Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

[Frou01]

Sharing the good news!!!!!

Applied: March 2020 (via post)
Approval: 2nd July 2020
Invitation Dated:29 sept 2020 and received today 5th November 2020 !!!!!!!
Citizenship certificate arrived at local council: 29th October 2020

I’m with Slough council and they’ll do virtual ceremonies. Waiting for a call back with the ceremony date.
Fingers x you’ll get your invites soon. They sure do take their time to send them.

Overall that’s amazing news for you. I’m very pleased for you.

Regarding the timings letters arrive, I think that’s deliberate and comes across deceitful.
Like look we did our job in time (when you look at the date that it was actually sorted in September) and then they let these letters lay around for over a month as those letters would only take 1-2 days to arrive when they actually would be send.

On a positive note, all our letters might be ready since ages and put on some dust in Home Office...

[Ccouture]

I went to my original post and found it locked. It shows how long my journey has been. I hope this gives someone hope:

UPDATE

Eligibility criteria: 5 years refugee settlement+ 18 months ILR
Date of application: 12th February 2016
Rejected: May 2017 (10 Year rule)
Re-Applied: 01 August 2019
Date of approval: 30 June 2020 (letter received by post on 4 July)
28 October 2020: Council called to say they have my certificate and to book ceremony (I still have not received my invitation letter)
Date of ceremony: 03 November 2020 (Virtual)
Date applied for passports: When my certificate arrives tomorrow
Date passports received: With Covid plus a ban on international travel I am in no hurry. Just relieved that I am now a Brit.

4 long years but the journey is over.

God bless this site and all the helpful people on it. Good luck to you all.

Good morning, did you have your virtual ceremony on Microsoft zoom. Did your council send you logging details? I've downloaded zoom. I am just not sure if the process. Do you mind explaining pls. My ceremony is tomorrow in the AM

[jpl]

is anyone from Cambridge Council?
I got nothing from them.
my approval email on 21/07/20.
still waiting the invitation letter

I'm from Cambridge as well. Approval 31/07/20, and no invitation letter yet.

The people at the council seem quite helpful though. I emailed them a while back and got this email response last week:

We have not received your certificate as yet, but we are due to receive a despatch of July certificates from the Home Office in the next couple of weeks. We will continue to retain your details on file and will email you some ceremony dates when we receive your certificate. Alternatively please contact us again when you receive your second letter.

[Waitingagain]

Just received my invitation letter.

Application date: 4 April
Approval via email: 27 August
Date per invitation letter: 26 October
Date received: 5 November

Wandsworth council is conducting virtual ceremonies, but they have not received my certificate yet.
At least feels good having some comms from HO...

[rayyfar]

Thanks for sharing this information the council has not replied to any of my emails since last week I am also from BCC do you mind me asking when did you send your email?

Yesterday.

wow ... I wonder they have decided not to reply to me at all I have sent 4 emails in past 4 weeks

Maybe because your letter is on the way? Let us know, please.

Yes you were right
I have received my letter today
Council: Birmingham
my timeline is
Approval date:23rd of July 2020
The date on invitation letter ( which keeps with baybars model btw): 18th of October
Date I received a letter:05/11/2020

Council sent me to reply they are not holding ceremonies to which I have referred them to govt guidelines saying they their office should be open and if they are holding private or virtual ceremonies.

let's see what they say about this

[rayyfar]

I have a question for people who have had their ceremonies.
Is certificate number different from home office reference or poll cover number?
Can we apply for a passport based on these numbers?

[Frou01]

Yesterday.

wow ... I wonder they have decided not to reply to me at all I have sent 4 emails in past 4 weeks

Maybe because your letter is on the way? Let us know, please.

Yes you were right
I have received my letter today
Council: Birmingham
my timeline is
Approval date:23rd of July 2020
The date on invitation letter ( which keeps with baybars model btw): 18th of October
Date I received a letter:05/11/2020

Council sent me to reply they are not holding ceremonies to which I have referred them to govt guidelines saying they their office should be open and if they are holding private or virtual ceremonies.

let's see what they say about this

Did they mention they have received your certificate?

Yesterday the lady told me that they were looking into various ways though (which I assume means virtual ceremonies or collect?).

[Frou01]

I have a question for people who have had their ceremonies.
Is certificate number different from home office reference or poll cover number?
Can we apply for a passport based on these numbers?

I’m afraid the answer is clearly a no.
You aren’t British before the ceremony and also even if you don’t have your certificate to send to HMPO.
The step before sending docs is really briefly like application and someone verifies you by email. Takes an hour.
Even if you could you wouldn’t win time.

I know it’s hard to wait and wait...

[Cocobana]

I have just email the below complaint to the head of registration Kent county council
And would advise others to do so. It is just not acceptable for ceremonies to be suspended when a private or virtual one can be offered. It is more off putting that other local council offer private and virtual ceremonies and a county council as big as it could not.
All these complacency in local government needs to questioned and stopped.


Dear .....
Could you please explain to me why the council as big as it is has made no provisions to offer a virtual or private citizenship ceremony.
Based on the recently published lockdown legislation, Reg 11 (4) attending or performing citizenship hasn’t been restricted.

ttps://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/1200/p ... paign=post
Why other local councils continue to offer private and virtual citizenship ceremony I have now been made to wait for God knows how long to attend my citizenship ceremony because the council has made decision to suspend it without any government guidelines or instruction.
I look forward to your reply as I intend to push my complaint to director of service, my councillors and ombudsman.
I take that while this service has been suspended your salary as head and the salaries of the ceremony officers hasn’t been.

[rayyfar]

wow ... I wonder they have decided not to reply to me at all I have sent 4 emails in past 4 weeks

Maybe because your letter is on the way? Let us know, please.

Yes you were right
I have received my letter today
Council: Birmingham
my timeline is
Approval date:23rd of July 2020
The date on invitation letter ( which keeps with baybars model btw): 18th of October
Date I received a letter:05/11/2020

Council sent me to reply they are not holding ceremonies to which I have referred them to govt guidelines saying they their office should be open and if they are holding private or virtual ceremonies.

let's see what they say about this

Did they mention they have received your certificate?

Yesterday the lady told me that they were looking into various ways though (which I assume means virtual ceremonies or collect?).

they said they got on Monday this week

[rayyfar]

I have a question for people who have had their ceremonies.
Is certificate number different from home office reference or poll cover number?
Can we apply for a passport based on these numbers?

I’m afraid the answer is clearly a no.
You aren’t British before the ceremony and also even if you don’t have your certificate to send to HMPO.
The step before sending docs is really briefly like application and someone verifies you by email. Takes an hour.
Even if you could you wouldn’t win time.

I know it’s hard to wait and wait...

i know but i am so thankful to all of you guys specially baybar for giving us hope in such time still very very hard and annoying this journey has been which I now hope will be over soon

[Frou01]

Maybe because your letter is on the way? Let us know, please.

Yes you were right
I have received my letter today
Council: Birmingham
my timeline is
Approval date:23rd of July 2020
The date on invitation letter ( which keeps with baybars model btw): 18th of October
Date I received a letter:05/11/2020

Council sent me to reply they are not holding ceremonies to which I have referred them to govt guidelines saying they their office should be open and if they are holding private or virtual ceremonies.

let's see what they say about this

Did they mention they have received your certificate?

Yesterday the lady told me that they were looking into various ways though (which I assume means virtual ceremonies or collect?).

they said they got on Monday this week

Great! Maybe mine arrives next week then!

Just wondering why I didn’t receive an HO letter when August and September approvals got them today?

[Cocobana]

My post just went,
Anyways I have made a complaint below to the head of registration.

Dear
Could you please explain to me why the council as big as it is has made no provisions to offer a virtual or private citizenship ceremony.
Based on the recently published lockdown legislation, Reg 11 (4) attending or performing citizenship hasn’t been restricted.

ttps://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/1200/p ... paign=post
Why other local councils continue to offer private and virtual citizenship ceremony I have now been made to wait for God knows how long to attend my citizenship ceremony because the council has made decision to suspend it without any government guidelines or instruction.
I look forward to your reply as I intend to push my complaint to director of service, my councillors and ombudsman.
I take that while this service has been suspended your salary as head and the salaries of the ceremony officers hasn’t been.

[Frou01]

I have a question for people who have had their ceremonies.
Is certificate number different from home office reference or poll cover number?
Can we apply for a passport based on these numbers?

I’m afraid the answer is clearly a no.
You aren’t British before the ceremony and also even if you don’t have your certificate to send to HMPO.
The step before sending docs is really briefly like application and someone verifies you by email. Takes an hour.
Even if you could you wouldn’t win time.

I know it’s hard to wait and wait...

i know but i am so thankful to all of you guys specially baybar for giving us hope in such time still very very hard and annoying this journey has been which I now hope will be over soon

Let’s really hope BCC can manage to start virtual ceremonies! It shouldn’t be so hard!

[axeman85]

@manny warrior

Have you got reply from mcr council. ?

Anyone from 31st July approval from Manchester council

Nothing at all. They’ve ignored both my emails now to confirm whether my certificates hve arrived.

I stopped getting the automated reply so I’m not sure if their office closed or not.

Any luck on your side with MP?

No reply from mp either. I have had to send email to citizenship support this morning to inquire about an update. So hopefully they will reply.

I dont intend doing the ceremony this year any longer but at east let me have my letter and book the ceremony for January.i intend to travel for work in December so won't have time to apply for passport...

[Soo123]

Hi Baybars1

Here is my timeline if it helps for future models

Applied on 14 dec 2019
Biometrics 16 dec 2019
Approval email 4 August 2020
Council recieved my certificate on 2 November 2020

Invitation letter received 5 nov 2020
Date on the letter 1 October 2020
It took home office 35 days to send me the letter
Ceremony pending - Ceremonies not taking place at due to lockdown
Council Hillingdon

[obormot]

My colleague is from Glasgow also (I am helping him, as he is over 70 and rather lost in contemporary digital world), and got approval letter on September 4, but no invitation yet.
We even did not try to call for him:
I had my ceremony in Glasgow last December, and remember very clearly they only talk to you if you have invitation (and even then I had to call several times and stay on call waiting forever before they would pick up..)
The number is on their website:
"For those new citizens in receipt of a Home Office Invitation letter, please call 0141 287 7658 (9.00a.m.until 5.00p.m. - Monday to Friday) to arrange a Citizenship Ceremony."

Hello everyone.
I was wondering if anyone had dealt with Glasgow City Council at all?

I'm from Glasgow. Got approved early Aug still no sign of invitation letter. Contacted ho but no response. Council is not giving any info until I receive invitation letter. Its so confusing.

From Glasgow too - approval date was 20th July. Glasgow City Council just refuses to provide any information without an invitation letter.

Can you share, which number are you calling to ask about certificate?

[Sez2004]

Hi all,
New to the forum but been following on this thread a bit - my husband applied for citizenship in Feb/March time and got his approval via email in middle of July and have been awaiting his ceremony invite patiently. Did check with our local council (Norfolk) incase they had heard anything around Sept time but nothing. Have just received letter through the post yesterday saying he has had a ceremony booked at Ealing Council for middle of Nov as they have received his certificate from the HO (followed immediately by another letter saying that due to lockdown all ceremonies are cancelled though) So.......looks like HO have sent his paperwork to the wrong council? What should we do? Attempt to contact HO and Ealing council and get it changed to our local council or just sit and wait until after lockdown for Ealing council to restart ceremonies and attend whatever date they rebook him under? (As we still don’t have his invite through the post directly to us from HO yet either way which Ealing council says he needs to bring with him and technically we ‘could’ manage to drive the 2-3hours to Ealing and back for the ceremony.....albeit bit of a pain) I just know how difficult contacting HO and getting things changed is and not sure if just sitting on our hands and making the best of what we now have is a better option........

Just by way of a quick update - husbands invitation from Home Office arrived through the post this morning - dated 5th October and lists Ealing Council as our local authority (wrong!)

Anyone have thoughts/experience on getting an incorrect council updated? Likely to cause more problems than it’s worth??

Thanks in advance

[offgreg]

Just recieved an invitation dated on 24th Oct. Applied on 1st July and approved on 14th September

[matteot4]

Hi,
I have just registered to the website to post my timeline if it helps for future models.

Applied online on 25 Jun 2020
Biometrics 19 Aug 2020
Approval email 28 August 2020
Invitation letter received 5 nov 2020
Date on the letter 28 October 2020

Ceremony pending - Council Coventry has not yet update the webpage for the new lockdown

[Frou01]

Is there anyone from August who didn’t receive an invitation today?

[Szrsrts]

Is there anyone from August who didn’t receive an invitation today?

15 August and haven't received an invitation yet. Are you a August approval?

[abra]

Hi all,

Posting my timeline in case it's helpful to anyone:

Application submitted: 23/01/2020
Date biometrics enrolled: 25/01/2020
Date on approval letter: 3/06/2020
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: 5/10/2020
Date on ceremony letter: 19/09/2020
Date of ceremony: 4/11/2020 (private)

My council is Tower Hamlets.

Good luck to everyone still waiting for the ceremony!

[Frou01]

Is there anyone from August who didn’t receive an invitation today?

15 August and haven't received an invitation yet. Are you a August approval?

Yes, 10 August.

I’ve seen now people who got approved end August and September receiving letters and got worried.

[Jil20]

Hi guys,

I have just received an invitation letter from HO. Gud luck every one for getting it.

Approval email 7th July
Invitation letter received 5th November
Date on the letter 6th October
Oxfordshire Council