but wouldn't it be wiser to take a belt & braces approach and seek confirmation while you still have the opportunity to plan ahead?

[ram13]

Thanks for your inputs mate.

As I applied under pilot project scheme(Naturalisation + passport at the same time), how long will it take to receive my British passport after my ceremony?

Do I require to do anything after the ceremony like informing passport office that I finished my ceremony like that?

[CR001]

The council will inform HO/HMPO once you have attended the ceremony, there is nothing that you need to do.

It takes between a week or 2 to receive the passport.

[leavetoremain]

Applicant MUST contact their council before 21 days. However council can give a date that could be before or after the 90 days limit. My wife's approval was dated 31/03/2016. Our council gave her 2 dates (20th June and 04th July - note that she had to travel out of country for 2 months). They said it was perfectly fine to attend the ceremony on the 04th July but the wife picked the earliest available date.

[ram13]

We booked & attended private ceremony today. After ceremony, we were told that it 2 -3 weeks to get the British Passport under pilot project and we don't need to do anything.

But we rang HM Passport office to check the status of our passport application. They told us that our application has been progressed and it takes up to 6 weeks to get the passport. From the conversation that I had with passport office, It looks Passport office doesn't have right info on the applications submitted under pilot scheme. They are saying the same time lines that takes for normal applications.

I have only 6 weeks left to get the British passport and apply a visa to India in August.

Does anyone has idea on how long it takes to get the British passport after the ceremony under pilot project?
Is there any other number(passport office or home office) that I can ring to get the correct info?

[CR001]

HMPO/HO will be notified that you have now attended your ceremony and are British. You should receive your passport within a couple of weeks.

[noajthan]

We booked & attended private ceremony today. After ceremony, we were told that it 2 -3 weeks to get the British Passport under pilot project and we don't need to do anything.

But we rang HM Passport office to check the status of our passport application. They told us that our application has been progressed and it takes up to 6 weeks to get the passport. From the conversation that I had with passport office, It looks Passport office doesn't have right info on the applications submitted under pilot scheme. They are saying the same time lines that takes for normal applications.

...

It may be a busy time due to 'summer rush'.

[ram13]

After the ceremony, the approval letter was not returned to us. I realized this after we came home. I went back to check this. But they couldn't find that and told me that it will no longer be needed for me as I was given the naturalization certificate.

Would it be OK without that letter now or in future?

[Luckygoldstar2016]

Dear Friends,

I am not sure if some of you have faced the same situation as mine. I have received my approval letter dated 15/06/2016 and have been asked to book an oath ceremony at my council (Croydon). However I am planning to go on holidays with family in Mid July and return sometime in 25th of August.

When I asked the council, if I can get any date from 25th August, they say they don't have the dates available in the system. Now I cannot go for oath immediately as after oath, I will have to return my BRP card and I wont be able to travel.

One of the lady in the registrar office, when I called them up for date and informed them of my issue said, I need not worry about the 21 day period, I can book my date for oath ceremony after I come back on 25th August, but need to complete the oath before 13th September ( 90 days from date on Approval Letter).

Can anyone please advise if the 21 days to book date for oath ceremony really apply or I can book my oath date after my return from holidays?

Any help will be highly appreciated.

Regards
Lucky

[leavetoremain]

Dear Friends,

I am not sure if some of you have faced the same situation as mine. I have received my approval letter dated 15/06/2016 and have been asked to book an oath ceremony at my council (Croydon). However I am planning to go on holidays with family in Mid July and return sometime in 25th of August.

When I asked the council, if I can get any date from 25th August, they say they don't have the dates available in the system. Now I cannot go for oath immediately as after oath, I will have to return my BRP card and I wont be able to travel.

One of the lady in the registrar office, when I called them up for date and informed them of my issue said, I need not worry about the 21 day period, I can book my date for oath ceremony after I come back on 25th August, but need to complete the oath before 13th September ( 90 days from date on Approval Letter).

Can anyone please advise if the 21 days to book date for oath ceremony really apply or I can book my oath date after my return from holidays?

Any help will be highly appreciated.

Regards
Lucky

The lady is right. Just ensure that your council has your data in the system and they are aware that you are out of country and will be booking the ceremony upon your return after the holidays.

My wife got her approval on 31/03/2016. She made contact immediately and was told they will make a note of her absence in their system and that she can book once she is back. She came back on 12/06/2016, called on 13/06/2016 and got 2 dates, one on 04/07/2016 and one on 20/06/2016. She went with the latter and she is now a British Citizen. If you are from India, you can still travel on your Indian passport but when you surrender you will have to pay a fine of 145 GBP.

[Luckygoldstar2016]

Thanks a lot, much appreciated. I am an Indian.

One more query - Can I travel on my Indian Passpot after my oath, but my BRP card would have been cancelled. So how would that work. Also how would I enter UK on my return. Also can you pl advise a bit more on the £145 fine.

[eclectic]

Dear Friends,

I am not sure if some of you have faced the same situation as mine. I have received my approval letter dated 15/06/2016 and have been asked to book an oath ceremony at my council (Croydon). However I am planning to go on holidays with family in Mid July and return sometime in 25th of August.

When I asked the council, if I can get any date from 25th August, they say they don't have the dates available in the system. Now I cannot go for oath immediately as after oath, I will have to return my BRP card and I wont be able to travel.

One of the lady in the registrar office, when I called them up for date and informed them of my issue said, I need not worry about the 21 day period, I can book my date for oath ceremony after I come back on 25th August, but need to complete the oath before 13th September ( 90 days from date on Approval Letter).

Can anyone please advise if the 21 days to book date for oath ceremony really apply or I can book my oath date after my return from holidays?

Any help will be highly appreciated.

Regards
Lucky

Yes, I am in the similar situation and have been given a very similar advice i.e. to book after I return from holidays without worrying about 21 days limit.