Two citizenship applications, one approval

[sairsint]

Has anyone else encounter the situation where they applied for citizenship with their partner and they were approved before you?

We applied together (using a solicitor) so all of the evidence was completely the same, residency requirements, etc. all the same. Even our evetting started and completed at the exact same time, yet they just received their approval letter yesterday to pay the final fee, etc. and I am still waiting for mine.

It really could just be down to timing as I know there was a last minute push for attendance to the ceremony next week, but I am just curious if anyone else had a similar situation happen to them.

[Vadrar]

Has anyone else encounter the situation where they applied for citizenship with their partner and they were approved before you?

We applied together (using a solicitor) so all of the evidence was completely the same, residency requirements, etc. all the same. Even our evetting started and completed at the exact same time, yet they just received their approval letter yesterday to pay the final fee, etc. and I am still waiting for mine.

It really could just be down to timing as I know there was a last minute push for attendance to the ceremony next week, but I am just curious if anyone else had a similar situation happen to them.

Instances where two different applications are processed at the same timeline is rare- it would be coincidence only. Batch processing of thousands of applications (eg evetting or invitations) cane make it look like applications are being processed together, but it is just that they happen to be in same batch of thousands.

Earlier envelopes (eg 2021) with multiple applications were intentionally split up and processed by different officers. Now of course, online adult applications can’t be submitted together to ensure there is no dual processing. Even during the last year of paper applications people were told they couldn’t submit together and applications in the same envelopes starting being returned for individual resubmission.

I add that context only to say they go to some lengths to ensure there is not simultaneous processing of applications by two partners. So your experience is to be expected. FBR and child applications are different - there is an allowance for package processing there.

[sairsint]

Has anyone else encounter the situation where they applied for citizenship with their partner and they were approved before you?

We applied together (using a solicitor) so all of the evidence was completely the same, residency requirements, etc. all the same. Even our evetting started and completed at the exact same time, yet they just received their approval letter yesterday to pay the final fee, etc. and I am still waiting for mine.

It really could just be down to timing as I know there was a last minute push for attendance to the ceremony next week, but I am just curious if anyone else had a similar situation happen to them.

Instances where two different applications are processed at the same timeline is rare- it would be coincidence only. Batch processing of thousands of applications (eg evetting or invitations) cane make it look like applications are being processed together, but it is just that they happen to be in same batch of thousands.

Earlier envelopes (eg 2021) with multiple applications were intentionally split up and processed by different officers. Now of course, online adult applications can’t be submitted together to ensure there is no dual processing. Even during the last year of paper applications people were told they couldn’t submit together and applications in the same envelopes starting being returned for individual resubmission.

I add that context only to say they go to some lengths to ensure there is not simultaneous processing of applications by two partners. So your experience is to be expected. FBR and child applications are different - there is an allowance for package processing there.

Makes sense and I appreciate your insight. I didn't think they were being processed together so to speak. Also their application number is slightly lower than might (sequentially), so maybe the cutoff was right in between the two numbers.

I just found it odd, but then again, this entire process has been very odd all along so it's really not surprising to me this would happen. I suppose one silver lining is that if the evidence we provided was good enough to approve one application, it should be good enough for the other as well.

[Vadrar]

Has anyone else encounter the situation where they applied for citizenship with their partner and they were approved before you?

We applied together (using a solicitor) so all of the evidence was completely the same, residency requirements, etc. all the same. Even our evetting started and completed at the exact same time, yet they just received their approval letter yesterday to pay the final fee, etc. and I am still waiting for mine.

It really could just be down to timing as I know there was a last minute push for attendance to the ceremony next week, but I am just curious if anyone else had a similar situation happen to them.

Instances where two different applications are processed at the same timeline is rare- it would be coincidence only. Batch processing of thousands of applications (eg evetting or invitations) cane make it look like applications are being processed together, but it is just that they happen to be in same batch of thousands.

Earlier envelopes (eg 2021) with multiple applications were intentionally split up and processed by different officers. Now of course, online adult applications can’t be submitted together to ensure there is no dual processing. Even during the last year of paper applications people were told they couldn’t submit together and applications in the same envelopes starting being returned for individual resubmission.

I add that context only to say they go to some lengths to ensure there is not simultaneous processing of applications by two partners. So your experience is to be expected. FBR and child applications are different - there is an allowance for package processing there.

Makes sense and I appreciate your insight. I didn't think they were being processed together so to speak. Also their application number is slightly lower than might (sequentially), so maybe the cutoff was right in between the two numbers.

I just found it odd, but then again, this entire process has been very odd all along so it's really not surprising to me this would happen. I suppose one silver lining is that if the evidence we provided was good enough to approve one application, it should be good enough for the other as well.

I’m not even sure processing relates to application number. Honestly, it’s essentially been a dumpster fire of process design historically and they’ve got so many different processing still variants going on. They’ll settle down when they’ve processed all paper files (I hope ) and timelines should become more linear and predictable.

But yes, your proofs should be fine.

[meself2]

It's just how it is - there are no rules in terms of order (or at least not apparent). People applying at the same time got approvals months/years apart.

[sairsint]

It's just how it is - there are no rules in terms of order (or at least not apparent). People applying at the same time got approvals months/years apart.

Except for the fact their own policy is to process applications in chronological order, but we’ve seen this broken so many times at this point.

[newmember2023]

My spouse and I applied back in Jan 2022 and all of the processes (ack, evetting, approval, payment processing) happened at the same time for the both of us, except the ceremony invite. I was invited to the Oct ceremony and she is invited to the Dec one. So, it seems there can be differences in the timeline even at the very last step.

[sairsint]

My spouse and I applied back in Jan 2022 and all of the processes (ack, evetting, approval, payment processing) happened at the same time for the both of us, except the ceremony invite. I was invited to the Oct ceremony and she is invited to the Dec one. So, it seems there can be differences in the timeline even at the very last step.

I appreciate this information.

They just received their invite to the ceremony in December today, so hopefully I'll be invited to the next one. Assuming they keep their word on having more of them to clear the backlog, it should be in March and not June.