Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

[Frou01]

Hi all

Just an update for anyone who has chosen Solihull as their council for citizenship ceremony. I spoke to them today and they are only doing group ceremonies (reduced numbers) but doing them every week instead of every month to cope with the backlog. No private or e- ceremonies though.

They said they are receiving certificates from HO regularly on a weekly basis. They call all those for whom they receive the certificates so as to schedule the ceremonies.

good luck!

Thank you for this.

I’m in Birmingham and as Birmingham has the most applicants waiting and are still by March backlog keeping up to arrange ceremonies for almost 1000 new citizens.
I’m thinking that will take even longer than other councils to get through the backlog.

I will try to call them.
Also will try to call HO and ask if I could change to that council.

[IrobotZ]

Got approved late June, still havent got the invitation letter. Called my local council and they told me that they havent got my certificate yet and even if they did I still have to have the invitation letter to attend the ceremony. Need to move home really soon, hope I could get the letter soon, really dont wanna change address with the home office during the current situation

The process of sending out invitation is rather random, I saw people got their letter within 2 weeks of approval while others waiting for more than 3 months without any luck. On the local council level, some councils are kind enough to let people attend ceremony without the invitation and introducing virtual ceremony to help the people in needs while others are basically doing nothing... Hope things could run smoothly for everybody.

How did you get the approval? I only ever got the invitation letter, which is what mentioned that my application was approved..

Got an approval email from the Home office end June because I been waiting for a year after submit my application and I have send a few emails chasing for a result, The email mentioned that my application was successful and told me that due to cov19 invitation letter will be issued later and ask me to patiently waiting for it.

[U Aziz]

Just spoke to my Council, they are chasing HO to issue the certificates as they’ve almost cleared the backlog.
Only certificates they’ve received so far are from Feb 2020, nothing from March onwards...
Seems like we are due to wait much longer than expected.
Rubbish service from HO in this instance again!!!

Have spoken to registrars office (Hillingdon council) this afternoon, they are getting certificates every Tuesday, guy on the phone confirmed receiving some from June approvals but unfortunately I wasn’t on the list, have been advised to check again next Tuesday.

[IrobotZ]

Please help,
This is my third email which I feel ignored but I don't know why.
My citizen certificate with my council for nearly a month now ( london- brent)
They said they will send it back to HO on the 19th september as this is the date the HO told them the last date for me to attend the ceremony. Its not 3 month or 6 months as my application approved on 19/5/20.
They refused to book for me as I dont have the invitation letter.
I contacted the citizenship help line around 20 times now and they keep saying they cant help and I have to send email to citizenship.support which i sent around 10 email with no response .
I have sent emails to all the citizenship email we have in the forum no response.
I have contacted the council again today and they refused to book or help in any way.
I am lost, I dont know what to do.
Any help please

Try to email you MP, make a complain to the council and the Home office at the same time, explain your situation in details might help. I do not understand why would they refuse to host your ceremony without the invitation letter, During the current situation the local council should be helpful and compassionate rather than trying to create more obstacles to the local residents.

[Soo123]

Thanks for the update U Aziz
Hopefully you will get the approval letter soon once they clear the backlog they it won’t take long I was approved end of July but in the letter was dated end of January hopefully we will get the letter end of September.
Please let us know once you get your approval letter

[Lopand]

Starting on Monday, social gatherings of more than six people will be illegal in England, indoors or outdoors. I assume that it will affect the councils' ability to offer group ceremonies (or even private ceremonies as well). Who knows if this isn't a sign for an upcoming full lockdown.

I've been waiting for my invitation letter since May. So frustrating.

[CULLINAN]

Starting on Monday, social gatherings of more than six people will be illegal in England, indoors or outdoors. I assume that it will affect the councils' ability to offer group ceremonies (or even private ceremonies as well). Who knows if this isn't a sign for an upcoming full lockdown.

I've been waiting for my invitation letter since May. So frustrating.

Agreed, the new laws effective from Monday will definitely have an impact on further delays.

[DreamerInDarkness]

Starting on Monday, social gatherings of more than six people will be illegal in England, indoors or outdoors. I assume that it will affect the councils' ability to offer group ceremonies (or even private ceremonies as well). Who knows if this isn't a sign for an upcoming full lockdown.

I've been waiting for my invitation letter since May. So frustrating.

Agreed, the new laws effective from Monday will definitely have an impact on further delays.

Hopefully we’ll see a push towards virtual ceremonies nationwide now. That’s an easy solution to this problem.

[Rabs]

Here we go again....wondering how the new restrictions affect the long-awaited ceremonies

[CULLINAN]

Here we go again....wondering how the new restrictions affect the long-awaited ceremonies

Gathering of more than 6 will be banned from Monday 14th Sep.

[IrobotZ]

Here we go again....wondering how the new restrictions affect the long-awaited ceremonies

Gathering of more than 6 will be banned from Monday 14th Sep.

If a second ware do hit, people who got approved during June/July may not get the invitation letter before the end of this year... Dreadful situation indeed

The last email from further nationality support in mid Aug mentioned that people should get their invitation between 8-12 weeks, But things will definitely change if new restrictions are introduced

[Lopand]

Starting on Monday, social gatherings of more than six people will be illegal in England, indoors or outdoors. I assume that it will affect the councils' ability to offer group ceremonies (or even private ceremonies as well). Who knows if this isn't a sign for an upcoming full lockdown.

I've been waiting for my invitation letter since May. So frustrating.

Agreed, the new laws effective from Monday will definitely have an impact on further delays.

Hopefully we’ll see a push towards virtual ceremonies nationwide now. That’s an easy solution to this problem.

This is my greatest hope! It is the only way, in my opinion, to fight the huge backlog in all councils (but my council insisted that they're not even considering it).

[Soo123]

I hope it don’t affect us as schools and work places will be opened fingers crossed

[Anatol]

I do not get it, what's their problem with the virtual ceremony?
Just put a smartphone/laptop in front of the guy who reads the script, run a Microsoft teams meeting and in half an hour 250 ceremonies sorted. Repeat a few times and you are in thousands.
Bureaucracy is more people doing less things, and taking more time to do them worse

[DreamerInDarkness]

I do not get it, what's their problem with the virtual ceremony?
Just put a smartphone/laptop in front of the guy who reads the script, run a Microsoft teams meeting and in half an hour 250 ceremonies sorted. Repeat a few times and you are in thousands.
Bureaucracy is more people doing less things, and taking more time to do them worse

No part of this immigration/citizenship process is designed to make it simple, every part is designed to make it deliberately and pointlessly inefficient, expensive, difficult, time consuming and stressful.

[Cocobana]

I think the social gathering restrictions due to be imposed is aimed at parties and raves. It does affect workplaces and I don’t think it should affect the ceremony provided that they continue to follow social distance guidelines.
Maybe more details for this new restriction will be released in the coming week

[shaggie44]

Finally the journey is over for me!!

I had my private ceremony today in Luton.

Goodluck to everyone still waiting.

[Lopand]

I think the social gathering restrictions due to be imposed is aimed at parties and raves. It does affect workplaces and I don’t think it should affect the ceremony provided that they continue to follow social distance guidelines.
Maybe more details for this new restriction will be released in the coming week

Well, the "social distance guidelines" are about to be gathering of up to 6 people, so of course it will impact (at least) the group ceremonies.

[AlexGo]

Hi everyone, who had ceremony certificate please stay in touch about how long need wait a passport. Thanks, it will help for everybody

[CR001]

Hi everyone, who had ceremony certificate please stay in touch about how long need wait a passport. Thanks, it will help for everybody

This topic is NOT for 'passport application updates'. If you want to follow the passport application timelines, follow the TIMELINE ONLY thread, link below. Please do not try to take this thread off topic!!

https://www.immigrationboards.com/briti ... -7180.html

[AlexGo]

Hi everyone, who had ceremony certificate please stay in touch about how long need wait a passport. Thanks, it will help for everybody

This topic is NOT for 'passport application updates'. If you want to follow the passport application timelines, follow the TIMELINE ONLY thread, link below. Please do not try to take this thread off topic!!

https://www.immigrationboards.com/briti ... -7180.html

Ok, no problem. Didn't know about this

[Jayrose17]

New rules do not affect weddings, funerals offices etc. Will not affect ceremonies as long as social distancing adheared too.
Approved 4th June. Still waiting.

[Duded2002]

Hi, I had my e-ceremony yesterday and got the certificate today. My 6 month would have been up on 6th August.

congratulations, my six months is completing on 24 of Aug, what shall i do i ask my council (cheshire west and chester)they said you have to wait we don't have any updates, how you had your e-ceremony? could you please explain a bit more. Thanks

Hi , sorry didn't see earlier, did you have your ceremony? As far as i know there is extension of all ceremony till 24/09

Thanks dear managed got the date for ceremony.

Excellent, all good then congratulations

[gbalague123]

I applied in January.
Got the email approval in May
I called yesterday to my council (Wandsworth-Richmond). They said they do not have my certificate yet and that they will call me to arrange a virtual ceremony end of September-beginning of October (as long as they receive my certificate I guess)
No invitation letter from HO......waiting and waiting.....

[gbalague123]

My ceremony will be held on Friday virtually!

I applied in February, and got my letter of inviation only in August. Though the letter was dated in March.

I called the council as soon as i got the letter, and they said there's a huge backlog and to get in touch early September - and to keep checking their website for details.

On the website there was an email address for the council - so yesterday i emailed them asking about whats happening. Today i got a call from the council saying that they can have a virtual ceremony via Microsoft Teams on Friday.

My council is Wandsworth Council in London btw.

Hey, same council as mine. When did you get your email approval? Congrats! Im still waiting.....