TIMELINE AFTER NATURALISATION APPLICATION SUBMISSION

[Desperado2006]

Hi drabix1
You are not alone matey. I have applied (joint application) in April 2006 & still waiting. Its been 18 months now. I know few other people who has been waiting for more than 10 months now.

I do not have any criminal records or any other offences.

Regards

[agganesh]

Even I don't have any offences in the past. Very clean record but I applied for the nationality 2 years after the eligibility. I was on and off in the UK 7 years before so I think there are more records they have to search. For straight forward cases (5+1 years) it is much easier for them to complete the process. If they think the application might take more time to complete, they put it in the far corner of their desk and concentrate on the simple ones so that they can improve their KPI (key performance indicator) that helps their assessment.

[drabix1]

Hi drabix1
You are not alone matey. I have applied (joint application) in April 2006 & still waiting. Its been 18 months now. I know few other people who has been waiting for more than 10 months now.

I do not have any criminal records or any other offences.

18 months! Oh my..Oh my..! My MP told me that BIA is in shambles and I think he is right. Did you try your MP for help? My MP told me contact him again if I will not have a decision by 12 months so he could ask questions in Parliament what's going on in this BIA. Good luck to you mate!
Yours
Alex

[drabix1]

Even I don't have any offences in the past. Very clean record but I applied for the nationality 2 years after the eligibility. I was on and off in the UK 7 years before so I think there are more records they have to search. For straight forward cases (5+1 years) it is much easier for them to complete the process. If they think the application might take more time to complete, they put it in the far corner of their desk and concentrate on the simple ones so that they can improve their KPI (key performance indicator) that helps their assessment.

I think you 100% right mate.

[rogerroger]

my wife's timeline for citizenship

submitted application at NCS 31st march
acceptance from home office (letter dated) 18th july
receipt of letter 3rd October (we had moved and hence there was a delay in receipt of letter)
citizenship ceremony hatfield 8th october (private)
yet to apply for passport

[steve567]

My time line update

Postal or NCS: POSTAL
Date of submission or posting : 15 May 07
CRITERIA - 4 years + ILR 1 year
Date of debit of cheque: 25 May 2007 (around that date, only after ack letter)
Date of receipt of acknowledgement Letter: 21 May 07
Date of receipt of approval : 4 August 2007 (HO letter dated 01/08/2007)
Date of invitation letter received: During first week of September
Date of Ceremony: 25 September
Date of passport application: 25 September (Check and Send Service)
Date of passport received: awaiting (now 3 weeks on)

anybody tell me if in London area, the Home office has started interview programme for fist time applicants? I did apply 3 weeks ago. nothing heard. so i rang 0870 number. the operator said i might need to attend interview. Wait the letter. If nothing heard after 2 weeks, advised to ring them.

[rogerroger]

we have held of on the application.

since my wife needs to travel, we will be using the indian passport for a month and then apply for the british passport towards the end of the year.

have they returned your original travel document for you to travel?

[maveli62]

we have held of on the application.

since my wife needs to travel, we will be using the indian passport for a month and then apply for the british passport towards the end of the year.

have they returned your original travel document for you to travel?

Do you know that your ILR is invalid once you took the oath. Technically you need to apply for an ROA if you want to re-enter Uk with Indian passport. This clearly mentioned in one of the leaflet you get during ceremony

[steve567]

Yes, ILR is no longer valid after becoming British citizen. at the same time those who have got British passport can not get ROA sticker anymore.

From 21 December 2006 you will not qualify for a certificate of entitlement to be placed in your foreign passport or travel document if you already hold either

Read here

Even though the UK allows dual citizenship, the Home Office does not want people to use old passport, I think. I have already made an enquiry. They advised me to use only UK passport if i get one.

[piglet]

CRITERIA: 5 YEAR ILR + marriage to british citizen
APPLICATION SUBMITED (NCS) : 27.09.2007.
CONFIRMATION OF APPLICATION RECEIVED: 05.10.2007
APPROVAL LETTER RECEIVED: 24.10.2007. (DATED: 16.10.2007)

(NOW WAITING FOR THE CITIZENSHIP CEREMONY LETTER)

This is impressive, I could not believe my eyes when I received their approval letter today! I thought it was some junk mail that we get tones of (because it was in a brown envelope with no markings on it).

This means that it took them only 19 days from the receipt of my application to the approval.
I really am so impressed by the speed. I want to add that my application was extremely straightforward, 5 years ILR and 6 years marriage to the british citizen, all documents neatly supplied, but still....very quick. They are saying that I should be getting the ceremony invitation withing two weeks of my approval letter.

I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE ON THIS FORUM FOR THEIR SELFLESS, PROFESSIONAL (AND AMATEUR) HELP. YOU GUYS ARE GREAT, IT IS SO HELPFUL TO HAVE THIS BOARD, YOUR GUIDANCE IS INVALUABLE. GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE ELSE APPLYING!

I will update the ceremony date and passport date when I get it.
Piglet!

[sheetaxml]

any more updates?

[SMOOTH OPERATOR]

Yes, ILR is no longer valid after becoming British citizen. at the same time those who have got British passport can not get ROA sticker anymore.

From 21 December 2006 you will not qualify for a certificate of entitlement to be placed in your foreign passport or travel document if you already hold either

Read here

Even though the UK allows dual citizenship, the Home Office does not want people to use old passport, I think. I have already made an enquiry. They advised me to use only UK passport if i get one.

i know this steve
http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewto ... ht=#106409

but does the Homeoffice cross the ILR out (invalidate the ILR sticker) how does this work.

[revoo]

Yes, ILR is no longer valid after becoming British citizen. at the same time those who have got British passport can not get ROA sticker anymore.

From 21 December 2006 you will not qualify for a certificate of entitlement to be placed in your foreign passport or travel document if you already hold either

Read here

Even though the UK allows dual citizenship, the Home Office does not want people to use old passport, I think. I have already made an enquiry. They advised me to use only UK passport if i get one.

i know this steve
http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewto ... ht=#106409

but does the Homeoffice cross the ILR out (invalidate the ILR sticker) how does this work.

Once you get naturalised officially, ILR/FLR is marked void in the database. When you return to UK and use foreign passport, the immigration officer at port of arrival will check in the system if your ILR/FLR is still valid.

[steve567]

if so, I have to use British passport only in the UK ports? That is what passport office advised me when i made an enquiry. Thanks for your info.

[Christophe]

if so, I have to use British passport only in the UK ports? That is what passport office advised me when i made an enquiry. Thanks for your info.

Yes, effectively it does.

You could apply for a right of abode certificate in your other passport (if it is still valid), although as noted above that avenue is not now open to those who have a British passport.

There is no absolute reason why a British citizen cannot enter the UK on a non-British passport; however, if you are living in the UK, as opposed to merely visiting, then it is obviously very much easier, and probably for practical purposes more or less essential, to use a British passport, unless you have a passport of another EU/EEA country or a right of abode certificate.

[jimmyjimmyjimmy]

My time line update to keep all those who'd like to know posted

Postal or NCS: NCS
Date of submission or posting : 1 Oct 07
CRITERIA - 6 years+ ILR 1 year
Date of debit of cheque: Credit Card
Date of receipt of acknowledgement Letter: 22 Oct 07 (HO dated 4 Oct 07, due to postal strike, i suppose)
Date of receipt of approval : 2 Nov 2007 (HO letter dated 22 Oct 07)

Haven't yet booked ceremony, and not in a hurry to get a passport yet.

but it should be straightforward.

Thanks all for helping me with my questions.

[sonnouk]

My time line

Postal or NCS: NCS
Date of submission or posting : 20 SEP 07
CRITERIA - 5 years (10 yrs) + ILR 1 year
Date of debit of cheque: 28 SEP 2007
Date of receipt of acknowledgement Letter: 01 OCT 07 (dated: 27 SEP 07)
Date of receipt of approval : awaiting
Date of invitation letter received: awaiting
Date of Ceremony: awaiting
Date of passport application: awaiting
Date of passport received: awaiting

Here is the info I managed to dig up by calling the Nat. Adv. Centre:

1. the decision was made on 12 OCT 07
2. a letter was printed on 19 OCT 07
3. a letter was 'sent' on 29 OCT 07


More info about my circumstances:

I've always been a student in the UK for the whole time (Secondary school and university) - Hence, the ILR based on long residence (10yrs)

Here are a few question:

1. As I'm a student i.e. not seen as particularly 'settled' (I've had to move from address to address 10 times but all in the same city), would this somehow work against my case for naturalisation even if I fully intend to live and work here after my graduation?

2. Within the last 12 months before my application, I was doing research in the U.S. (for 120 days), which was part of my academic work at my university in the UK. I obtained a letter from the university to prove this, in the hopes that they'll exercise discretion as the nature of absence was work-related and its length, less than 150 days (as in the guideline)
Will this be a problem?

3. Since I arrived in the UK I have been using a different first name from my birth name(in fact, I use my birth name as my second name) in most of the documents, which I put down in the application form (and also declared my birth name). I received a phone call on 08 OCT 07 from HO, telling me that I must use the first name as it appears in my passport. I agreed. Would this be a problem? Most of my documents e.g. GCSE's A levels, degree certificate, NI card, Bank accounts are under this different name. (But then, they didn't have any problem just over a year ago with these names when they processed my ILR. so myabe I shouldn't worry?)

4. If the letter was 'sent' on the 29 OCT 07, then why is it taking it so long to get to me?

5. Do they send the support docs etc back to you even if you apply by NCS? (in which case it would by photocopies of supporting docs)


Any answer would be greatly appreciated.

[Directive/2004/38/EC]

if so, I have to use British passport only in the UK ports? That is what passport office advised me when i made an enquiry.

Remember that the passport office is there to issue new passports not to give border entry advise.

In reality if you arrive in the UK with your non-UK passport and "proof" of your uk citizenship (e.g. a photocopy of your UK passport, which they can check in their database, or a photocopy of your naturalization certificate), they will let you in. I suspect they can not legally turn you away if you are a UK citizen who does not have the UK issued passport with you, though I am not 100% sure about this.

I have known of several instances where UK citizens entered the UK without carrying their UK passport.

Remember to be nice though! And check with the immigration people next time you fly to confirm.

[sonnouk]

If your application was sent to their Liverpool Office....(which mine was)..
..then you're expected to wait roughly 3 weeks from the start of November...
(that's what nationality advice centre said on the phone..)

sweet..(not)

[dmytro]

I have applied on the 16th through NCS in London and got an acknowledgement letter dated 29th October. I have called 3 times because it was taking so long to take the payment and basically I was initially told they are doing character/internal checks. Yesterday I called and was told that character checks have been done and now my case is awaiting to be given to a caseworker. The lady said that character checks are always done before being submitted to caseworkers, so I presumer that all checks ARE indeed done initially and then the caseworker makes the decision based on the results of their checks. I wonder how long it will take. I have appplied on the basis of 10Y+1 Y ILR. Regarding the last post - is it 3 weeks for everyone?

[sonnouk]

ummm, i think you misunderstood what i said.
the time it takes for them to make the decision, differs from case to case enormously. I was just saying that if your application was sent to Liverpool, it would take 3 weeks or longer for any letter to arrive, as there is a huge backlog at Liverpool Post Office Depots, not Home Offices.
The decision on my case was made, approx. 3 weeks after submission of my application. But I'm still waiting for the decision letter to arrive because of the mentioned backlog.

I have applied on the 16th through NCS in London and got an acknowledgement letter dated 29th October. I have called 3 times because it was taking so long to take the payment and basically I was initially told they are doing character/internal checks. Yesterday I called and was told that character checks have been done and now my case is awaiting to be given to a caseworker. The lady said that character checks are always done before being submitted to caseworkers, so I presumer that all checks ARE indeed done initially and then the caseworker makes the decision based on the results of their checks. I wonder how long it will take. I have appplied on the basis of 10Y+1 Y ILR. Regarding the last post - is it 3 weeks for everyone?

[sonnouk]

And...by the way..
it seems that (from experience) they keep track of when and how many phone calls you make to enquire about the progress..
i don't know why but they did seem to know all about my enquiries and dates they were made on my last phone call to them!

[dmytro]

And...by the way..
it seems that (from experience) they keep track of when and how many phone calls you make to enquire about the progress..
i don't know why but they did seem to know all about my enquiries and dates they were made on my last phone call to them!

Yeah, I have realized it, but then I said to the lady that Im sorry for calling 3 times in 4 weeks (I said I was slighly confused why website mentions different average waiting times) , and promised that I won't call again, and she laughed. But to be honest, given the 650 pounds that we pay, it is reasonable for us to call, especially when becoming British has been your dream for the last 11 years...

Another thing: when I went to NCS, the lady didnt deem necessary to take all the documents which I had. Thing is, my passport was issued 4 years ago, I didnt have the old one, so I provided banks statements, police certificate, letter from university and accomodation office confirming that I was in the UK. She didnt take the bank statements for some reason, just the Uni letter and police registration. I would have personally included the bank statements. Thats why I am slightly paranoid...

[ukwannabe]

Hello dmytro and all

I have recvd an acknowledgment letter dtd 31/10/07 and still waiting for rest of the process. I would have known if character references are made as my referees live not far and are in contact.

Postal or NCS: POSTAL
Date of submission or posting : 24 Oct 07
CRITERIA - 10 yrs + ILR 1 year
Date of receipt of acknowledgment Letter: 02 Nov 07 (dated: 31 Oct 07)
Date of receipt of approval : awaiting

[dmytro]

Hello dmytro and all

I have recvd an acknowledgment letter dtd 31/10/07 and still waiting for rest of the process. I would have known if character references are made as my referees live not far and are in contact.

Postal or NCS: POSTAL
Date of submission or posting : 24 Oct 07
CRITERIA - 10 yrs + ILR 1 year
Date of receipt of acknowledgment Letter: 02 Nov 07 (dated: 31 Oct 07)
Date of receipt of approval : awaiting

Hi, they do not always contact referees. And it looks like our applications got there on the same day. Have you already called them inquire about the progress of your application?