Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

[Malikg123]

Hello everyone I received my documents back fro home office yesterday along my decision letter dated 24 March 2020 in letter it says I will contacted by local council within 3 weeks I tried calling my council for update but their are not responding ask me to email which I did and waiting. I’m confused home office already sent my certificate to local council or they did now after sending me documents also I received decision email in June from home office now this letter dated 24 March 2020 so confusing.
I notice my neighbouring council already start doing citizenship ceremonies link attached below.

https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/birth-death ... p-ceremony

i never sent any documents do I still have to receive any documents? or just invitation letter to the ceremony. Why dont HO send invitation letters and we ll see when can we attend the ceremony. I have to change my address, my contract is over where I am living but waiting for the invitation letter

i send postal application with original documents which is returned now.

[Emeliajayne88]

Hi all,

Called my council Hammersmith and Fulham they said they haven't received any certificate since March.
To me it looks like January 2021

Why are you saying January 2021? Is this based on fact, or?

[ddrfan]

I contacted the Edinburgh Council about this and they're still saying that they've not been given the go ahead from the HO to conduct ceremonies. I'm not really sure how true that is since other councils are now holding the ceremonies, but I guess it's random... /shrugs

[BoyTed]

Hi all,

Called my council Hammersmith and Fulham they said they haven't received any certificate since March.
To me it looks like January 2021

Why are you saying January 2021? Is this based on fact, or?

Its not based on fact but logic i can see this dragging on there's already a backlog Home office are not printing certificates the council have no direction

[justprofessionalism]

I contacted the Home Office 10 days ago to let them know that my council has resumed private ceremonies and requested for an invitation letter to be sent to me and for my citizenship certificate to be sent to my council, as I'm willing to pay for a private ceremony and it can't be performed without it (my council told me that they haven't received any new certificates since March).

I received the following answer today:

I refer to your application for British Citizenship and your email enquiry. Upon investigation I can confirm that your citizenship ceremony documents have not yet been printed or despatched to the local authority. Your citizenship paperwork will be generated in coming weeks when current restrictions due to Coronavirus are eased.

In normal circumstances customers were required to book their citizenship ceremony within three months of being sent an invitation from the Home Office. Due to the current circumstances we have extended this period to six months. We will keep this under constant review. Please be assured that no adverse decisions will be made on your application because of delays caused by Coronavirus (unless there is a material change in your circumstances, for example, you are convicted of a criminal offence).

Thanks for sharing that, you have mentioned that you contacted the HO 10 days ago which was before the ease of lockdown.

I think situation has changed and I would encourage applicants waiting for their certificate to request the HO to send their certificates. Most of councilS are allowing private ceremonies at the moment!

I can not understand why the HO has not publish any update yet. Private ceremonies are more safe than going to pubs or restaurants!

I actually sent it after the ease of the lockdown was announced and clarified that my council has resumed private ceremonies. Regardless, this response is from today, so it is the most updated information, indicating that they have no intention to send particular certificates. We will all need to be patient and wait until they make the decision to print and send them all out.

My wife received the exact same response word by word after informing them that the local council is planning to commence citizenship ceremonies for 1st July 2020. I think its generic response they are sending to anyone who is enquiring at this particular time. Lets see hope things will be sorted soon.

[shaggie44]

I contacted the Home Office 10 days ago to let them know that my council has resumed private ceremonies and requested for an invitation letter to be sent to me and for my citizenship certificate to be sent to my council, as I'm willing to pay for a private ceremony and it can't be performed without it (my council told me that they haven't received any new certificates since March).

I received the following answer today:

I refer to your application for British Citizenship and your email enquiry. Upon investigation I can confirm that your citizenship ceremony documents have not yet been printed or despatched to the local authority. Your citizenship paperwork will be generated in coming weeks when current restrictions due to Coronavirus are eased.

In normal circumstances customers were required to book their citizenship ceremony within three months of being sent an invitation from the Home Office. Due to the current circumstances we have extended this period to six months. We will keep this under constant review. Please be assured that no adverse decisions will be made on your application because of delays caused by Coronavirus (unless there is a material change in your circumstances, for example, you are convicted of a criminal offence).

Which email did you send to? I'm getting no luck with citizenship.support

[Lopand]

I contacted the Home Office 10 days ago to let them know that my council has resumed private ceremonies and requested for an invitation letter to be sent to me and for my citizenship certificate to be sent to my council, as I'm willing to pay for a private ceremony and it can't be performed without it (my council told me that they haven't received any new certificates since March).

I received the following answer today:

I refer to your application for British Citizenship and your email enquiry. Upon investigation I can confirm that your citizenship ceremony documents have not yet been printed or despatched to the local authority. Your citizenship paperwork will be generated in coming weeks when current restrictions due to Coronavirus are eased.

In normal circumstances customers were required to book their citizenship ceremony within three months of being sent an invitation from the Home Office. Due to the current circumstances we have extended this period to six months. We will keep this under constant review. Please be assured that no adverse decisions will be made on your application because of delays caused by Coronavirus (unless there is a material change in your circumstances, for example, you are convicted of a criminal offence).

Which email did you send to? I'm getting no luck with citizenship.support

citizenship.support@homeoffice.gov.uk

[rozearo]

My wife received the exact same response word by word after informing them that the local council is planning to commence citizenship ceremonies for 1st July 2020. I think its generic response they are sending to anyone who is enquiring at this particular time. Lets see hope things will be sorted soon.

This whole situation is far complex and difficult to understand at the moment! Ideally, a clear update from the HO would wipe out any concerns, but it look like that the HO is keep ignoring publishing any update!
I have questions which I failed to find answers to:
- Why the HO is not printing any certificates since March?
- Why they are creating a huge backlog?
- What is the risks of getting certificates printed and sent to applicants?

Definitely, there is no explanation for delaying sending certificates at this stage!!!

Is there anything else we could do apart from sending emails to the HO which are likely to be ignored?

[CR001]

This whole situation is far complex and difficult to understand at the moment! Ideally, a clear update from the HO would wipe out any concerns, but it look like that the HO is keep ignoring publishing any update!
I have questions which I failed to find answers to:
- Why the HO is not printing any certificates since March?
- Why they are creating a huge backlog?
- What is the risks of getting certificates printed and sent to applicants?

Definitely, there is no explanation for delaying sending certificates at this stage!!!

Is there anything else we could do apart from sending emails to the HO which are likely to be ignored?

1. Highly likely due to staff working from home and also many staff being deployed to other departments. Also, dealing with other more important issues such as people stuck in the UK with expiring visas, repatriation of British citizens abroad.

2. They are not creating the backlog themselves. 1000s of people have been submitting a large variety of applications since March, many routes far more urgent than a citizenship application as your rights don't change at all while a citizenship application is pending.

3. See # 2 and #3 above. Many who had ceremonies scheduled had them cancelled, so the councils need to get through that backlog first. Remember that ceremonies are often booked up months in advance, so these people would have a priority over recent applicants.

Perhaps look at the whole picture in perspective a bit.

[rozearo]

This whole situation is far complex and difficult to understand at the moment! Ideally, a clear update from the HO would wipe out any concerns, but it look like that the HO is keep ignoring publishing any update!
I have questions which I failed to find answers to:
- Why the HO is not printing any certificates since March?
- Why they are creating a huge backlog?
- What is the risks of getting certificates printed and sent to applicants?

Definitely, there is no explanation for delaying sending certificates at this stage!!!

Is there anything else we could do apart from sending emails to the HO which are likely to be ignored?

1. Highly likely due to staff working from home and also many staff being deployed to other departments. Also, dealing with other more important issues such as people stuck in the UK with expiring visas, repatriation of British citizens abroad.

2. They are not creating the backlog themselves. 1000s of people have been submitting a large variety of applications since March, many routes far more urgent than a citizenship application as your rights don't change at all while a citizenship application is pending.

3. See # 2 and #3 above. Many who had ceremonies scheduled had them cancelled, so the councils need to get through that backlog first. Remember that ceremonies are often booked up months in advance, so these people would have a priority over recent applicants.

Perhaps look at the whole picture in perspective a bit.

Thanks CR001 for trying to answer my questions. I see the whole situation and I will reply to your points.

1- Government advised that if you can not work from home, you can go to work. Working from home was the case one or two months ago, but now most of jobs are back to normal place of work. Case workers are already processing Citizenship application, which indicates that they are enough resources to process citizenship application. In addition, printing certificates would not take much effort and resources in my opinion.

2- Without sending citizenship application, backlog is created. This is due to the fact that number waiting for ceremonies are increasing since March. Department dealing with Citizenship is totally different from immigration department and there are evidences that they are processing applications at the moment as stated in time-scale thread.

3- I disagree with that point, as not all applicant are willing to pay for private ceremonies. Some will be waiting for public ceremonies! My local council are able to provide private ceremonies within few weeks and the whole situation it is not as bad at the moment. However, when the HO start to print all that waiting certificate and waiting for another month or two will add huge number to the queue!

Finally, you might argue that waiting will not deprivilege any candidates who got ILR rights which is the same as citizenship right, however It is not. There are huge difference for me as an individual. For example registration to electoral roll (voting rights), freedom of movement within Europe and people expect to receive new babies soon.

[justprofessionalism]

Hope you are all well. Please don't have frustrations regarding this. Its an unprecedented times. delays are to be expected. I am sure everyone is doing their best. Should anyone wish get an update or request something they can contact Home Office. If you wish then share any update here. It would be good if this forum is used to for updates only. Any arguments should be avoided. best of luck everyone. I find this website quite helpful and informative etc. I am newly registered.

Thanks

[secret.simon]

registration to electoral roll (voting rights)

People in the UK on a non-visit visa with either existing Commonwealth or EU citizenship will already be able to register to vote.
Not to mention that there are no elections on the horizon till mid-May 2021. And a snap election is unlikely to the point of non-existent because of the government's majority of eighty.

freedom of movement within Europe

Ending in five months.

people expect to receive new babies soon.

Children born to people on ILR (which all applicants for naturalisation would already have) in the UK are born British citizens.
The number of people adversely affected by a delay on the grounds listed by you will be very miniscule indeed.

[mr_iyamu]

Trust me my friends. My life is much better since I decided to ignore the Home Office and focus on myself. Someday when they resume, the post man would be at my door.
Accepting that you are not alone in this situation and have not been singled out is a first step. They have already resumed which is a sign that things are picking up and that should be good enough to last July while waiting for a new update.
You have a right to complain but then all we can do here is read the complaint and console you. If you want to know what works, request a foi from the home office. They are expected to reply within a set time frame. You just need to craft your issues around a smart question but again we are always here to console you.

[justprofessionalism]

It would be very nice and helpful if this forum remains for any updates that applicants if they wish can share. as that is helpful for others. thanks.

[Fbiboy2002]

It would be very nice and helpful if this forum remains for any updates that applicants if they wish can share. as that is helpful for others. thanks.

No update to share we are all stuck in ceremony with very huge backlog

[Malikg123]

Hi,
I email to Citizenship.Support@homeoffice.gov.uk for an update on citizenship ceremonies I received this reply and I provided them details now waiting for their response I request everyone to send email it will put pressurise on HO to resume services.


Please can you confirm your Home Office reference number, your full name and date of birth.

[chand92]

Latest update received from Home office.

Thank you for your e-mail
I can only confirm that we will endeavour to conclude your application at the earliest opportunity. Please be assured that, we will write to again with your ceremony invitation details. as soon as possible.

[Sohail222]

Chand92 when did you get your approval and where did you send email

[BoyTed]

Hello Everyone,
I think this looks like good news.

Some councils like torbay are announcing this.

It says as follows;
Citizenship ceremonies will recommence from Monday 20 July, individuals who are on the waiting list will be contacted to discuss the rescheduling of their ceremony.

Check up that link.


https://www.torbay.gov.uk/news/pr8090/

[chand92]

Approved on 8th June,
sent to NationalitySupportTeamFMT@homeoffice.gov.uk

[Sous49]

Hello all
Hope you all are ok
I knew that my application for Naturalisartion had been approved when I got a reply on the 20th of May to an email I sent asking about an update.so I haven't received any decision letters emailed or posted to me

During the last 3 weeks I sent three emails to different HO email addresses including NationalitySupportTeamFMT@homeoffice.gov.uk asking about the decision letter and the certificate with no reply apart of the automatic replies.

Confusing

Good luck

[Sous49]

To be fair to them I just got the below reply


Thank you for your polite e-mail



Unfortunately, I can only refer you to or e-mail of 20 May.



Dear xxxxx



Thank you for your e-mail requesting progress on your application for British Citizenship.



I am happy to advise that your application has been approved. However, due to the current COVID-19 situation, and the relevant staff not being in office, Decision Letters are not being issued at this time.



Once the situation has improved, you will receive a letter requesting that you arrange to attend a Citizenship Ceremony.



Thank you for your patience



FMT Admin Support Nationality Group

[rozearo]

Thanks CR001 for trying to answer my questions. I see the whole situation and I will reply to your points.

1- Government advised that if you can not work from home, you can go to work. Working from home was the case one or two months ago, but now most of jobs are back to normal place of work. Case workers are already processing Citizenship application, which indicates that they are enough resources to process citizenship application. In addition, printing certificates would not take much effort and resources in my opinion.

2- Without sending citizenship application, backlog is created. This is due to the fact that number waiting for ceremonies are increasing since March. Department dealing with Citizenship is totally different from immigration department and there are evidences that they are processing applications at the moment as stated in time-scale thread.

3- I disagree with that point, as not all applicant are willing to pay for private ceremonies. Some will be waiting for public ceremonies! My local council are able to provide private ceremonies within few weeks and the whole situation it is not as bad at the moment. However, when the HO start to print all that waiting certificate and waiting for another month or two will add huge number to the queue!

Finally, you might argue that waiting will not deprivilege any candidates who got ILR rights which is the same as citizenship right, however It is not. There are huge difference for me as an individual. For example registration to electoral roll (voting rights), freedom of movement within Europe and people expect to receive new babies soon.

For who are awaiting ceremonies, I have received the following update:

Dear Dr Xxxxxx,

I refer to your application for British Citizenship and your email enquiry. Upon investigation I can confirm that your citizenship ceremony documents have not yet been printed or dispatched to the local authority. Your citizenship paperwork will be generated in coming weeks when current restrictions due to Coronavirus are eased.

In normal circumstances customers were required to book their citizenship ceremony within three months of being sent an invitation from the Home Office. Due to the current circumstances we have extended this period to six months. We will keep this under constant review. Please be assured that no adverse decisions will be made on your application because of delays caused by Coronavirus (unless there is a material change in your circumstances, for example, you are convicted of a criminal offence).
Kind regards

Xxxxxxx

Hope they will start sending documents soon.
Good luck every body.

[BoyTed]

Hello all
Hope you all are ok
I knew that my application for Naturalisartion had been approved when I got a reply on the 20th of May to an email I sent asking about an update.so I haven't received any decision letters emailed or posted to me

During the last 3 weeks I sent three emails to different HO email addresses including NationalitySupportTeamFMT@homeoffice.gov.uk asking about the decision letter and the certificate with no reply apart of the automatic replies.

Confusing

Good luck

Ho Sous49,

I think they will send your decision and certificate at the same time a friend of mine got approved in April they didn't post or email the decision he emailed them several times and they told him you will receive your decision and ceremony once the covid19 is eased.
Goodluck

[Moa7]

Hello all
Hope you all are ok
I knew that my application for Naturalisartion had been approved when I got a reply on the 20th of May to an email I sent asking about an update.so I haven't received any decision letters emailed or posted to me

During the last 3 weeks I sent three emails to different HO email addresses including NationalitySupportTeamFMT@homeoffice.gov.uk asking about the decision letter and the certificate with no reply apart of the automatic replies.

Confusing

Good luck

Ho Sous49,

I think they will send your decision and certificate at the same time a friend of mine got approved in April they didn't post or email the decision he emailed them several times and they told him you will receive your decision and ceremony once the covid19 is eased.
Goodluck

Not sure how much more easing they're waiting for to be honest. The whole country is open and our PM is going around urging people to return to work.