Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

[Bengomango]

Hi guys anybody here from Nottingham county council ? Anybody have any ceremony coming up in Nottingham county council ?

I have mine scheduled tomorrow 2pm but at Nottingham City Council.

Hi lin ... have you done your ceremony . If so congratulation . Was it group or private or virtual and was it in Nottingham city council? Thanks

Yes I've done mine today and it was a group ceremony and yes it was at Nottingham City Council.

Congratulation mate . I am unfortunately with Nottingham county council that they put everything on hold and they cancelled mine . And they donot have any option to make private or virtual . I hope it will be solved soon .

[Bengomango]

Hi guys my council cancel all ceremonies and they donot have any option . Is there any way to change council and do ceremony there ? ... cullinan ? I am nearly a year now in the nationality process

[tier1212]

Hi
Today i ring my council they confirm that they recieve my Certificate but unfortunatly Ceremonies are suspended because of lockdown
I did not receive my Invitation letter yet from HO
My council is Cardiff
aproval date was 09 October 2020

[avduk]

Hounslow Council - Today I had my Virtual Citizenship ceremony via MS Teams and all is done in 20 minutes.
We need to send the ILR BRP back within 5 days from Virtual ceremony date not 5 days after receiving your Certificate as confirmed by the Registrar

[maglum]

It’s looks like application approved in October 2020 ukba dealing with that month because some people they were accepted after 15october still haven’t received there invitation . I believe October acceptance they will start receiving the invitation before 15th January and end of the month they will start the November acceptance, everyone please keep update any one get the invitation looks like no one have received any invitation in January.

True. Before Xmas, they cleared until about 9th Oct approvals. Nothing in this year so far. Next week is crucial - if people starts getting the letter/certificate. This would mean they have resumed printing and posting again.
Finger crossed

[yomishu]

It’s looks like application approved in October 2020 ukba dealing with that month because some people they were accepted after 15october still haven’t received there invitation . I believe October acceptance they will start receiving the invitation before 15th January and end of the month they will start the November acceptance, everyone please keep update any one get the invitation looks like no one have received any invitation in January.

True. Before Xmas, they cleared until about 9th Oct approvals. Nothing in this year so far. Next week is crucial - if people starts getting the letter/certificate. This would mean they have resumed printing and posting again.
Finger crossed

This might be stupid question -
Once we apply for naturalisation ,how do we know its been approved?
Do we get a email or certificate home saying you are British citizen?

OR

Do they send the certificate to our local council and council sends a invitation letter for the ceremony?

[mrmo93]

It’s looks like application approved in October 2020 ukba dealing with that month because some people they were accepted after 15october still haven’t received there invitation . I believe October acceptance they will start receiving the invitation before 15th January and end of the month they will start the November acceptance, everyone please keep update any one get the invitation looks like no one have received any invitation in January.

True. Before Xmas, they cleared until about 9th Oct approvals. Nothing in this year so far. Next week is crucial - if people starts getting the letter/certificate. This would mean they have resumed printing and posting again.
Finger crossed

This might be stupid question -
Once we apply for naturalisation ,how do we know its been approved?
Do we get a email or certificate home saying you are British citizen?

OR

Do they send the certificate to our local council and council sends a invitation letter for the ceremony?

You should get an email

[maglum]

It’s looks like application approved in October 2020 ukba dealing with that month because some people they were accepted after 15october still haven’t received there invitation . I believe October acceptance they will start receiving the invitation before 15th January and end of the month they will start the November acceptance, everyone please keep update any one get the invitation looks like no one have received any invitation in January.

True. Before Xmas, they cleared until about 9th Oct approvals. Nothing in this year so far. Next week is crucial - if people starts getting the letter/certificate. This would mean they have resumed printing and posting again.
Finger crossed

This might be stupid question -
Once we apply for naturalisation ,how do we know its been approved?
Do we get a email or certificate home saying you are British citizen?

OR

Do they send the certificate to our local council and council sends a invitation letter for the ceremony?

After you apply, wait patiently. When your application is approved you will get an email notification saying your citizenship application has been approved. I think currently the average time of approval from biometric submission is around 2-3 months.

Then you wait another round to receive the certificate (directly arrives at the council) and the invitation letter/email to you - saying you need to attend the citizenship ceremony to officially become British. Currently this period of wait time is around 3 months. So for example if you were approved in November, expect to get the certificate no earlier than February. Most people here are either waiting for months or have waited and got their certificate finally.

Also note, this predicted 'waiting time' does not consider the impact of the current lockdown but it would be clearer in the coming weeks. Watch this space to get an idea.

[CULLINAN]

Hi guys my council cancel all ceremonies and they donot have any option . Is there any way to change council and do ceremony there ? ... cullinan ? I am nearly a year now in the nationality process

Unfortunately not much you can do. Different councils have taken different approach to carry on with ceremonies. Not sure why all councils still have not adapted to virtual setup since March!

Changing council at this stage (given corona) will result in a nightmare. It took a long time to change council even pre-corona.

[CULLINAN]

This might be stupid question -
Once we apply for naturalisation ,how do we know its been approved?
Do we get a email or certificate home saying you are British citizen?

OR

Do they send the certificate to our local council and council sends a invitation letter for the ceremony?

You may get an approval in the email as suggested earlier OR post. Keep an eye on both. Similarly, you may get an invitation for ceremony in post or email..
Your certificate will be sent to the council. Every council is different. You have to follow their website for next steps.

[yomishu]

It’s looks like application approved in October 2020 ukba dealing with that month because some people they were accepted after 15october still haven’t received there invitation . I believe October acceptance they will start receiving the invitation before 15th January and end of the month they will start the November acceptance, everyone please keep update any one get the invitation looks like no one have received any invitation in January.

True. Before Xmas, they cleared until about 9th Oct approvals. Nothing in this year so far. Next week is crucial - if people starts getting the letter/certificate. This would mean they have resumed printing and posting again.
Finger crossed

This might be stupid question -
Once we apply for naturalisation ,how do we know its been approved?
Do we get a email or certificate home saying you are British citizen?

OR

Do they send the certificate to our local council and council sends a invitation letter for the ceremony?

After you apply, wait patiently. When your application is approved you will get an email notification saying your citizenship application has been approved. I think currently the average time of approval from biometric submission is around 2-3 months.

Then you wait another round to receive the certificate (directly arrives at the council) and the invitation letter/email to you - saying you need to attend the citizenship ceremony to officially become British. Currently this period of wait time is around 3 months. So for example if you were approved in November, expect to get the certificate no earlier than February. Most people here are either waiting for months or have waited and got their certificate finally.

Also note, this predicted 'waiting time' does not consider the impact of the current lockdown but it would be clearer in the coming weeks. Watch this space to get an idea.

Thank you for the detailed reply

I did my biometrics on 11th Dec 2020 (application on 17 Nov) so i will have to wait roughly till March end and then wait another three months for the certificate (around June end)

Looks like i will have to wait for very long time unless im one of the lucky people who get the email and certificate quickly (fingers crossed)

[yomishu]

This might be stupid question -
Once we apply for naturalisation ,how do we know its been approved?
Do we get a email or certificate home saying you are British citizen?

OR

Do they send the certificate to our local council and council sends a invitation letter for the ceremony?

You may get an approval in the email as suggested earlier OR post. Keep an eye on both. Similarly, you may get an invitation for ceremony in post or email..
Your certificate will be sent to the council. Every council is different. You have to follow their website for next steps.

Thank you i will check my local council website and see how it works for them
I guess as of now i will wait for the approval Email

[Oria]

Hello folks,
I’m in a desperate need to travel. Hopeless situation. I’ve my elderly mother unwell. She needs to be taken to dr for specialist investigation and she may have to go through an surgical operation. I’ve tried to obtained Turkish visa to be able to travel and attend her but no luck due to unavailability of appointments and now the closure of consulate general until the 15th of Feb.

My approval was emailed to me by HO on 28 October. I’ve sent at least 3 emails to HO (different email addresses inc citizenship.support,front end) in the last 10 days but I’ve not got any response yet. I have forwarded to them email replies from Turkish consulate that they cannot help as they are not working and visa section is closed.

If I go quickly through naturalisation process and apply for a British passport I’d then not need a visa for turkey but I am not getting any replies from the HO to my email request.

Can anyone advise what I should do, pls? I don’t see any good options. It’s frustrating, I feel hopeless.

[CULLINAN]

Hello folks,
I’m in a desperate need to travel. Hopeless situation. I’ve my elderly mother unwell. She needs to be taken to dr for specialist investigation and she may have to go through an surgical operation. I’ve tried to obtained Turkish visa to be able to travel and attend her but no luck due to unavailability of appointments and now the closure of consulate general until the 15th of Feb.

My approval was emailed to me by HO on 28 October. I’ve sent at least 3 emails to HO (different email addresses inc citizenship.support,front end) in the last 10 days but I’ve not got any response yet. I have forwarded to them email replies from Turkish consulate that they cannot help as they are not working and visa section is closed.

If I go quickly through naturalisation process and apply for a British passport I’d then not need a visa for turkey but I am not getting any replies from the HO to my email request.

Can anyone advise what I should do, pls? I don’t see any good options. It’s frustrating, I feel hopeless.

Unfortunate situation. However, you should consider:

1) Check if your local council is carrying ceremonies. Many councils have cancelled ceremonies due to the national lockdown till further notice. Some are still carrying virtual ceremonies or private/group but limited availability and delays.

2) You can travel on ILR BRP only before you attend your ceremony. After that it will be invalid, you will have to get a British Passport which may take 2-4 weeks after ceremony.

Overall, you need to cross a couple of hurdles to get to British Passport.

Probably or most definitely getting a Turkish visa maybe quicker that reaching the British Passport route.

[MR-zee]

HI
Is any one from reading borough and waiting for citizenship ceremony?

[CULLINAN]

HI
Is any one from reading borough and waiting for citizenship ceremony?

We hope to be able to resume citizenship ceremonies on an individual basis from January 2021, and will contact customers individually once we are able to offer them a date.

Please be advised that the Home office is experiencing significant delays with regards to issuing Naturalisation Certificate to Local Authorities. We are unable to pinpoint an exact timescale as to when your invitation is likely to be sent out. Please be assured we will send you the invitation for the Ceremony as soon as the Home Office issues the Certificate. Any queries, please contact Home Office on 0300 123 2241

https://www.reading.gov.uk/life-events/ ... migration/

[Musti]

Hounslow Council - Today I had my Virtual Citizenship ceremony via MS Teams and all is done in 20 minutes.
We need to send the ILR BRP back within 5 days from Virtual ceremony date not 5 days after receiving your Certificate as confirmed by the Registrar

Hey congratulations man do you knkw if you could send your passport application the same day and what address do you send the BRP and Travel Document to? Also would nit tge passport service require those documents? I have my one in Hounslow in a few days too

[romaho]

Hi all!
Does anyone know if there would be any issue doing a virtual citizenship ceremony from outside the UK if you happen to be abroad at the time?
Thanks!

[CULLINAN]

Hi all!
Does anyone know if there would be any issue doing a virtual citizenship ceremony from outside the UK if you happen to be abroad at the time?
Thanks!

You can not. You must be inside UK. The registrar asks you this when they book you in.

[eonatura]

Hounslow Council - Today I had my Virtual Citizenship ceremony via MS Teams and all is done in 20 minutes.
We need to send the ILR BRP back within 5 days from Virtual ceremony date not 5 days after receiving your Certificate as confirmed by the Registrar

Hey congratulations man do you knkw if you could send your passport application the same day and what address do you send the BRP and Travel Document to? Also would nit tge passport service require those documents? I have my one in Hounslow in a few days too

Yes, you can submit your online passport application the same day of your ceremony but you need to know the certificate number (if you are having a virtual ceremony, make sure to ask your registrar). Once you submit the passport application, you need have someone confirm your identity. Once that is done, your application will be allocated to one of the passport offices, as there are multiple in the country. You will not know the specific one until you complete the application and someone confirms your identity.

[Musti]

Yes, you can submit your online passport application the same day of your ceremony but you need to know the certificate number (if you are having a virtual ceremony, make sure to ask your registrar). Once you submit the passport application, you need have someone confirm your identity. Once that is done, your application will be allocated to one of the passport offices, as there are multiple in the country. You will not know the specific one until you complete the application and someone confirms your identity.
[/quote]

Thank you that was very helpful. I'll definitely ask her inn shaa Allah.

[CULLINAN]

It is not advisable to apply before you have the certificate in hand. You have to check all the details are correct on the certificate (your name spellings, dob, place of birth and country’s spellings/details, date etc). If anything has a spelling mistake/error you can not apply for a passport unless you get the certificate replaced first (hope not). Unless she lets you check all the details over the video, I would not risk it.

[London249]

Hi anyone received the cermony letter in January

[Musti]

It is not advisable to apply before you have the certificate in hand. You have to check all the details are correct on the certificate (your name spellings, dob, place of birth and country’s spellings/details, date etc). If anything has a spelling mistake/error you can not apply for a passport unless you get the certificate replaced first (hope not). Unless she lets you check all the details over the video, I would not risk it.

Thank you bro I will defo do that

[YanisAAK]

A question to those who have already received their ceremony invitation letter: is the home office reference number the same as the one in the approval letter or is it different?
Thanks