Naturalisation application processing timelines (only)

[mollybird]

Eligibility: 19 years. Started as British Spouse. Qualified in 2009 when I received ILR but always delayed applying. Divorced since 2020 separated since 2015 and applied on 5 year rule.
Nationality: South African
Language: CEFR Level B1.1 Grade 5 test + Life in the Uk test
Application type: Online

Date of application: 17/05/2024
Receipt of debit UKVI: 17/05/2024
Date of Biometric: 25/05/2024 (paid £145 and travelled to Nottingham 100miles away as went to see some friends at the same time)
Documents submitted confirmation UKVCAS: 25/05/2024
Date of receipt of approval: 05/08/2024
Date of ceremony: PENDING My local council says I have to email and wait for their invite as they do it once a month at the end of the month. I therefore emailed them and asked for a private ceremony. Waiting to hear back.

I updated my application. I believe I initially would have been approved on the 7 week mark when lots were approved. But I needed to provide more information on an old CCJ and it took them a further 3 weeks to send the approval email. It took 2 months and 13 days after my biometrics is way quicker than I would have imagined. I realised they approve on Mondays only so been waiting every Monday for an email. Then today when I completely forgot about it I received the email from Atlas at 9:26am.

Lastly I want to thank every admin on this group. After 19 years I can finally relax a little. I know I still need to do the ceremony and my passport but thank you for answering all my many questions over all these years. Good luck to each and everyone still going through it all.

[highgatewood]

Application Timeline
Eligibility criteria: ILR and married to a (new) British citizen
Nationality: non-EU
Proof of language: PhD degree from a UK university
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 5 Feb 2024
Date of debit of fees: 5 Feb 2024
Date of biometrics appointment: 20 Feb 2024
Biometrics location: Mark Lane (paid)
Date of receipt of approval: 5 Aug 2024 (*update*)
Date of Ceremony: 5 Sept 2024 (private ceremony, as I will be away until then)

Notes: Really hoping that I would have the decision by now as mine seems to be a straightforward case. Yet here I am still waiting! Won't escalate until the 6 month mark.

So happy to finally get my decision at the 6-month mark after submission. I had already issued a SAR and emailed Further Nationality Enquiries at the 5.5 month mark. Don't know if that made a difference, but so relieved anyway. Good luck to all still waiting. It will come!

[mmt]

Eligibility criteria: 5 year Tier 2 + 1 year ILR
Nationality: Non-EU
Proof of language: NARIC
Method of application: Online (Family of 2)
Date of application: 25th May 2024
Date of biometrics: 28th May 2024 (Mark Lane - paid)
Date of receipt of approval: 05/08/2024
Date of invited ceremony: 05/08/2024
Date of Ceremony: 06/08/2024 (private)

[luispedro5434]

Eligibility criteria: EUSS Settled Status - 8 years in the UK
Nationality: Spanish
Method of application: Online
Proof of language: B2 + Life in the UK test
Date of application submission: 15.04.2024
Date of fee payment: 15.04.2024
Date of biometrics Appoinment: 07 May 2024 (East Ham Library - free)

[viczzz85]

Eligibility: Tier 2 + ILR, applied just same day of 1 year ILR
Nationality:China
Proof of Language: B2 + life in the UK
Online application submission:27 May 2024
Biometric provided: 28 May 2024 (Croydon, £300)
Date of approval:Pending
Date of Ceremony: Pending

Not a straight fwd case, have excessive leave in past 5 years and 1 year.
Email FNE twice but no reply. Screaming.

[mm99]

Tier 2 dependent visa + ILR plus 1.5 years (Could have applied straight away after ILR but number of days out side UK were more than the maximum allowed)

Nationality:Pakistan
Proof of Language: B2 + life in the UK
Date of receipt by UKBA: 20/04/2024
Date of debit of fees: 20/04/2024
Date of receipt of acknowledgement: 25/04/2024
Date of Bio-metric: 25/04/2024
. .
3-months processing time
. .
Date of receipt of approval: 29/07/2024
Date of Ceremony: 26/09/2024 (Group Ceremony)

My sincere thanks to all moderators here.

[d12024]

Eligibility criteria: 5 year spouse visa + 2 weeks ILR
Method of application: Online
Proof of language: UK Degree + Life in the UK test
Date of application submission: 3rd June 2024
Date of fee payment: 3rd June 2024
Date of biometrics Appoinment: 21st June 2024 (free)
Date of receipt of approval: 5th August 2024
Date of Ceremony: pending

Update Date of ceremony: 19th August 2024

[assel1908]

Application Timeline
Eligibility criteria: (Skilled Worker Visa ILR + 1 year)
Method of application: Online
Date of receipt by UKBA: 26 Apr 2024
Date of debit of fees: 26 Apr 2024
Date of receipt of acknowledgement:8 May 2024 documents submitted & fingerprints collected
Date of receipt of approval: 22 July 20204 approval email received
Date of Ceremony: 07 Aug 2024

[Nina1762]

Eligibility: 5 year route + ILR, applied after nearly 8 years
Nationality: Nigerian
Proof of Language: B2 + life in the UK
Online application submission: 1 June 2024
Biometric provided: 28 June 2024 (Croydon, £300)
Date of approval: 5 Aug 2024
Date of Ceremony: Pending

Ceremony on the 14th of August (Private)

[faouzi]

Application Timeline
Eligibility criteria: 10 years
Nationality: non-EU
Proof of language: B1 + Life in the UK
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 12th June 2024
Date of debit of fees: 12th June 2024
Date of biometrics appointment: 9th July 2024
Biometrics location: Edinburgh - free
Date of receipt of approval: not yet
Date of Ceremony: not yet

[Jay121]

Application Timeline
Eligibility criteria: 5 years
Nationality: Bangladeshi
Proof of language: B1 + Life in the UK
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 29th June 2024
Date of debit of fees: 29th June 2024
Date of biometrics appointment: 29th July 2024
Biometrics location: Birmingham - free
Date of receipt of approval: not yet
Date of Ceremony: not yet

[skitathletic]

Eligibility criteria: 10 years private life+ 1 year ILR
Nationality: Non-eu
Proof of language: UK undergraduate degree + Life in the UK test
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 2th June 2024
Date of debit of fees: 2th June 2024
Date of biometrics appointment: 5th June 2024
Biometrics location: Sheffield (£299)
Date of receipt of approval: 5th Aug 2024
Date of Ceremony: 18th Sep 2024(Free)

[alvp]

Application Timeline

Eligibility criteria: Tier 2 / Skilled Worker - 5 years + 1 year ILR
Nationality: non-EU
Proof of language: B1 + Life in the UK
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 26th May 2024
Date of debit of fees: 26th May 2024
Date of biometrics appointment: 7th June 2024 (London city)
Date of receipt of approval: not yet
Date of Ceremony: not yet

[standrews]

Eligibility criteria: ILR (SET M) - Spouse of BC - Applied within few weeks of ILR approval
Nationality: Non-EU (Pakistan)
Proof of language: ECCTIS Visa and Nationality Service
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 22-04-2024
Date of biometrics: 01-05-2024 (Glasgow - paid)
Date of receipt of approval: 12/08/2024
Date of invited ceremony: 12/08/2024
Date of Ceremony: 01/10/2024 (1st available group ceremony)

*Almost took a week short of 4 months from the date of submission*

Good luck and best wishes!

[afriley]

Eligibility criteria: ILR
Nationality: Non-EU
Proof of language: 3 x UK degrees
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 05/06/24
Date of biometrics: 14/06/2024 (paid)
Date of receipt of approval: 12/08/2024
Date of invited ceremony: 12/08/2024
Date of Ceremony: TBD as I need to travel until mid September so sometimes in October - waiting for a reply from the Council.

Very quick process and my thanks for all the help I received here.

[Aboeu12]

Tier 2 /skilled worker visa 5 years plus 1 year ILR
Nationality : Nigerian
English: Life in Uk test + degree in English
Application submission and payment 31st May 2024
Biometric appointment 19th June 2024 ( Kingswood Bristol) paid £143
sent supporting documents to furthernationalityenquiries@gov.uk
Acknowledgement recieved via email
Approval email :Home Office atlas *update* ;12th August 2024 10:53am
Ceremony date: yet to be booked, as going on holidays soon

Thanks to everyone who posted on here, it helped to calm my nerves honestly!
Finally! Just be patient your day will come.

[ankitu3]

Application timeline:

Eligibility criteria: 8 years in the UK + 2 ILR
Nationality: EU
Proof of language: UK Degree + Life in the UK test
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 13th June 2024
Date of debit of fees: 13th June 2024
Date of biometrics appointment: 28th June 2024
Biometrics location: East Croydon (free)
Date of receipt of approval: 12th August 2024 (processing time: 2 months from the date of application or 45 days since biometrics)
Date of Ceremony: Pending/ I need to book. My council is giving me only 2 options for September which are not convenient for me so I have to contact them.

Thank you so much everyone for providing updates for your applications! It has been very helpful and I hope you all receive yours soon!

[breenparkins]

Eligibility criteria: Ancestry Visa 5 years + 3 years ILR + married to BC
Nationality: Non-EU - Australian
Proof of language: Australian passport
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 26th May 2024
Date of biometrics: 13th June 2024 (East Ham Library - Free)
Date of receipt of approval: 12th August 2024
Date of invited ceremony: 14th August 2024 (Marylebone Town Hall)

[JayQ]

Eligibility criteria: ILR
Nationality: Non-EU
Proof of language: UK master degree + life in the UK
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 29th November 2023
Date of biometrics: 27th December 2023 (Paid)
Date of receipt of approval: 12th August 2024
Date of invited ceremony: pending

It took 8 months in total, but it’s finally here! I wish everyone good luck with their applications. Don’t worry—you’ll be fine. Sometimes it just takes a little longer than expected, and that’s okay.

[Brejoiner1990]

Two timeslines, for me and my brother

Myself:
Eligibility criteria: EU settled status since 2020
Nationality: Greek
Proof of language: MSc from UK university
Method of application: Online
Date of application and payment: 17/05/2024
Date of biometrics: 12/06/2024 (free)
Date of receipt of approval: 12/08/2024
Date of invitation to ceremony: 09/08/2024
Date of Ceremony: 02/10/2024

It is common apparently to receive an invitation to a ceremony before you get your approval email from the Home Office as the Home Office may notify the council before they send the approval email (which is only on Mondays).


My brother:
Eligibility criteria: EU settled status since 2022
Nationality: Greek
Proof of language: MSc from UK University
Method of application: Online
Date of application and payment: 19/06/2024
Date of biometrics: 10/07/2024 (free)
Date of receipt of approval: 12/08/2024
Date of invitation to ceremony: pending
Date of Ceremony: pending

My brother's application went through extremely fast, he barely waited a month.

[ruinded]

Eligibility criteria: ECAA - 5 years + 1 year ILR
Nationality: Turkish
Proof of language: B1 + Life in the UK
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 15th June 2024
Date of debit of fees: 15th June 2024
Date of biometrics appointment: 12th July 2024 (Oxford - Free)
Date of receipt of approval: 12th August 2024
Date of Ceremony: not yet

[MDL]

Eligibility criteria: 7 years residency + EU Settled Status
Nationality: French
Proof of English: Masters degree in British university
Method of application: Online
Life in the UK test: 5th July 2024
Date of application submission: 5th July 2024
Date of fee payment: 5th July 2024
Date of biometrics and document submission: 12th July 2024
Biometrics location: London Mark Lane (paid)
Date of receipt of approval: Pending
Date of receipt of council invitation: Pending
Date of Ceremony: Pending

[mollybird]

Eligibility: 19 years. Started as British Spouse. Qualified in 2009 when I received ILR but always delayed applying. Divorced since 2020 separated since 2015 and applied on 5 year rule.
Nationality: South African
Language: CEFR Level B1.1 Grade 5 test + Life in the Uk test
Application type: Online

Date of application: 17/05/2024
Receipt of debit UKVI: 17/05/2024
Date of Biometric: 25/05/2024 (paid £145 and travelled to Nottingham 100miles away as went to see some friends at the same time)
Documents submitted confirmation UKVCAS: 25/05/2024
Date of receipt of approval: 05/08/2024
Date of invitation for ceremony: 08/08/2024: Received letter in post for free ceremony on 26th September. Emailed and had no response even after calling for 5 days to ask for info re: private ceremony. Ended up going to their office. Received email same day.
Date of ceremony: 13/08/2024 My local council says I have to email and wait for their invite as they do it once a month at the end of the month. I therefore emailed them and asked for a private ceremony. Waiting to hear back.

I updated my application. I believe I initially would have been approved on the 7 week mark when lots were approved. But I needed to provide more information on an old CCJ and it took them a further 3 weeks to send the approval email. It took 2 months and 13 days after my biometrics is way quicker than I would have imagined. I realised they approve on Mondays only so been waiting every Monday for an email. Then today when I completely forgot about it I received the email from Atlas at 9:26am.

Lastly I want to thank every admin on this group. After 19 years I can finally relax a little. I know I still need to do the ceremony and my passport but thank you for answering all my many questions over all these years. Good luck to each and everyone still going through it all.

13/08/2024. Finally had my ceremony today and paid £95 for a private ceremony as they could only give me a free one on 26th September. Actual process took 4 minutes. Now submitting my passport application.

Good luck to each and everyone and again massive thanks to the admin and all the help of this forum.

[Ari90]

Application Timeline

Eligibility criteria: 5 Year Student (MSc and PhD) +5 Years Tier 2 GENERAL+ 1 Year ILR
Nationality: non-EU
Proof of language: MSc and PhD degree from a UK university
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 16 May 2024
Date of debit of fees: 16 May 2024
Date of biometrics appointment: 12 June 2024
Biometrics location: Solihull (free)
Date of receipt of approval: ***Pending
Date of Ceremony: ***Pending

Note: I can see here that some applications took less than my waiting time and I hope I receive an update soon. I am planning to leave for holiday for almost three months during Christmas so hence the frustration.

Thanks all for sharing your experience

[Milad007]

Application Timeline
Eligibility criteria: EUSS Settled Status for 3 years (9 years of residency in UK)
Nationality: Non-EU
Language: B1 Trinity College London
Life in the UK Test: 18th May 2024
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 17th June 2024
Date of biometrics: 27th June 2024 (Luton, Free)
Acknowledgement email UKVCAS: 27th June 2024
Date of receipt of approval (Chased up via CS email): 08/08/2024
Atlas email: Pending
Date of Ceremony: Pending

Less than 8 weeks between application submission and approval.