How long does it take to get the Certificate of Entitlement when applying from overseas?

[voyager1]

I am a British citizen(I have only recently become a British citizen) currently living overseas without a British Passport. I am currently applying online for a Certificate of Entitlement(on the GOV.UK site) in order to enter the UK and to live there. However, there are a few questions that I would like answered.

I have come to a question which asks me the date on which I plan to arrive in the UK. But I have not even bought a ticket yet. Do I have to buy a plane ticket to the UK first before I answer this question?

Secondly, I don't even know how long it takes for them to give me my Certificate of Entitlement. I am sure it would take a few weeks at the very least, so I assume that I can't plan to travel to the UK either in October or even November. I would like to travel to the UK as soon as possible, but practically speaking, when should I plan to travel to the UK(which month)?

Thirdly, I know that I need to have my biometrics done. Will I be required to take my Citizenship Certificate to the Biometrics place as proof that I am a British citizen?

I would appreciate if someone could answer these questions for me.

[vinny]

Able to enter the UK at any time within the validity of the CoE-RoA.

Requires the same documents as an applicable British passport application, including Citizenship certificate. I would assume that you need to take the documents to be scanned.

[voyager1]

I'm currently filling out the Certificate of Entitlement online application form. I have reached the page where it asks for the date I plan to arrive in the UK. Below the date boxes it states:

"If your application is successful, you will be granted a visa to enter the UK. The visa will only be valid for entry to the UK for 30 days. if your visa expires before you travel to the UK, you will have to apply for a replacement visa.
After you arrive in the UK, you will collect a biometric residence permit, which will show that you have permission to remain in the UK."



My questions are these (assuming my application is successful):


1) Why do I need a visa to enter the UK as a British citizen and holder of a Certificate of Entitlement?

2) As a holder of a Certificate of Entitlement will I need to apply for a visa every time I wish to re-enter the UK? Because here it says the visa will only be valid for entry to the UK for 30 days.

3) How long does it usually take for a Certificate of Entitlement to be issued once the biometrics have been taken, when applying from overseas?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

[vinny]

I don’t think your quote applies to a CoE-RoA.

[secret.simon]

Are you applying on the correct form?

The questions you seem to have suggest that you are filling in a form for a settlement visa, not CoE-RoA.

[voyager1]

@vinny and secret.simon, I am pretty sure that I am filling out the correct form(please correct me if I am mistaken), I went to apply online on the www.gov.uk site.

The following is the link to the page:
https://www.gov.uk/right-of-abode/apply ... ntitlement

I clicked on the apply online link, where it says the following:

Apply from outside the UK or from a British overseas territory
If you are not in the UK, or you live in a British overseas territory, you must apply online.

I was also sent an email with a link that allows me to quickly resume filling out the very long application form. When I click on the link, a new page pops up and asks me to confirm the following:

Category of application
Select what you are applying for:Certificate of entitlement to prove you have right of abode in the UK

So I am sure the above is the correct form and the correct application, isn't it? I am applying for a Certificate of entitlement to prove I have right of abode in the UK, am I not? Please correct me if I am filling out the wrong form.

I am also of course applying for the Certificate of entitlement from outside the UK.

[vinny]

Seems to be the correct form. There may be a bug in the online application, as people with the right of abode are not subject to any visa restrictions.

[voyager1]

Thanks for replying @vinny. So you think that there might be a bug on the online application form? What do you suggest that I do? Because I want to get the Certificate of Entitlement as soon as possible.

Just to let you know, on the guide for applying the Certificate of Entitlement, it says the following on page 8 of the guide:

The Home Office issues certificates of entitlement to eligible applicants in the UK. If
you are abroad, you must apply through UK Visas.


So these instructions are basically saying that if you are applying from outside of the UK(which is the situation I am in), then I must apply through UK Visas. UK Visas at the end of the sentence is actually a link and when I click on it, I get the following page from this link:

https://www.gov.uk/apply-to-come-to-the-uk

Please advise me on what my next step should be regarding obtaining the Certificate of Entitlement.

[vinny]

Go ahead.

Apply from outside the UK or from a British overseas territory
If you are not in the UK, or you live in a British overseas territory, you must apply online.

A certificate of entitlement costs £388 outside the UK.

Pick the options relating to the CoE-RoA.

[voyager1]

Hi vinny,

The form you have directed me to go ahead and complete, is the exact form that I have been filling out all this time. You suggested earlier that there may be a bug, but if there is a bug, what are the alternatives that I have? Is there another way of acquiring the Certificate of Entitlement?

[vinny]

If the form states:

I'm currently filling out the Certificate of Entitlement online application form. I have reached the page where it asks for the date I plan to arrive in the UK. Below the date boxes it states:

"If your application is successful, you will be granted a visa to enter the UK. The visa will only be valid for entry to the UK for 30 days. if your visa expires before you travel to the UK, you will have to apply for a replacement visa.
After you arrive in the UK, you will collect a biometric residence permit, which will show that you have permission to remain in the UK."

Then I think the quoted statement is a bug.

[voyager1]

Yes Vinny, on the page where it asks me "Date you plan to arrive in the UK?", under the boxes where I need to fill in the dates, there is a question that says "Why is this information important", when I click on this question, it says the following:

"If your application is successful, you will be granted a visa to enter the UK. The visa will only be valid for entry to the UK for 30 days. if your visa expires before you travel to the UK, you will have to apply for a replacement visa.
After you arrive in the UK, you will collect a biometric residence permit, which will show that you have permission to remain in the UK."


So I am still trying to complete this Certificate of Entitlement application form. The form is an online UK entry clearance form. However, I believe some of the questions might not apply to me and are only for those applying for long term visas... not for those who already have right of abode (such as me). What I need is a Guide to completing the form....but I can't find one online. Can you help?

Also what should I do if this form has a bug as you suggested? Do I just go ahead and complete the form even though it is asking me strange questions such as "Travel history" and "Convictions and other penalties", I don't understand why they would ask me these questions when I am already a British citizen. Or do I have to fill out a separate form? Please help.

[vinny]

I’m unsure as to why the form includes irrelevant questions.

[voyager1]

Hi Vinny,

So what do you suggest I do? Should I just go ahead and complete the online C of E form despite the fact that some of the questions seem irrelevant? I am a new British citizen and I just want to get the C of E in order to be able to enter the UK.

Please advise me as to what I should do.

[vinny]

Go ahead. Answer the questions as best as you can. Else, apply for a British passport.

[voyager1]

I am filling out the online form for the application of the Certificate of Entitlement and I have come across a question that I am not too sure of. The question asks the following:

"Are you part of any social groups or do you have other cultural ties in your country of birth, nationality or any other country where you have lived for more than 5 years?
(Required)
This could include social networks or connections to any of these countries

If you answers yes, provide details
List the social networks or connections, where they are located and your involvement with them"



This is the question, now the two questions prior to this question were framed the exact same way, except they asked me about family and friends. So I listed the family and friends that I have in the UK(I used the UK as that is now the country of my nationality).

So my question really is what exactly do they mean by social groups and what do they mean by cultural ties? Could someone please give me examples of both?

[vinny]

What are social groups and social networks?

[voyager1]

I am about to submit my online application for the Certificate of Entitlement from overseas. I would like to know how long I can expect it to take to be ready and to arrive to me?

One of the questions in the form asks when do I expect to arrive in the UK? I would obviously like to arrive as soon as possible, but I don't know if the COE will be ready in time. So I have put my date of arrival to the UK as the 18th of March. Is that too soon and should I change it to a later date? Or does the middle of March give them sufficient time to send the COE to me in time, if I submit the online form in the next couple of days?