Citizenship ceremony issue

[hsmp28122006]

Hi Guys,

I live in an area that comes under Winchester council but I applied for naturalisation through Southampton NCS as it's quite near where I live.

Got the "CITIZENSHIP INVITATION" letter from UKBA yesterday that asks me to contact these guys to organize the ceremony:

The Citizenship Ceremonies Officer Hampshire
EM Post Room
EII Court South
The Castle
Winchester
Hants
Tel: 08456035637

This is surprising at the first place as I had specifically requested the ceremony to be in Southampton. Anyway, I called above number and it was kind a headoffice number for whole hampshire. My details were taken and the lady told that I will be called back by someone in the team within 1-3 working days to arrange a ceremony at the place of my choice.

I'm just confused - what's going on? Where has homeoffice sent the letter to? Do you guys get similar situation too? Do you have to be called back within 1-3 working days to arrange the ceremony?

Thanks for your help!

[hsmp28122006]

Any thoughts?

[aledeniz]

Any thoughts?

I went through the same process. I got the invitation letter in December, I called Winchester, they called me back, offering dates and sites for few public ceremonies around the Hamps, the closest date of which was the exact anniversary of the third month of the invitation letter date, so I went private (you only have 90 days after the invitation, but I am not sure the person on the phone was realizing that, I didn't raise the issue, just went for a private one).

[aledeniz]

they called me back

I am 100% sure I called them first, I was in Reading at the Oracle, just repairing from the rain under Jamie Oliver's restaurant (but I was lunching at Las Iguanas), then they called me back in a couple of days, but I am not 100% sure if, after I told them I wished to go private, they just gave me another phone number to arrange the private ceremony with the specific site I had requested.

[hsmp28122006]

they called me back

I am 100% sure I called them first, I was in Reading at the Oracle, just repairing from the rain under Jamie Oliver's restaurant (but I was lunching at Las Iguanas), then they called me back in a couple of days, but I am not 100% sure if, after I told them I wished to go private, they just gave me another phone number to arrange the private ceremony with the specific site I had requested.

Thanks a lot my friend! How long did you wait for a private one BTW?

[aledeniz]

Thanks a lot my friend!

You're welcome!

How long did you wait for a private one BTW?

Unfortunately I got my invitation letter just a few days before Christmas, so I had to wait a few weeks (they re-started ceremonies in the second week of January). I suppose that they may be mostly faster than that.

I know (recent hearsay) that currently their first group ceremony availability is in early April, but private ones should be way faster than that (I may have an update on that soon).

[hsmp28122006]

Thanks mate! Now I have booked the private ceremony (19th Feb - which was the earliest date available) as the group ceremony - as you said - would not have been before beginning of April.

I can see others who got approval after me would attend a ceremony before me even without paying a penny! That is, Hampshire county's private ceremony is slower than many other counties' public ceremony - what a shame! And £130 for private one - what a rip off!

So here is how it went:

1) Got the approval letter from UKBA on 8th Feb mentioning the number I needed to call to arrange the ceremony.
2) Called that number on 9th Feb. Was told by the lady that I would be called back by someone within 1-3 working days.
3) Called the same number again, on 11th and told that I need the private ceremony done. My call was transferred to the head office (probably that's in Winchester)
4) Talked to the head office and explained the situation. I was provided another number to call (of the local council, Fareham, where I want to attend the ceremony)
5) Called that another number...spoke to a lady in Fareham council. She took my mobile number and told me that someone from her team will call me later.
6) Got a call from a lady from Fareham council. She said that the earliest date for private ceremony is 19th Feb as they have to ask the headoffice to send my certificate to them. Was charged £130 pounds for the same.

Moral is: never book a ceremony through Hants council until you don't have another option. They just suck. They have combined several councils (Basingstoke, Aldershot, Fareham, Winchester) to create a head office in Winchester that sends your certificate to whichever council you choose - causing delays. There is a kind of "call centre" to handle your queries since multiple councils are combined - this further leads to the delay as they may not have first hand information you might be looking for - another addition to the delay!

Chaos!

[need_a_tier1]

I have also received approval and live in Hampshire. However, I am out of the country at the moment (Holidays). I called the 0845 number today and same thing happened, I was told the someone will call me from the HQ(not sure which HQ) and will try and book the ceremony dates.

The lady I spoke to on the 0845 number was in real hurry and didn't want to listen to any queries.

I have told that my preferred mode of contact will be by email. They have my UK mobile number as well, but I don't have call receive option on my UK mobile at the moment.

Can I give them my overseas mobile number? Anyone has any experience of booking the ceremony while being overseas?

I am back in the UK after 10 days.

[hsmp28122006]

I would suggest you contact them again and ask them to connect you to the headoffice right away. Then will probably then connect to someone from HO and the guy can book the ceremony for you.

[need_a_tier1]

I have been contacted by email with two proposed dates of the public ceremony - 23 & 24 April.

Also, I need to have my ceremony before 04 May 2013. (3 months from date of approval).

I am now thinking of going for a private ceremony, the cost will be steep, but atleast I will have the certificate soon.

Does anyone know:

- The cost GBP 130 for private ceremony is per person or for the family? (my family is myself+wife+1Child).

- Can I book the public ceremony now, which is more that 9 weeks away and then change my mind later and book a private ceremony.

- If I get a public ceremony date 9 weeks away, then can it be changed if more slots are available due to cancellations or accommodating more applicants.

[Patval]

I live at the border between Wiltshire and Hampshire. Clearly on the home office website I am under Wiltshire but they have sent my certificate to Hampshire which sucks as it's been a nightmare trying to get a date.