I JUSTGOT NATURALISED:) but needurgent advice

[jayj]

Hi Guys , John or anyone out there ...thanks for all thehelp , I got to my ceremony yesterday and got the naturalisation certificate BUT i need to know something...the application for british passport will take approx 6 weeks. I booked a holiday way before the ceremony heading to Egypt andwant to know whether I can travel onmy south african passport which IndefiniateLeavetoRemain on it even though I'm naturalised.

The reason for this is that I can't apply for British Passport rightnow because itmightnot come withintimeframe that I go on holiday so I shall apply for British Passport whenI get back SO can I travelwith my South African Passport withIndefinateLeave to Remain, it this still valid even though I got naturalised yesterday???

What are my options? Do I carry my naturalised certificate with me using my southafricanpassortwith indefinate leave to remain to prove that I'm a british citizen without a british passport yet?

PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[paulp]

Although your ILR vignette is technically invalid, there shouldn't be any problem coming back. If you're the worrier type, you can carry your naturalisation certificate with you.

[John]

.the application for british passport will take approx 6 weeks.

Who has told you that? At the present time passports for first-time applicants are taking about two weeks.

[Siggi]

John, as a matter of interest, it does states on the application form, that first time passport applications take six weeks and that just for the interview!
Plus a week or two after the interview for the passport, so you could be looking at 8weeks. Jayj is right on this.

[John]

Siggi, sorry he is not right, in the sense that those making applications now are only having to wait about 2 weeks, and that includes the short delay for the passport interview.

I know what it says on the application form, and in busier times it might well be 6 weeks, but at the moment it is considerably less than that.

jayj, what is the actual start date of your holiday?

[Siggi]

John I hope you are right as I don't really want to wait 8 weeks either.
Maybe Jayj can let us know how long it takes him once it's all over and done with.

[AlexCh]

My wife was in exactly the same situation - I called to immigration control in Heathrow and asked the same question - they confirmed that my wife still could travel and return back to the UK using her foreign passport.

[thesaint]

i had my passport after 20 days so its better to wait till you come back from your holidays .
its alright to use your SA passport shouldnt be any problems
have a nice holiday ... where about in egypt you going ? lol

[Christophe]

Technically (and in fact) your ILR is no longer valid, since a British citizen (which you now are) cannot have "leave" to remain in the UK, indefinite or otherwise.

In practice, however, it is very unlikely that you will have any problem re-entering the UK on your South African passport, since (apart from anything else) recently naturalised citizens are not high on the list of people that the immigration authorities will be looking out for!

You could take your naturalisation certificate with you, but I wouldn't volunteer it unless there is a problem. I'd just pass through the non-EU gate in the usual way. However, the certificate is a obviously valuable document, so do look after it if you take it with you.

In either case, I think you need a visa to visit Egypt, whether you travel there on your British or your South African passport: have you already got a visa in your South African passport?

And have you taken the necessary measures to retain your South African citizenship?

When is your trip booked for?