Entering the UK with naturalisation certificate

[Dawie]

Let's say you successfully apply for British citizenship, you attend your citizenship ceremony and you receive your naturalisation certficate. If you have to travel urgently as soon as you get your certificate and you don't have time to apply for a British passport, would it be possible to enter the UK with just your naturalisation certificate and your original nationality's passport (which would contain your ILR visa) in order to prove that you have the right of abode?

I assume it should be because technically your ILR is no longer valid once you become a British citizen.

[mahil_2000]

Yes it is possible, once you are naturalised, you are naturalised. I have heard cases of this (on this forum). people travel on their passports and when they return, they show their naturalisation certificate and are cleared through. The passport officer might give you something else there aswell (like a sticker).

But you aren't supposed to do it really. But according to UK law he has no right to refuse you because you are naturalised.

[davidm]

I have done that on a couple of occasions- the first was when I had to travel abroad at short notice when my passport application was pending (the lady who accepted my application at Victoria passport office handed me my Candian passport saying that I better keep it in case I have to travel before my british passport arrived and she proved right). The second time was when my British passport was with the Russian embassy and I had to travel for a day to Europe on work. On both instances, I filled in the landing card, stood in the non-EU line and was ushered in without any questions once I showed my naturalisation certificate.

[JAJ]

Let's say you successfully apply for British citizenship, you attend your citizenship ceremony and you receive your naturalisation certficate. If you have to travel urgently as soon as you get your certificate and you don't have time to apply for a British passport, would it be possible to enter the UK with just your naturalisation certificate and your original nationality's passport (which would contain your ILR visa) in order to prove that you have the right of abode?

I assume it should be because technically your ILR is no longer valid once you become a British citizen.

If you must travel with your naturalisation certificate I would bring a certified copy rather than the original.

Other than that there is no law that says you must enter the UK on a British passport, so as long as your passport is enough to allow you to board a UK-bound flight, the worst that will happen to you at Immigration is a delay and a stern lecture.

[tdpff3]

I assume it should be because technically your ILR is no longer valid once you become a British citizen.

To my knowledge the ILR on your existing passport remains valid. It does not get cancelled. So, I don't think there is any need to carry naturalisation certificate if you are travelling on a non-BC passport. ILR should allow you entry into UK.

Better phone IND and confirm.

[JAJ]

I assume it should be because technically your ILR is no longer valid once you become a British citizen.

To my knowledge the ILR on your existing passport remains valid. It does not get cancelled.

The ILR stamp may still be valid but the status itself is not. British citizens are not subject to immigration control and hence cannot hold ILR.

[tdpff3]

The ILR stamp may still be valid but the status itself is not. British citizens are not subject to immigration control and hence cannot hold ILR.

We are missing the initial question and confusing ourselves.

Say, you are a dual national and you choose to travel on a non-BC passport which has ILR stamp. There is no way to tell at any airport that you also hold a British passport. Now when you want to re-enter Britain as on your non-BC passport then you are no different to any other foreigner who has to show some form of visa on his/her passport.

Your ILR is valid with the passport its stamped on.

[lemess]

Your ILR is valid with the passport its stamped on.

Not true. Your ILR status is cancelled as soon as you naturalise ( it says so clearly on the naturalisation letter).
The IND have systems that are updated accordingly and all immigration staff at airports have access to that. In most cases they don't use it and simply look at the passports but they always can and it will cause unnecessary hassle. The correct thing to do if you want to use your valid non British passport after naturalisation is to get a Right of Abode sticker.

[Marco 72]

The correct thing to do if you want to use your valid non British passport after naturalisation is to get a Right of Abode sticker.

Apparently that is no longer possible if you have a British passport at the same time.

[lemess]

Apparently that is no longer possible if you have a British passport at the same time.

I wouldn't say that the link suggests that it is no longer possible. All it says that certain applications are being given priority due to a logistical problem ( shortage of certificates in stock). That seems more like a temporary operational issue than a matter of policy.

[Marco 72]

I wouldn't say that the link suggests that it is no longer possible. All it says that certain applications are being given priority due to a logistical problem ( shortage of certificates in stock). That seems more like a temporary operational issue than a matter of policy.

It may be temporary, but the website states "New applications for ROA received from British citizen passport holders will be date stamped and returned, along with any fee paid."

[lemess]

It may be temporary, but the website states "New applications for ROA received from British citizen passport holders will be date stamped and returned, along with any fee paid."

True but it does say that it is only till their stocks are replenished.

Anyway, why would someone who has a British passport want to enter Britain on their non-British passport with a ROA sticker anyway ? I think in other countries like the US, you are not allowed to do this by law.

So if you have a British passport, is it really worth getting the ROA sticker on another passport for the purposes of entering the UK ? I suspect this is really the reasoning behind the temporary ban.

Obviously someone may want to keep separate passports if they are, for instance, a frequent visitor to both Arab and Israeli states and do not wish the stamps to be seen but the number of such people is likely to be small. In any case, once the operational issue is sorted out, ROA stickers will be issued as normal. I don't think they can really get away with not issuing stickers for long when people are still entitled to apply for them by law.

[JAJ]

Not true. Your ILR status is cancelled as soon as you naturalise ( it says so clearly on the naturalisation letter).
The IND have systems that are updated accordingly and all immigration staff at airports have access to that. In most cases they don't use it and simply look at the passports but they always can and it will cause unnecessary hassle.

You are over-complicating things. The valid passport and/or ILR stamp will be enough for the airline, and while there might be a delay on arrival, Immigration will not refuse entry to a naturalised British citizen just for lack of a passport.

Not to be recommended, but do-able in an emergency. That said, a British passport can normally be obtained quickly if you pay the premium fee.

[JAJ]

It may be temporary, but the website states "New applications for ROA received from British citizen passport holders will be date stamped and returned, along with any fee paid."

It's not temporary. Section 6 of the Immigration (Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode in the United Kingdom) Regulations 2006 provides that with effect from 21 December 2006, a person cannot be issued with an ROA stamp if they hold:

- a valid British citizen passport (or identity card).
- a valid British subject passport with ROA endorsement (or identity card)

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2006/20063145.htm

[mahil_2000]

Thats odd. How are you able to prove that you are a dual citizen in the country of 2nd nationality?

[Dawie]

Thats odd. How are you able to prove that you are a dual citizen in the country of 2nd nationality?

With your British passport. I think that's the point.

[Dawie]

Not true. Your ILR status is cancelled as soon as you naturalise ( it says so clearly on the naturalisation letter).
The IND have systems that are updated accordingly and all immigration staff at airports have access to that. In most cases they don't use it and simply look at the passports but they always can and it will cause unnecessary hassle.

You are over-complicating things. The valid passport and/or ILR stamp will be enough for the airline, and while there might be a delay on arrival, Immigration will not refuse entry to a naturalised British citizen just for lack of a passport.

Not to be recommended, but do-able in an emergency. That said, a British passport can normally be obtained quickly if you pay the premium fee.

If you entered the UK with your other passport and naturalisation certificate would you be able to use the EU queue and not have to fill in a landing card?

[mahil_2000]

Thats odd. How are you able to prove that you are a dual citizen in the country of 2nd nationality?

With your British passport. I think that's the point.

But then say u get into trouble while going back to the nation of 2nd nationality, they check ur departure/arrival stamps, they will notice the british arrival stamps missing.

So, would you have to show the entry clearance officer both British and 2nd nationality passport?

[JAJ]

But then say u get into trouble while going back to the nation of 2nd nationality, they check ur departure/arrival stamps, they will notice the british arrival stamps missing.

Why would the "other" country do that? The only possible reason is if they prohibit dual citizenship and are looking out for people illegally holding onto their old passports.

[mahil_2000]

JAJ, they would do that if you act suspiciously or etc. No entry clearance officer has the time to check each stamp individually, as they are often stamped in random places and anywhere.

Apparently, you are now advised to travel with both passports. So, just ask the entry clearance officer in the UK, to stamp the foreign passport aswell.

[Dawie]

JAJ, they would do that if you act suspiciously or etc. No entry clearance officer has the time to check each stamp individually, as they are often stamped in random places and anywhere.

Apparently, you are now advised to travel with both passports. So, just ask the entry clearance officer in the UK, to stamp the foreign passport aswell.

First of all, entry clearance officers are not stationed at airports, they are stationed at British Consulates abroad. You are, of course, referring to immigration officers.

Secondly, your British Citizen passport gives you the inalienable right to enter the UK. There is absolutely no need whatsoever to present your second passport to the immigration officer. I doubt they would even stamp it anyway.

Thirdly, what concern is it of another country if you have stamps missing from one of your passports? For example, if I had dual nationality with the UK and South Africa and I flew to South Africa from the UK and entered South Africa with my South African passport, why would they care that I did not have British entry stamps in my South African passport? It's none of their business, and of course my South African passport gives me the absolute right to enter South Africa without any immigration restrictions or questions. Of course, bear in mind that South Africa allows dual citizenship so the fact that I would be carrying a British passport does not matter.

If I had dual citizenship I certainly would not travel around with both passports all the time. I would probably travel 99.9% of the time exclusively with my British passport and only use my South African passport to travel to South Africa. Of course there are a few other countries where it would be more advantageous or prudent to use a South African passport over a British passport, like for example travelling through the Middle East where I'm told you will received a bit better on a South African passport than on a British one.

[mahil_2000]

First of all, entry clearance officers are not stationed at airports, they are stationed at British Consulates abroad. You are, of course, referring to immigration officers.

Sorry, yes that is correct.

Secondly, your British Citizen passport gives you the inalienable right to enter the UK. There is absolutely no need whatsoever to present your second passport to the immigration officer. I doubt they would even stamp it anyway.

Sorry, my reply was in an indian context. As I think that is what JAJ was getting at.

Thirdly, what concern is it of another country if you have stamps missing from one of your passports? For example, if I had dual nationality with the UK and South Africa and I flew to South Africa from the UK and entered South Africa with my South African passport, why would they care that I did not have British entry stamps in my South African passport? It's none of their business, and of course my South African passport gives me the absolute right to enter South Africa without any immigration restrictions or questions. Of course, bear in mind that South Africa allows dual citizenship so the fact that I would be carrying a British passport does not matter.

I agree.

If I had dual citizenship I certainly would not travel around with both passports all the time. I would probably travel 99.9% of the time exclusively with my British passport and only use my South African passport to travel to South Africa. Of course there are a few other countries where it would be more advantageous or prudent to use a South African passport over a British passport, like for example travelling through the Middle East where I'm told you will received a bit better on a South African passport than on a British one.

Yes, very true.

If you were to travel solely using a South African passport and while returning to the UK, what would you use prove your british citizenship? naturalisation certificate?

[Christophe]

Apparently, you are now advised to travel with both passports.

Hi Mahil!

Advised by whom?

[mahil_2000]

Home office

[Christophe]

Home office

Have you got a link or a reference?