Citizenship Ceremony experience

[Chess]

I attended the Citizenship Ceremony today at the Leeds Civic Hall as a guest but it wasnt as grandeur as i expected...

The Lord Mayor was represented by the Deputy Lieutenant of the County.....

It all seemed alright save for the few chaotic areas for the Regestrar: - such as those with Pink Card Oaths - stand up;

Those with Blue cards - stand uop and read....

what if you are colour blind?

well there were about 50 'candidates'..from various countries - and these were announced as part of the ceremony..

also there were a few biscuits and a chance to take a photo with the 'Deputy County Lieutenant'

the whole ceremony seemed a bit colonial or should i say imperealistic....

There was a portratit of the queen and a UK flag - and the anthem was sung ( i should say played on a CD) and that was it...

the actual ceremony with speeches took 30minutes...

[basis]

You have described exactly the way the ceremnony takes place. I attended one two weeks ago as a 'candidate'. I don't even remember today that I attended one. The ceremony was not a memorable experience. And yes the cards .... at my place people were asked to stand in separate groups - blue and red (pink ??). couple of people could not go to 'other side' and they has started taking oath. these couple of candidates never really therefore took oath.

Opportunity to take photographs with 'Deputy County Lieutenant' and few biscuites were present here as well. The lady called everyone with whatever pronunciation she could to take their certificates. Speeches (did not understand much of the blurb there) were 'read' by the 'Deputy County Lieutenant' and the lady organiser.

A truely mismanaged, boring program like most of the mandatory govt progs are.

Okay there may be a number of poeple who would differ from this opinion / view. But I completely agree with the way chess has described the 'ceremony'.

[John]

Maybe we are just easily impressed? The ceremony attended by my wife and step-daughter was similar but we were impressed. It was held in the Council Chamber itself, where Council meetings are held, and afterwards for the tea/coffee and biscuits, more photo opportunity with Birmingham's Lord Mayor. And the room for the tea/coffee was where the G8 people ... President Clinton etc etc had met a few year's earlier, when the G8 met in Birmingham.

I think that Grace, then aged 9 years old, was particularly impressed by it all. A huge building with very high ceilings with wonderful decoration and pictures on the walls. The pic taken that day with the Lord Mayor is still showing in our lounge.

[Chess]

dont get me wrong...

many people were impressed with the ceremony and took loads of pictures......

Oh yes, it is definately better than getting the certificate via Royal Mail....and the ceremony obviously gives a 'sense of belonging'....

...perharsps instead of ASBOS; the young deliquents should be asked to take the oath and see whether that will stop them from offending

all in all its a good thing...

although the ceremony looked COLONIAL - it is similar to being handed the instruments of power after indepedence...

[sfgirl]

They do it better in Northern Ireland.

The ceremony was in Hillsborough Castle (really just a stately home), the music was live with a woman playing the piano, and the food was a hot finger buffet. I enjoyed it much more than I expected to.

[basis]

Ofcourse that experiences would differ. Where I attended it would be dificult to say many people were impressed as excpet for a few people who asked the official photographer to take photos no one had brought cameras to take photos otherwise.

I wont be surprised though in the same hall besides me there could be someone who was highly impressed with the whole thing. Interesting ....

But I wouldn't anyway say that it should be stopped and the previous arrangement to come back. It is much better than going to a solicitor. But it could be better.....of course it applies to most things in life.

[Joseph]

After reading the comments others have made on this Board, I had low expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised by my family's recent group ceremony experience. Our 4 children attended and were given the option to swear the oath and pledge and sign the Council's new citizen register, which they all did. It was a good, worthwhile thing for them to explain to their teachers and classmates why they took off a few hours from school!

The local mayor was in attendance. Our ceremony was not really much different from any of the others, but I think the real benefit was that there was a really friendly welcoming atmosphere (at least at ours) and that it formally marks a milestone, which is really the point here.

Joseph

[William Blake]

What oath do you take? What if someoen has a religous objection to saying the oath is there a provision for this?

[Spark]

Do you know what ? I was born here so obviously I've never been to one of these things but I imagined that it would be exactly like you guys described, especially the part about tea and biscuits.

[djb123]

What oath do you take? What if someoen has a religous objection to saying the oath is there a provision for this?

You can choose to either say either the Oath of Allegiance (religious) or the Affirmation of Allegiance (non-religious).

At my wife's ceremony they split the group into two - one side of the room said the Oath, the other side said the Affirmation.

[Christophe]

I attended a ceremony a few months ago as a guest in one of the London boroughs. I think that the people I went with who were being naturalised were happy with the event; certainly they have a photo taken at the ceremony on prominent display in their house. For them, it was a big thing to become British citizens having fled their own country some years ago during what was, essentially, a civil war and having been unable to return since; they had been asylum seekers in the UK.

The National Anthem was played, but in the setting by Benjamin Britten, I think; anyway, it was in B flat major instead of the most usual key, G major, and was consequently rather too high for most people to sing comfortably — even if they knew it (which most patently didn't, both among the people being naturalised and the guests).

Another thing I noticed was that a substantial number of the people taking part did not really say the oath. Whether this was because their English skills were not up to it, because they cannot read English, or just because they were not accustomed to reading things out in a group I cannot say, but it was quite obvious.

I also wonder why I, and the other guests, had to produce photo identification to be allowed in... what did it really matter who we were? (Obviously, I can see that it is different for the people being naturalised.)

[John]

the people I went with who were being naturalised were happy with the event; certainly they have a photo taken at the ceremony on prominent display in their house

I totally concur with that. My wife received her Certificate of Naturalisation, and my step-daughter her Certificate of Registration, at a Citizenship Ceremony 4 years ago. The photo taken on the day .... their certificates being handed to them by Birmingham's Lord Mayor, is still prominently displayed in our living room.

It was not compulsory for my step-daughter to attend but we had no hesitation taking her out of school for half a day so she could attend. She was then aged 9, and it is very clear that the ceremony will remain in her memory all her life.

Enjoy your ceremony!

[RobinLondon]

I respect what you say about others' experiences. I do. But to be honest, the most heartfelt emotion that I'll experience during such a ceremony will be relief with not having to deal with the Home Office any longer.

[Christophe]

I respect what you say about others' experiences. I do. But to be honest, the most heartfelt emotion that I'll experience during such a ceremony will be relief with not having to deal with the Home Office any longer.

I can understand that too. The government really ought to be apprised of this sentiment during its thinking about revising the Nationality laws and requirements: I suspect it is a very common feeling.

While some red tape, paperwork, etc, is obviously necessary in the pathway from new immigrant to citizen (and I think virtually everyone would accept that), it is an unhappy situation if new citizens' main emotions are of relief at not having to deal with the red tape any more...

[John]

Not sure that being presented with the certificate at the Citizenship Ceremony is actually the end of the red tape! Of course it is not compulsory for a British Citizen to hold a British Passport, but if one is required, there is still the procedure to go through to get that passport, and that now involves an interview for first-time applicants for a British passport.

And there also might be the need to fill in the form to get on to the electoral register.

[RobinLondon]

Well, I'm already on the electoral register as a Commonwealth citizen, and that's been absolutely no bother. Yes, getting a passport is a chore but it is no more and no less than what any other travelling citizen of any country needs to go through.

My future relief will stem from not having to dwell in the precarious state of a "temporary resident", subject to the changes in residency requirements and soaring fees any longer. Yes, the IPS can raise the cost of a passport, but will it escalate to the levels of FLR/ILR applications (£75 vs. £395+/£750+)? I don't believe so. Definitely not to the same extent.

I didn't come to this country with the expectation of getting a free ride, and I think I've been a good sport. I work, I pay my taxes, I volunteer...and heck, I even holiday all over Britain (Wales last weekend was beautiful, by the way. Snowdonia rocks.). But I just feel that I've been messed about. I probably haven't had it as bad as neither many nor most, but I do feel gouged and manipulated beyond the levels of fairness. Well, enough to see the naturalisation ceremony as less an uplifting joining ceremony than the welcome end of a cantakerous and one-sided business negotiation.

To reiterate, I quite like this country and the people who live in it. And I think they like me (perhaps). It's just the Home Office's fun and games that I'm not too fond of. I'll be curious to see if the strains of God Save the Queen on my ceremony day (if I'm approved, of course!) are able to dissolve this bitterness in my heart.

[Christophe]

As I said, it is a pity those in the government responsible for the way that Home Office conducts its business can't hear of these sentiments. I don't believe that the average immigrant to, say, Australia or New Zealand feels the same way; and I also believe that such feelings are not uncommon now in the UK. (I have no firm proof of those opinions, of course, merely anecdotal evidence.) I also don't believe that it has always been thus: the Home Office has been historically slow and possibly even incompetent, but I don't think that, say, 10 or 15 years ago people who had moved to this country felt as if they had been "wrung out and left to dry" in quite the way that lots do now.

[William Blake]

To reiterate, I quite like this country and the people who live in it. And I think they like me (perhaps). It's just the Home Office's fun and games that I'm not too fond of. I'll be curious to see if the strains of God Save the Queen on my ceremony day (if I'm approved, of course!) are able to dissolve this bitterness in my heart.

I think a lot of us share the same feeling. Probably because we are all treated very similarly. Its diffcult because its like the first day you set foot or furthermore want to set foot on British soil the British administration oppresses you from day one and fights against your intention to become a citizen. Then when you do make it - be fortunate enough to slip through they expect you to say how proud you are to be here and to take side with 'them' - pledge allegiance to that same adminsitration that opposed you for years - 10, 14 or longer. That took your taxes for all those years but wants to have no obligation to you. And that's hard because how can you identify wholeheartedly - as if there is no ill feeling or ill will towards you - with an adminstration that does not want you here. That refused to speak on your behalf that on a daily basis says bad things about you, exploits you and seeks to use underhanded tactics to exclude you from this society when your time comes and wants to have no obligation to you.

Well to be honest I will do my duty as a citizen should I ever be fortunate to get it but I can't identify with the British administration as it has never made me feel welcomed and appreciated, treats me as unwanted and does not identify with me. And it refuses to speak for me. There are all sorts of policies and initiatives for people from all walks of society / life; single families, tax credit whatever, you ever heard of any initiative to help the immigrants (because of say their unique experience and hurdles that they face; all they do is try to make our lives more difficult and milk us to the absolute extreme possible).

I will identify with the immigrant experience. Sure I won't allow myself to be marginalized while I undoubtedly feel alienated but I know I helped build this country and so did my ancestors and it is time we share the benefits of being in Britain too.

[JAJ]

As I said, it is a pity those in the government responsible for the way that Home Office conducts its business can't hear of these sentiments. I don't believe that the average immigrant to, say, Australia or New Zealand feels the same way; and I also believe that such feelings are not uncommon now in the UK. (I have no firm proof of those opinions, of course, merely anecdotal evidence.)

Those who become American citizens usually have a lot of positive feelings towards the U.S. but also tend to feel a great sense of relief at no longer needing to deal with the Immigration Service (passports are a State Department responsibility).

And I think this does exist, to an extent, in Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

I also don't believe that it has always been thus: the Home Office has been historically slow and possibly even incompetent, but I don't think that, say, 10 or 15 years ago people who had moved to this country felt as if they had been "wrung out and left to dry" in quite the way that lots do now.

10 to 15 years ago, or more specifically, prior to May 1997, the immigration system was managed in a much more sustainable way. Without the wild swings in policy that we have seen under the current administration.

[thirdwave]

I`m still ticked off by the fact that I had to fork out an extra £ 80 to have a private ceremony ...I`m glad its all behind me now. Personally I felt quite underwhelmed by the whole experience. Both the lady from the council and I had to try really hard to keep a strsight face while reading the oath

I consider myself pretty well integrated into British society and did not feel the ceremony made me feel any more British than I would have done otherwise. In any case, I do not feel any great affinity to this country (or any other, for that matter) as my primary allegiance is to humanity, my heritage and my belief system, a philosophy that is thousands of years old and transcends all human imposed boundaries..

[jei2]

I've attended two ceremonies as a guest. One in Kensington and Chelsea and the other.. somewhere else. What a difference. Obviously local government finances play a big part.

K&C was gracious, grandiose, welcoming, the whole caboodle. Every new citizen had 2 guest passes and there were no requests for photo ID. The Mayor scraped and bowed to each and every applicant and was patient with those who were nervous and overwhelmed. She enunciated each word clearly, allowing the individual to take his or her time to repeat their chosen oath following her lead.

Afterwards there was a selection of beverages including wine, biscuits and cheese, a photo opportunity and the chance to wander around looking at the suits of armour. Yes it was all a bit colonial (but what the hell does that mean except that someone else got there first?). It was a lot better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick - which is what many people come here to avoid in the first place isn't it?