Travel constraints during application

[zafran1]

HI,
What are the constraints to travel during the process
1./ Naturalization application:
Passport - How can one keep their passport during the naturalization process
a./ NCS service seems unavailable as per some reports since 2018. Camden council seems to offer slots as per their page so unsure if it's available.

BRP - i guess this goes digital so no problem after 2024

2./ Post Ceremony & Passport application
a./ After Ceremony application one is supposed to only use British passport for their travel - Is that a super strict requirement ? Can one leave the country and re-enter after leaving with the old prior non British passport. Is the settled status withdrawn?
b./ British Passport application - can this be made without having to submit older prior passport

[alterhase58]

Could you please post all your naturalisation related questions in one thread only.
This avoids all your questions (and any answers) scattered throughout the forum, making moderation difficult.

HI,
What are the constraints to travel during the process
1./ Naturalization application:
Passport - How can one keep their passport during the naturalization process
You only upload a scan of your passport and keep the original (different rules apply for the first British Passport application).
a./ NCS service seems unavailable as per some reports since 2018. Camden council seems to offer slots as per their page so unsure if it's available.
NCS has been discontinued since 2018 - UKVCAS is the outsourced commercial service now handling biometrics and related services.

BRP - i guess this goes digital so no problem after 2024
Doesn't apply for naturalisation but you will need a current BRP for travel etc before the end of 2024, or until you are British.

2./ Post Ceremony & Passport application
a./ After Ceremony application one is supposed to only use British passport for their travel - Is that a super strict requirement ? Can one leave the country and re-enter after leaving with the old prior non British passport. Is the settled status withdrawn?
Once you are British EU Settled Status is no longer relevant. BP is recommended because your BRP won't be valid any more and you may not be allowed boarding by the carrier. If you make it to the UK Border you could present your nat. certificate. A British citizen has absolute right of abode in the UK, cannot be refused entry. Note the certificate is not good for travel and carriers wouldn't accept it.
b./ British Passport application - can this be made without having to submit older prior passport
for the first British passport you are expected to submit your original foreign passport and certificate. Purpose is to validate names across documents and check authenticity of documents (including physical properties!), HMPO don't want citizens to use multiple identities. But you can ask HMPO if they would allow copies./

[zafran1]

Apologies, thought every topic should be segregated. Will keep to this thread.

[zafran1]

Hi, my wife and I stayed in Uk earlier and hence NI and some stuff (bank account) has her maiden name. The EUSS application also went in maiden name for some reason. The French passport carries both maiden name and post marriage family name as they use the convention "Firstname Maidenname esp Postmarriagefamilyname".
Rent contracts are on myfamilyname etc.

How do i prevent any confusion on this account in naturalization application.

[contorted_svy]

Explain she is known in both her maiden name and married name, there is a field where you are asked "have you have ever been known under any other name". You can also explain the details in a cover letter. Please note that when you get to the passport application stage it may cause issues that your wife's French passport is issued in her maiden name and the nat certificate in her married name.

[zafran1]

Address Issues - Our rental contract would expire during the application process and hence request your guidance
1./ Stage 1 : Citizenship/naturalization: I assume only emails arrive at this stage and no letters. The ceremony takes place at the council -> this one is a hit and miss - but likely we are at same address.
-> Is my understanding correct that no necessary docs are delivered at this stage?
2./ Passport application : Documents need to be sent and then received back.
-> Is there an option to collect documents from the post office in case no one is at home?
-> The home office checks address via council registration ? what happens if we move to a new address and the necessary changes do not propogate in time between systems - updating new council etc?
-> citizenship application from one address and passport from another - is that a problem?
-> if i move to another address but keep the old one in application (assuming some cooperation on intimation from new tenants) -> is that an issue?

Thanks

[contorted_svy]

Let's worry about one thing at a time. If you move after you applied you would need to inform UKVI. The council for the ceremony would remain the same, so you would need to go attend your ceremony there. You shouldn't receive physical letters but as I said you will need to inform UKVI. You can also set up a redirection with Royal Mail to your new address just to be sure.

Regarding the passport (which you will only be able to apply for after you have been approved and attended your ceremony, so your housing situation may have changed by then) I don't think there is an option to go pick up your documents at a post office, you need to supply a postal address. There is an option for secure delivery which is tracked (I used it for my application and it wasn't signed for) so you shouldn't have a problem with it - should your documents require a signature you can arrange for a redelivery through Royal Mail. You should do everything you can not to move between the time you apply for a passport and when you receive it (standard processing times for passports are 3 weeks at the moment) as changing your address during the application would be a pain and your documents may be sent to the old address (again you could set up a redirection with Royal Mail if necessary).

[zafran1]

For passport delivery - Can my wife accept my passport or will they hand it over to me only

Additionally if i am not in the country technically she should be able to fly out and give the passport to me - which i can then use to enter at a later date?

On a separate note it would be interesting to see if electronic BRPs remain valid between citizenship and passport delivery. Technically i reckon with the citizenship certificate one can board Eurostar as it's a UK border check even if BRP is not valid?

[alterhase58]

For passport delivery - Can my wife accept my passport or will they hand it over to me only
Passport is delivered by post/courier, addressed to you, not necessarily delivered to you personally.
Additionally if i am not in the country technically she should be able to fly out and give the passport to me - which i can then use to enter at a later date?

On a separate note it would be interesting to see if electronic BRPs remain valid between citizenship and passport delivery. Technically i reckon with the citizenship certificate one can board Eurostar as it's a UK border check even if BRP is not valid?
BRP and related status cease to exist on becoming British. The certificate is not a travel document.

[contorted_svy]

For passport delivery - Can my wife accept my passport or will they hand it over to me only

Additionally if i am not in the country technically she should be able to fly out and give the passport to me - which i can then use to enter at a later date?

On a separate note it would be interesting to see if electronic BRPs remain valid between citizenship and passport delivery. Technically i reckon with the citizenship certificate one can board Eurostar as it's a UK border check even if BRP is not valid?

You absolutely should not travel before getting a British passport and certainly not after having applied for one, unless there are extreme reasons of necessity. Suggest you reschedule your travel to after you get your passport or travel before you attend the ceremony as your BRP will be valid until then. If you travel with an expired BRP you risk a £1000 fine at the border.

[zafran1]

As long as they allow entry - its complicated but 1000 fine is quite ok.

[zafran1]

1./ Does doing biometrics early help accelerate the process at all or not doing it quickly delays things? Does the applicatipn progress independently of biometrics or they won't even look at it until then as original docs are verified then / something like that?
2./ Referees - Professional aise can the second referee be a British citizen but resident abroad whom you meet on overseas trips or its a probem/not ideal/could delay things?

[contorted_svy]

It is unknown by us whether early biometrics significantly expedits the process or not. Professional referee can be of any nationality and live abroad. We don't have enough insight in the inner workings of the HO to understand exactly what delays applications - some take longer than others and one simply needs to wait and try to put their mind at ease.

[zafran1]

Can the two referees be related. One referee i am considering is a registered social worker and the other is her husband. Is that a problem?

[CR001]

Can the two referees be related. One referee i am considering is a registered social worker and the other is her husband. Is that a problem?

No, you cannot use two referees who are related, either by marriage or by blood.