Naturalisation application processing timelines (only)

[soothsayer]

Application Timeline
Eligibility criteria: 4/5yr + 1yr ILR
Method of application: Online
Date of aplication: 3 Sep 2023
Date of biometrics: 5 Sep 2023 London
Date of receipt of acknowledgement: 6 Sep 2023
Date of receipt of approval: ---- waiting ----
Date of Ceremony: ---- waiting ----

[NV319]

Eligibility criteria: 5yrs of family member of an EU national in UK+ 12 months and 1 day of holding EUSS Settled Status.
Proof of language: UK degree
Life in the UK test: September 2019 Passed
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 14/03/2023
Date of documents submission: 14/03/2023
Date of biometrics: 17/03/2023
Date of Acknowledgement email that docs and biometrics submitted to UKVI: 17/03/2023
Date of approval email: pending
Citizenship ceremony date: pending

Emailed Further Nationalities on 1/9/2023 waiting for a response - no response.

Emailed again Further Nationalities on 11/09/2023 waiting for a response.

Also asked MP to email HO to get an update on 11/09/2023. Awaiting response.

Received a response today from Further Nationalities that application is still being processed and the enquiry has been forwarded to caseworker team.

Received a similar above response from HO via MP. I guess we must just wait as they say enquiries are ongoing.. so frustrating process this is..

Received an email regarding service standard stating:
This is because your application raises exceptionally complex issues and we require further time to consider your case thoroughly and reach a decision.

Emailed MP today to request to follow up with HO to check what is so complex about my simple straight forward application and also to ask if that is a generic email template that I have received.

Raised a complaint end of Sept 2023, and still, no response from HO. Asked MP to chase this, they received a normal standard reply. Email FNE, they also replied and said if I have not received a response within 3 months, then I should get back in touch with them. Seems like I have reached a dead end.. nothing else to do apart from waiting..very frustrating.

Received first response from HO on 27/11/23 saying they cannot uphold my complaint and gave a standard response. I replied back on the same day escalating it and saying I am unsatisfied with their response and it is a generic response they have provided and that no proper investigation has been undertaken.

HO emailed on 29/12/23, saying they require more time to investigate and get back regarding the second review of the complaint - therefore, still waiting.

Once they respond back to me on the review of their first response to my complaint, if I am unsatisfied, I will escalate it to an independent body called IEC to review the HO responses to my complaint.

My MP is also chasing them up, however, no response.
I have also submitted another SAR on 5/12/2023. Waiting for it to come through this week.

[Pete1]

Naturalisation Application Timeline :-

Eligibility criteria: 5 years on Tier 2 Visa + 1 year ILR
UK degree + Life in the UK Test
Nationality: Non EU
Method of application: Online
Date of receipt by UKVI: 08/09/2023
Date of debit of fees: 08/09/2023
Date of biometrics 08/09/2023- Paid (London)
Date of receipt of acknowledgment: 08/09/2023
Date of receipt of approval: 12/12/2023
Date of Ceremony: 29/01/2024

Emailed FurtherNationalityEnquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk on 11.12.2023 for update, got a reply today (12.12.2023), saying my application was successful. Waiting for the Ceremony invitation letter.

Received Ceremony invitation letter email from Home Office Atlas at 11am today (18/12/2023). This forum was helpful, I appreciate it. Good luck to everyone still waiting.

[seanhuan]

Eligibilitiy: Tier-2 5 years + ILR June 2022
Nationality: Non-Eu
Language: UK Degree + Life in the UK
Method of application: Online
Payment method: Online
Date of application: 08/06/2023
Date of biometrics: 03/07/2023 paid Mark Lane
The date on the Approval letter/Email: 09/10/2023
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: 10/10/2023
Citizenship ceremony date: 20/12/2023

[dmioger]

Eligibilitiy: 5y Spouse of British Citizen + ILR (applied one week after getting ILR)
Nationality: Non-Eu
Language: IELTS B1 + Life in the UK
Method of application: Online
Payment method: Online
Date of application: 22/10/2023
Date of biometrics: 23/10/2023 paid
The date on the Approval letter/Email: Pending...
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: Pending...
Citizenship ceremony date: Pending...

[Vini1981]

Eligibilitiy: Tier-2 5 years + ILR July 2023
Nationality: South Asian
Language: US Degree + Life in the UK
Method of application: Online
Payment method: Online
Date of application: 11/09/2023
Date of biometrics: 14/09/2023 paid (Croydon)
The date on the Approval letter/Email: 03/01/2024
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: pending
Citizenship ceremony date: pending

I emailed Further Nationality Enquiries (FurtherNationalityEnquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk) after viewing posts on this forum on 15/12/2023. Received the standard response that I shouldn't expect any responses in less than 6 months. I sent a follow up email to other email addresses I found on this forum but it was Further Nationality Enquiries that came back. I found this forum to be very useful fount of information.

Good luck to everyone.

[matt444]

Eligibility criteria: EU settled status + 1 year 9 months ILR
Nationality: EU (Italian)
Language: B1 speaking and listening + Life in the Uk
Method of application: Online
Payment Method: Online
Date of receipt by UKBA: 05/09/2023
Date of debit of fees: 05/09/2023
Date of Biometrics collection UKVCAS: 18/09/2023 (London, Mark Lane)
Date of receipt of approval: Pending
Date of Ceremony: Pending

Received confirmation today from Further Nationality Enquiries that my application has been approved. Took just over 3 months.

[PaoloR]

Eligibility criteria: EU settled status + 1 year 1 months ILR
Nationality: EU (Italian)
Language: UK university + Life in the UK
Method of application: Online
Payment Method: Online
Date of receipt by UKBA: 17/09/2023
Date of debit of fees: 17/09/2023
Date of Biometrics collection UKVCAS: 19/10/2023 (London, Mark Lane)
Date of receipt of approval: Pending
Date of Ceremony: Pending

[UKEuropean]

Eligibility criteria: EU Settled Status + 4 years ILR
Language: UK degree + Life in UK Test
Nationality: EU
Method of application: Online
Date of application submission: 31/08/23
Date of debit of fees: 31/08/23
Date of receipt of acknowledgment (by UKVI): 07/09/23
Date of enrolling biometrics: 07/09/23 (Mark Lane)
Date of receipt of submission confirmation from UKVCAS: 31/08/23
Date of receipt of approval: pending
Letter from Council for the ceremony: pending
Date of Citizenship Ceremony: pending

[zik]

Eligibility criteria: 10 years route + 4 days ILR
Language: UK degree + Life in UK Test
Nationality: non EU
Method of application: Online
Date of application submission: 18/09/23
Date of debit of fees: 18/09/23
Date of receipt of acknowledgment (by UKVI): 18/09/23
Date of enrolling biometrics: 23/09/23 (Midlands)
Date of receipt of submission confirmation from UKVCAS: 23/09/23
Date of receipt of approval: 02/01/2023
Letter from Council for the ceremony: pending
Date of Citizenship Ceremony: pending

I sent an email to further nationality in Dec before I clocked 3 months and they replied on the 2nd of Jan that it has been approved! Thank you everyone for your input.

[jvjroop]

Eligibility criteria: Tier 2 + spouse of BC + ILR(2021)
Language: NARIC foerign degree + Life in UK Test
Nationality: non EU
Method of application: Online
Date of application submission: 20/09/23
Date of debit of fees: 20/09/23
Date of receipt of acknowledgment (by UKVI): 20/09/23
Date of enrolling biometrics: 17/10/23
Date of receipt of submission confirmation from UKVCAS: 17/10/23
Further info requested: 19/12/2023 asking for evidence of continous residence (replied same day with P60s)
Date of receipt of approval: 05/01/2024 (emialed further nationality enquiries on 04/01/2024, and got reply today that it is approved.
Letter from Council for the ceremony: pending
Date of Citizenship Ceremony: pending

[adept]

Eligibility criteria: 5 years + 7 years ILR
Nationality: Non-EU
Method of application: Online
Payment method: Online - Credit Card
Date of application: 29-Aug-2023
Date of debit of fees: 29-Aug-2023
Documents submitted: 06-Sep-2023
Biometrics submitted: 13-Sep-2023 (Sopra Steria, not free)
Date of Approval letter/Email: 18-Dec-2023
Date of receipt of ceremony Email: 29-Dec-2023 (we were away for Christmas)
Citizenship ceremony date: 03-Jan-2024

[adept]

Eligibility criteria: 5 years + 7 years ILR
Nationality: Non-EU
Method of application: Online
Payment method: Online - Credit Card
Date of application: 29-Aug-2023
Date of debit of fees: 29-Aug-2023
Documents submitted: 06-Sep-2023
Biometrics submitted: 13-Sep-2023 (Sopra Steria, not free)
Date of Approval letter/Email: 18-Dec-2023
Date of receipt of ceremony Email: 29-Dec-2023 (we were away for Christmas)
Citizenship ceremony date: 03-Jan-2024

[Catering9838]

Eligibility criteria: Set(LR) + British Spouse
Method of application: Online
Date of receipt by UKBA: 21 Sept 2023
Biometrics submitted: 12 Oct 2023
Date of Approval letter: pending
Date of Ceremony: 7 Feb 2024

[Quickresponse]

Good afternoon,

Thank you for your email, please accept our apologies for the delay in replying.
We are sorry for the delay in dealing with this application which has been caused by an IT issue. We have reported the issue, will ensure it is resolved as soon as possible and will expedite completion of your application when it is resolved.

Unfortunately, I cannot provide a specific time scale for completion at this time.


Yours sincerely


AO - Nationality Front End Technical Specialist
Nationality Group

Passports, Citizenship & Civil Registration
Home Office
MMST, 1st Floor, Capital Building, New Hall Place, Liverpool, L3 9PP

Eligibility criteria: spouse visa 5 years
Nationality: non-EU
Method of application: Online
Application completed & debit of fees: 11 June 2023
Biometrics appointment: 3 July 2023
Receipt of acknowledgement UKVI: 3 July 2023
Asking update from naturalisation team: 17 oct 2023
Receipt of approval email: Pending
Ceremony: Pending

[barabimbarabom]

Eligibilitiy: Bristish spouse 5 year +ILR june2023
Nationality: non Eu Turkish
Language: B1 +Life İn Uk
Method of aplication: online
Payment method:online
Date of aplication: 05/07/2023
Date of biometrics:11/07/2023 paid Croydon
The date on the Approval letter/Email: waiting
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: ——
Citizenship ceremony date:——-

Email : FurtherNationalityEnquiries@homeoffice 21/12/2023

Automatic Reply :21/12/2023

Please be advised that if you are seeking progress of your application for British citizenship and it has been with the Home Office for less than 6 months, we will be unable to provide you with any further information or give you an update of your application and you will not receive a reply. If we require further information from you the case-working team will contact you directly.

still no update…

[6ikh]

Eligibility criteria: Settled Status
Nationality: EU
Proof of language: UK Undergraduate + Master's Degree
Method of application: online
Date of receipt by UKVI: 18 September 2023
Date of debit of fees: 18 September 2023
Biometrics appointment: 25 September 2023
Date of receipt of acknowledgement: 25 September 2023
Date of receipt of approval: N/A
Date of receipt of ceremony Email: 5 January 2023
Date of Ceremony: 7 February 2023

[NV319]

Eligibility criteria: 5yrs of family member of an EU national in UK+ 12 months and 1 day of holding EUSS Settled Status.
Proof of language: UK degree
Life in the UK test: September 2019 Passed
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 14/03/2023
Date of documents submission: 14/03/2023
Date of biometrics: 17/03/2023
Date of Acknowledgement email that docs and biometrics submitted to UKVI: 17/03/2023
Date of approval email: pending
Citizenship ceremony date: pending

Emailed Further Nationalities on 1/9/2023 waiting for a response - no response.

Emailed again Further Nationalities on 11/09/2023 waiting for a response.

Also asked MP to email HO to get an update on 11/09/2023. Awaiting response.

Received a response today from Further Nationalities that application is still being processed and the enquiry has been forwarded to caseworker team.

Received a similar above response from HO via MP. I guess we must just wait as they say enquiries are ongoing.. so frustrating process this is..

Received an email regarding service standard stating:
This is because your application raises exceptionally complex issues and we require further time to consider your case thoroughly and reach a decision.

Emailed MP today to request to follow up with HO to check what is so complex about my simple straight forward application and also to ask if that is a generic email template that I have received.

Raised a complaint end of Sept 2023, and still, no response from HO. Asked MP to chase this, they received a normal standard reply. Email FNE, they also replied and said if I have not received a response within 3 months, then I should get back in touch with them. Seems like I have reached a dead end.. nothing else to do apart from waiting..very frustrating.

Received first response from HO on 27/11/23 saying they cannot uphold my complaint and gave a standard response. I replied back on the same day escalating it and saying I am unsatisfied with their response and it is a generic response they have provided and that no proper investigation has been undertaken.

HO emailed on 29/12/23, saying they require more time to investigate and get back regarding the second review of the complaint - therefore, still waiting.

Once they respond back to me on the review of their first response to my complaint, if I am unsatisfied, I will escalate it to an independent body called IEC to review the HO responses to my complaint.

My MP is also chasing them up, however, no response.
I have also submitted another SAR on 5/12/2023. Waiting for it to come through this week.

HO complaints team responded back for the second time and upheld my complaint, however, failed to provide a timescale as to when I will be getting a decision. Hence, I have escalated it to IEC. Awaiting their review.
SAR also has not come through yet, hence, I have chased it up. Hopefully coming week I will get that too.

[Cathyx]

Eligibility criteria: 5yr spouse of BC (ILR approved on 01/09/2023)
Nationality: Australian
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 14/09/2023
Date of biometrics: 22/09/2023 (free)

Date of receipt of approval: pending
Date of Council Citizenship Ceremony email invitation: 06/01/2023
Date of Ceremony: 06/02/2023 (free)

[Niroo11]

Eligibility criteria: Spouse of a British Citizen + 5 days ILR
Nationality: Iranian
Proof of language: UK masters
Method of application: online
Date of receipt by UKVI: 01 October 2023
Date of debit of fees: 01 October 2023
Biometrics appointment: 03 October 2023 (Cardiff)
Date of receipt of acknowledgement: 03 October 2023
Further info requested by Home Office: 07/01/2024 (Confirm place of Birth) (I was born in the UK) Replied same day.
Date of receipt of approval: Pending
Date of receipt of ceremony Email: pending
Date of Ceremony: pending

[KS09]

Eligibility criteria: 5 years in UK(presettled status/settled status+spouse of BC)
Method of application: 01.10.2023 online
Date of receipt by UKBA: biometric appointment 22.10.2023 Edinburgh (paid)
Date of receipt of acknowledgement:22.10.2023
Date of receipt of approval: pending
Date of Ceremony: West Lothian council pending

[KS09]

Eligibility criteria: 5 years in UK(presettled status/settled status+spouse of BC)
Nationality: Non-EU -Ukraine
Language: B1 + Life in the UK test
Method of application: 01.10.2023 online
Date of receipt by UKBA: biometric appointment 22.10.2023 Edinburgh (paid)
Date of receipt of acknowledgement:22.10.2023
Date of receipt of approval: pending
Date of Ceremony: West Lothian council pending

[annadesu]

Eligibility criteria: 12 years in the UK, have held Settled Status since 2018
Nationality: EU
Proof of language: UK degree (undergrad)
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 28.09.2023
Date of documents submission: 23.10.2023
Date of biometrics: 26.10.2023
Date of acknowledgement email that docs and biometrics submitted to UKVI: 26.10.2023
The date on the approval letter/email: (waiting)
Date of approval email: (waiting)
Citizenship ceremony date: (waiting)

Good luck and thanks to everyone who shared their timeline, being able to see these while waiting is super reassuring.

[sytronics]

Eligibility criteria: Set (LR) + 1 Year ILR
Nationality: Non-EU
Language: UK PhD + Life in the UK test
Method of application: Online 01.09.2023
BRP Submission Date: 01.09.2023 (Luton, paid)
Date of receipt of acknowledgement: 01.09.2023
Date of receipt of UKVI approval: pending
Date of receipt of Council email: 05/01/2024
Date of Ceremony: 23/01/2024 (Warwickshire)

[Iousomemoney]

Eligible criteria: 10 year stay on various visas ( tier2,4,5)+ 1 year ILR
Non Eu
English language: degree taught in English in the UK
Online application
Date of payment of application: 30/5/23
Date of biometric appointment: 22/6/23
Never received receipt email from HO

Finally received approval email from HO on the 8/1/24 at10:52am! It took longer than expected but finally it has come through!