UKM application experience and timeline

[jellybean19]

Aww, Congratulations to you and your sister. I dropped in to see if you'd updated us. So,pleased to see you have. It's such a emotional day isn't it. Over in the UK you can only have two people with you for the ceremony due to space. Wait til you get your passport, I kept looking at mine for first week before I put it away. I've booked a holiday and will be filling in my API details with my British passport details . No landing card for me. Anyway, congrats to you both x

I was also looking forward to not having to fill in a landing card but that day came before citizenship! There is no longer a requirement for them; I had to fill one in in March but this requirement stopped between then and the middle of May when I took my last trip.

I left the UK on May 5th and returned 12th May, had to fill in my landing card as travelled on my USA Passport. Wonder why the landing card has stopped ? So can't believe my UKM form journey is over.

[jkproperties]

Hi Everyone,
I have applied for citizenship via UKM, I have still not received my Biometrics invite, today is 12 weeks since my documents were received in Liverpool.

Has anyone waited this long?

I sent an email to the home office a few weeks ago, and the rely was still in progress.

If you have waited more than 3 months was your application still concluded within the 6 months timeline?

Thank you,

[Ballet]

I waited 12 weeks for the biometric invitation. You will probably get it late Tuesday.

Hi Everyone,
I have applied for citizenship via UKM, I have still not received my Biometrics invite, today is 12 weeks since my documents were received in Liverpool.

Has anyone waited this long?

I sent an email to the home office a few weeks ago, and the rely was still in progress.

If you have waited more than 3 months was your application still concluded within the 6 months timeline?

Thank you,

[jkproperties]

Thank you for your reply,
Why Tuesday?

Thank you again.[q

I waited 12 weeks for the biometric invitation. You will probably get it late Tuesday.

[quote=jkproperties post_id=<a href="tel:1795773">1795773</a> time=<a href="tel:1561292009">1561292009</a> user_id=215088]
Hi Everyone,
I have applied for citizenship via UKM, I have still not received my Biometrics invite, today is 12 weeks since my documents were received in Liverpool.

Has anyone waited this long?

I sent an email to the home office a few weeks ago, and the rely was still in progress.

If you have waited more than 3 months was your application still concluded within the 6 months timeline?

Thank you,

[/quote]uote=Ballet post_id=1795783 time=1561293576 user_id=214337]
I waited 12 weeks for the biometric invitation. You will probably get it late Tuesday.

Hi Everyone,
I have applied for citizenship via UKM, I have still not received my Biometrics invite, today is 12 weeks since my documents were received in Liverpool.

Has anyone waited this long?

I sent an email to the home office a few weeks ago, and the rely was still in progress.

If you have waited more than 3 months was your application still concluded within the 6 months timeline?

Thank you,

[/quote]

[Ballet]

Hi

In an earlier post you mentioned that you were two weeks behind me. I received mine late on a Tuesday (after 16h00).

The timing could, of course, be completely random depending only on the number of case workers there are and the case load that they have; this is what my brother reckons.

I'm sure you won't be waiting very much longer, anyway. Once you have a case worker you will probably catch up and we will be at the same ceremony.

Thank you for your reply,
Why Tuesday?

Thank you again.[q

I waited 12 weeks for the biometric invitation. You will probably get it late Tuesday.

[jkproperties]

Ok, I understand what you mean, I know of a guy that submitted less than 2 weeks ago and has already done biometrics.

Are you in Johannesburg?

Hi

In an earlier post you mentioned that you were two weeks behind me. I received mine late on a Tuesday (after 16h00).

The timing could, of course, be completely random depending only on the number of case workers there are and the case load that they have; this is what my brother reckons.

I'm sure you won't be waiting very much longer, anyway. Once you have a case worker you will probably catch up and we will be at the same ceremony.

Thank you for your reply,
Why Tuesday?

Thank you again.[q

I waited 12 weeks for the biometric invitation. You will probably get it late Tuesday.

[Ballet]

Yes, I am in Johannesburg. I have two brothers who have already completed the process; one in Johannesburg and one in Durban. None of our timelines are remotely similar except that they both completed their processes in 6 months. My application was started later because it took months to get my unabridged birth certificate from the DHA.

Ok, I understand what you mean, I know of a guy that submitted less than 2 weeks ago and has already done biometrics.

Are you in Johannesburg?

Hi

In an earlier post you mentioned that you were two weeks behind me. I received mine late on a Tuesday (after 16h00).

The timing could, of course, be completely random depending only on the number of case workers there are and the case load that they have; this is what my brother reckons.

I'm sure you won't be waiting very much longer, anyway. Once you have a case worker you will probably catch up and we will be at the same ceremony.

Thank you for your reply,
Why Tuesday?

Thank you again.[q

I waited 12 weeks for the biometric invitation. You will probably get it late Tuesday.

[jkproperties]

Unabridged? Not Vault?

Most of the timelines on here have been about a month from applying to Biometrics, faster recently, apparently you book with your application now.

Yes, I am in Johannesburg. I have two brothers who have already completed the process; one in Johannesburg and one in Durban. None of our timelines are remotely similar except that they both completed their processes in 6 months. My application was started later because it took months to get my unabridged birth certificate from the DHA.

Ok, I understand what you mean, I know of a guy that submitted less than 2 weeks ago and has already done biometrics.

Are you in Johannesburg?

Hi

In an earlier post you mentioned that you were two weeks behind me. I received mine late on a Tuesday (after 16h00).

The timing could, of course, be completely random depending only on the number of case workers there are and the case load that they have; this is what my brother reckons.

I'm sure you won't be waiting very much longer, anyway. Once you have a case worker you will probably catch up and we will be at the same ceremony.

Thank you for your reply,
Why Tuesday?

Thank you again.[q

[Ballet]

I used my unabridged birth certificate not vault copy. Its a long story but the short version is that I applied for my vault and unabridged birth certificates in 2011 and they didn't come through, I reapplied twice more last year and eventually in January this year had to apply for a late registration of my own birth to get the unabridged birth certificate.

Unabridged? Not Vault?

Most of the timelines on here have been about a month from applying to Biometrics, faster recently, apparently you book with your application now.

[Conky2a]

Two quick and related questions......

My wife is now in the eighth week since approval on May 3rd, and is still waiting for her invite from Paris.

Does the invite usually come directly from the consulate or is it TLS contact, and will it come through her solicitor in the UK or directly to her?

Many thanks

[Faircape]

Update:

Eligibility criteria: UKM
Nationality: South African
Applying from: South Africa
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 8 March 2019
Payment method: Credit card (8 March 2019)
Date of acknowledgement: 11 March 2019
Documents sent by courier: 11 March 2019
Date of receipt by UKVI (DHL notified): 14 March 2019
Date of biometric appt invitation: 4 June 2019
Date of biometrics appt confirmation: 5 June 2019
Biometrics done: 6 June 2019
Application to retain SA citizenship: 14 June 2019 (advised to return in 4 weeks)
SA citizenship retention granted by DHA:
Date of UK citizenship approval:
Date of ceremony:
Date applied for passport:
Passport Application received:
Passport Application Marked Dispatched:
Date passport received:

Hi,
I am going through the same process as you but my application is via the Romein judgement, I see that you made application to DHA for retention of RSA citizenship after your biometrics (presumably DHA forms BI-1664 &l-529) prior to taking up UK citizenship did you obtain written confirmation from the UK authorities that you had not yet acquired UK citizenship ?

Thanks in anticipation!

[Ballet]

Hi Faircape

I am also using the Romein judgment and indicated such in my covering letter to UKVI.

When I made my application at the DHA I included a letter from the British High Commission Pretoria that states the following:

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN AT THE DEPARTMENT OF SOUTH AFRICAN HOME AFFAIRS:

The British High Commission can confirm that a British citizen, of whatever age, who acquires the nationality or citizenship of another country, is not required under UK law to renounce their British Citizenship, nor is their British citizenship lost automatically or revoked on acquiring the nationality or citizenship of another country.

In view of the above, the British High Commission does not provide letters to individual British citizens that the United Kingdom Government has no objection to them also taking up South African nationality.

The DHA did not ask for anything further from me regarding foreign citizenship but you do need to confirm that you have not been granted citizenship of any other country when you sign the forms; as far as I am aware the UK will not confirm or deny whether an individual has UK citizenship or not.

I submitted the following:

All originals must be available for checking but they won't be taken in

• Copy of unabridged birth certificate

• Copy of biometric page of current SA passport

• Copy of most recent ID card (front and back)

• Application to Retain SA Citizenship form

• Check Status of Citizenship form

The application cost is R300 (payable by credit card, debit card or cash)

Hi,
I am going through the same process as you but my application is via the Romein judgement, I see that you made application to DHA for retention of RSA citizenship after your biometrics (presumably DHA forms BI-1664 &l-529) prior to taking up UK citizenship did you obtain written confirmation from the UK authorities that you had not yet acquired UK citizenship ?

Thanks in anticipation!

[CR001]

Hi Faircape

I am also using the Romein judgment and indicated such in my covering letter to UKVI.

When I made my application at the DHA I included a letter from the British High Commission Pretoria that states the following:

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN AT THE DEPARTMENT OF SOUTH AFRICAN HOME AFFAIRS:

The British High Commission can confirm that a British citizen, of whatever age, who acquires the nationality or citizenship of another country, is not required under UK law to renounce their British Citizenship, nor is their British citizenship lost automatically or revoked on acquiring the nationality or citizenship of another country.

In view of the above, the British High Commission does not provide letters to individual British citizens that the United Kingdom Government has no objection to them also taking up South African nationality.

The DHA did not ask for anything further from me regarding foreign citizenship but you do need to confirm that you have not been granted citizenship of any other country when you sign the forms; as far as I am aware the UK will not confirm or deny whether an individual has UK citizenship or not.

They do and there is a specific form to be completed to get confirmation of your non British status, costs around £96, processed in Liverpool. All SA citizens in the UK who followed the visa and ILR path to potential British citizenship and want to retain their SA citizenship need to complete the form and get the response/confirmation from UKVI before applying to the SA Consular (DHA) for retention. If the form and retention permission is not done, SA citizenship is lost automatically from the date of attending your ceremony.

Note this applies to voluntary registration/naturalisation as British and not to those born automatically to British born parents and are British by Descent eligible for a British passport directly.

[Ballet]

Thank you CR001

The DHA has not asked for anything further and the form specifically asks whether you have any foreign citizenships; it does not ask whether you intend to apply or where you intend to apply to; hopefully I won't need to get the form with me applying for retention from outside of the UK.

My brother lost his citizenship on naturalising years ago but when he returned to SA he got it back again at the same cost as retention.

The DHA did not ask for anything further from me regarding foreign citizenship but you do need to confirm that you have not been granted citizenship of any other country when you sign the forms; as far as I am aware the UK will not confirm or deny whether an individual has UK citizenship or not.

They do and there is a specific form to be completed to get confirmation of your non British status, costs around £96, processed in Liverpool. All SA citizens in the UK who followed the visa and ILR path to potential British citizenship and want to retain their SA citizenship need to complete the form and get the response/confirmation from UKVI before applying to the SA Consular (DHA) for retention. If the form and retention permission is not done, SA citizenship is lost automatically from the date of attending your ceremony.

Note this applies to voluntary registration/naturalisation as British and not to those born automatically to British born parents and are British by Descent eligible for a British passport directly.

[CR001]

Thank you CR001

The DHA has not asked for anything further and the form specifically asks whether you have any foreign citizenships; it does not ask whether you intend to apply or where you intend to apply to; hopefully I won't need to get the form with me applying for retention from outside of the UK.

My brother lost his citizenship on naturalising years ago but when he returned to SA he got it back again at the same cost as retention.

I did too and have a letter from the SA Consular giving me permission to travel in and out of SA on my British passport (get asked for this letter everytime I enter and exit Joburg Airport) and states as I was born in SA, I have the right to Permanent Residence. The letter also states I can apply to resume my SA citizenship once I have returned and lived in the Republic for 12 months.

[bletchlypark]

Ceremony was Friday in Atlanta, GA. Was all over and done quickly, I could have had it done sooner but this fit with my schedule. Hoping to have the passport application done this week.

Eligibility Criteria: UKM
Nationality: United States
Applying from: Unites States
Method of application: Online with documents sent via DHL
Payment method: Credit card
Date of application: Dec 17, 2018
Date documents sent: Dec 19, 2018
Date of UKVI acknowledgement email: Dec 18, 2018
Date of receipt by UKVI: Dec 21, 2018
Date funds withdrawn: Dec 18, 2018
Date of e-mail requesting biometrics: Mar 1, 2019
Bio-metrics done: Mar 18, 2019
Date of approval: Apr 5, 2019
Date of invitation to ceremony: Jun 4, 2019
Date of ceremony: Jun 28, 2019
Date applied for passport: PENDING
Date passport received: PENDING

[Faircape]

Hi Faircape

I am also using the Romein judgment and indicated such in my covering letter to UKVI.

When I made my application at the DHA I included a letter from the British High Commission Pretoria that states the following:

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN AT THE DEPARTMENT OF SOUTH AFRICAN HOME AFFAIRS:

The British High Commission can confirm that a British citizen, of whatever age, who acquires the nationality or citizenship of another country, is not required under UK law to renounce their British Citizenship, nor is their British citizenship lost automatically or revoked on acquiring the nationality or citizenship of another country.

In view of the above, the British High Commission does not provide letters to individual British citizens that the United Kingdom Government has no objection to them also taking up South African nationality.

The DHA did not ask for anything further from me regarding foreign citizenship but you do need to confirm that you have not been granted citizenship of any other country when you sign the forms; as far as I am aware the UK will not confirm or deny whether an individual has UK citizenship or not.

I submitted the following:

All originals must be available for checking but they won't be taken in

• Copy of unabridged birth certificate

• Copy of biometric page of current SA passport

• Copy of most recent ID card (front and back)

• Application to Retain SA Citizenship form

• Check Status of Citizenship form

The application cost is R300 (payable by credit card, debit card or cash)

Hi,
I am going through the same process as you but my application is via the Romein judgement, I see that you made application to DHA for retention of RSA citizenship after your biometrics (presumably DHA forms BI-1664 &l-529) prior to taking up UK citizenship did you obtain written confirmation from the UK authorities that you had not yet acquired UK citizenship ?

Thanks in anticipation!

Thanks Ballet,

Regretably in terms of my application to UKVI , I did not enclose a cover motivating my application under the Romein Judgement as my initial application was done electronically and there was no provision for appending documents, in retrospect I should have included such a letter when submitting my hardcopy documents to Liverpool.
Presumably the case workers are fully conversant with the provisions of the Romein Judgement of over a year ago ???
As the Department of Home Affairs in RSA takes time to process applications, I am initiating the process now, hopefully my UKM application has no glitches, (On the advice of my solicitor, all my documents were Apostille copies certified by a Notary Public)

Many thanks

[Ballet]

Hi Faircape

My application was also online but I included the covering letter in the pack of documents sent via DHL. My brother advised doing this as he had done it for our younger brother's application. I'm sure there are a vast number of Romein judgment applications going through UKVI since early last year.

I submitted original documents to Liverpool except for my passport which I had photocopied (every page including the covers) and had certified by a UK-based solicitor. I couldn't be without my passport for 6 months as I travel often for work; this was another reason for sending the covering letter as I needed to explain why the original passport was not included.

The DHA take 4 weeks to process the retention application; they told me to return for the letter in 4 weeks; I would not receive an sms or email letting me know that it is ready.

I'm coming up for 4 weeks since doing my biometrics so hopefully will hear from them again quite soon.

Thanks Ballet,

Regretably in terms of my application to UKVI , I did not enclose a cover motivating my application under the Romein Judgement as my initial application was done electronically and there was no provision for appending documents, in retrospect I should have included such a letter when submitting my hardcopy documents to Liverpool.
Presumably the case workers are fully conversant with the provisions of the Romein Judgement of over a year ago ???
As the Department of Home Affairs in RSA takes time to process applications, I am initiating the process now, hopefully my UKM application has no glitches, (On the advice of my solicitor, all my documents were Apostille copies certified by a Notary Public)

Many thanks

[Faircape]

[quote=Ballet post_id=1799205 time=1562146224 user_id=214337]
Hi Faircape

My application was also online but I included the covering letter in the pack of documents sent via DHL. My brother advised doing this as he had done it for our younger brother's application. I'm sure there are a vast number of Romein judgment applications going through UKVI since early last year.

I submitted original documents to Liverpool except for my passport which I had photocopied (every page including the covers) and had certified by a UK-based solicitor. I couldn't be without my passport for 6 months as I travel often for work; this was another reason for sending the covering letter as I needed to explain why the original passport was not included.

The DHA take 4 weeks to process the retention application; they told me to return for the letter in 4 weeks; I would not receive an sms or email letting me know that it is ready.

I'm coming up for 4 weeks since doing my biometrics so hopefully will hear from them again quite soon.

[quote=Faircape post_id=1799196 time=1562144941 user_id=217443]

Hi Ballet , good luck with the letter of permission from Home Affairs

Did you visit British High Commission Pretoria in person or via e-mail, I just get an automated reply that they do not deal with visa or passport issues, perhaps you have a contact link/email?

Cheeers

[Ballet]

I got the letter from my brother. I don't know how he got it but he sent it to me via WhatsApp. I just downloaded and printed it to include in the submission to the DHA. I would upload it here but have no idea if that is possible.

Hi Ballet , good luck with the letter of permission from Home Affairs

Did you visit British High Commission Pretoria in person or via e-mail, I just get an automated reply that they do not deal with visa or passport issues, perhaps you have a contact link/email?

Cheeers

[Faircape]

I got the letter from my brother. I don't know how he got it but he sent it to me via WhatsApp. I just downloaded and printed it to include in the submission to the DHA. I would upload it here but have no idea if that is possible.

Hi Ballet , good luck with the letter of permission from Home Affairs

Did you visit British High Commission Pretoria in person or via e-mail, I just get an automated reply that they do not deal with visa or passport issues, perhaps you have a contact link/email?

Cheeers

Hi Ballet,
don't know if the site will accept but here it goes, my cell is mobile number removed by moderator maybe try whats app (xxxx) . it would be great to get some help
Cheers

[CR001]

Hi Ballet,
don't know if the site will accept but here it goes, my cell is mobile number removed by moderator maybe try whats app (xxxx) . it would be great to get some help
Cheers

Please do not post any form of contact information on the forum for your own safety. Everyone here is a stranger and we have many scammers and spammers trawling daily looking for personal information.

Post your questions on the forum (start a new topic if you want to) and members will help.

[hamalt66]

...... Ceremony was Friday in Atlanta, GA. Was all over and done quickly.....

Hi, and congratulations, where was the ceremony carried out, is there a British embassy or consulate in Atlanta, Georgia?

[Ballet]

Let's see if this link will work.

Screenshot link removed by moderator

Hi Ballet,
don't know if the site will accept but here it goes, my cell is mobile number removed by moderator maybe try whats app (xxxx) . it would be great to get some help
Cheers

[CR001]

Let's see if this link will work.

Screenshot link removed by moderator

Hi Ballet,
don't know if the site will accept but here it goes, my cell is mobile number removed by moderator maybe try whats app (xxxx) . it would be great to get some help
Cheers

Please ensure your redact or black all names, including the officials please.