Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

[Jeannot88]

Hi eonatura, thanks for your update. I see your approval date was 29/09. Have you already received your invitation letter? Thanks

[eonatura]

[quote=jenov post_id=1956290 time=1604363871 user_id=92663]
Hi eonatura, thanks for your update. I see your approval date was 29/09. Have you already received your invitation letter? Thanks
[/quote]

No, I have not received my invitation letter yet.

[Jeannot88]

[quote]
No, I have not received my invitation letter yet.
[/quote]
Thanks, have they confirmed they have your certificate too? Or was this a general enquiry re: ceremonies.

[eonatura]

[quote=jenov post_id=1956298 time=1604366124 user_id=92663]
[quote]
No, I have not received my invitation letter yet.
[/quote]
Thanks, have they confirmed they have your certificate too? Or was this a general enquiry re: ceremonies.
[/quote]

It was a general enquiry regarding their plan during the lockdown.

[Small]

I am sorry to say I am asking this question for 3rd time in this forum.... Have anyone had their online ceremonies without invitation letter. Or if someone got invitation letter after the ceremony? Or invitation letter did not arrive at all please

[Frou01]

Below update from Borough of Kensington and Chelsea received this evening when enquired about ceremonies:

"In line with the PMs announcement yesterday Citizenship Ceremonies will be put on hold until December at least.
We will continue with Virtual Ceremonies for a fee of £200 but on the condition that you are in the UK."

That’s outrages.
How can a virtual ceremony cost £280 (including the fee already paid)?

If I will have this as only option I will involve my MP.
During these times people have even less money than ever, but we’re expected to pay crazy fees.

[jefoy22123]

I just went on Lambeths website and entered my reference number. I was able to book an appointment for 3rd of November.

Approval date: 20/07
No invitation letter received yet.

I am guessing the council has received my Certificate my ref number was on record. I hope I receive my invitation letter on Monday, if not I will just try going with my approval letter.

I hope the lock down doesn't affect the councils

Hi,
did you receive your invitation letter in the end? If not, how did your ceremony go?
My ceremony is tomorrow, but still no invitation letter.

[iwich]

According to Tower Hamlets:

"This means that we are yet to receive your certificate from the Home Office. The Home Office have only processed successful applications up until July 2020."

But i guess that is the HO message that they been giving to all of us with end of October deadline for backlog so it's not a good sign.
(approved on 2nd July still waiting for the invite BTW)

[SwiftKey]

from Nottingham City Council

Good morning and thank you for your email,

All ceremonies are cancelled at present due to lockdown.

We will be in touch as soon as we have further instructions from Central Government.

We don’t have a certificate for you at present, so we won’t be able to conduct a ceremony for you until the Home Office sends this to us and lockdown is lifted. Ceremony invitations are issued in writing, so please make sure that we have up to date address details for you.

[MannyWarrior]

I have checked Stockport Council which got updated an hour ago and they’re saying they can still conduct ceremonies and to call them to book.

Really annoying how the big councils seem to just cancel everything awaiting the lockdown to be over.

I’m just hoping my certificates have at least arrived to allow a quicker booking after the lockdown.

[Frou01]

Did anyone received an update for Birmingham if they continue?
Didn’t get a reply.

Reading the two posts above it comes across quite confusion some councils stop doing ceremonies due to lockdown and some continue... hm.

[Soo123]

Thanks Baybays1

I just called Surrey county Council they have received certificates for September aswell also they are trying to arrange virtual ceremonies during lockdown

[iwich]

Hi all so i have received below from my council - i have asked them if i can change the address as i moved flats few weeks ago, I have set the royal mail forwarding but not sure if that will work with HO letter :

"We are unable to update your address without the Home Office consent, so please let them know your new address. We have you scheduled onto a ceremony in December but this has been postponed and we will instead be sending you an invite to a virtual citizenship ceremony.

Please wait to hear from us regarding this. You will need your Home Office invitation in some form, so please contact them urgently to get this."

This is bit strange as if council have me scheduled for Dec i assume they have received my letter from the HO but I haven't, i have a feeling the mail redirect didn't work so I doubt i will be able to get anything from HO in time ? Any suggestions what to do next ?

[baybars1]

Thanks Baybays1

I just called Surrey county Council they have received certificates for September aswell also they are trying to arrange virtual ceremonies during lockdown

Sure thing. By the way, how do they know what the corresponding approval dates are?

The only dates that local councils need to be aware of in this context are the "expiry dates" of citizenship certificates, which fall 6 months after the corresponding dates of the invitation letters and those are different from the approval dates (as we all know).

[Szrsrts]

Hello good morning folks. I got a quick question. I was approved on the 15 th August and I can't get in touch with Kent Council. Does anyone have any updates Kent Council? Any answer really appreciated. Have a lovely day and keep safe.

[lmannova]

Hi all so i have received below from my council - i have asked them if i can change the address as i moved flats few weeks ago, I have set the royal mail forwarding but not sure if that will work with HO letter :

"We are unable to update your address without the Home Office consent, so please let them know your new address. We have you scheduled onto a ceremony in December but this has been postponed and we will instead be sending you an invite to a virtual citizenship ceremony.

Please wait to hear from us regarding this. You will need your Home Office invitation in some form, so please contact them urgently to get this."

This is bit strange as if council have me scheduled for Dec i assume they have received my letter from the HO but I haven't, i have a feeling the mail redirect didn't work so I doubt i will be able to get anything from HO in time ? Any suggestions what to do next ?

Hey, I had have exactly the same issue. I moved after my citizenship got approved. I have redirected my mail so helpfully that should be fine. I also contacted HO about address change back in August [tried at least 3 different ways as HO told me every time something different]. HO got back to me about address change only 2 weeks ago [after 2 months] that it was changed but I don't believe them as I read somewhere that somebody got the invitation to the old address after the confirmation anyway so.. I hope I will get invitation to my new address because my council won't be able to book me for a ceremony without it.

[iwich]

Hi all so i have received below from my council - i have asked them if i can change the address as i moved flats few weeks ago, I have set the royal mail forwarding but not sure if that will work with HO letter :

"We are unable to update your address without the Home Office consent, so please let them know your new address. We have you scheduled onto a ceremony in December but this has been postponed and we will instead be sending you an invite to a virtual citizenship ceremony.

Please wait to hear from us regarding this. You will need your Home Office invitation in some form, so please contact them urgently to get this."

This is bit strange as if council have me scheduled for Dec i assume they have received my letter from the HO but I haven't, i have a feeling the mail redirect didn't work so I doubt i will be able to get anything from HO in time ? Any suggestions what to do next ?

Hey, I had have exactly the same issue. I moved after my citizenship got approved. I have redirected my mail so helpfully that should be fine. I also contacted HO about address change back in August [tried at least 3 different ways as HO told me every time something different]. HO got back to me about address change only 2 weeks ago [after 2 months] that it was changed but I don't believe them as I read somewhere that somebody got the invitation to the old address after the confirmation anyway so.. I hope I will get invitation to my new address because my council won't be able to book me for a ceremony without it.

I think that depends what service is HO using, if we are lucky and it is standard Royal Mail 1/2nd class letter then i think redirection should work but i am not too sure since i have not received anything but my council has. I have emailed HO around a month ago with address change but no response.

[Cocobana]

Hello good morning folks. I got a quick question. I was approved on the 15 th August and I can't get in touch with Kent Council. Does anyone have any updates Kent Council? Any answer really appreciated. Have a lovely day and keep safe.

Hi you can contact using below

If you live in:

Kent - email citizen@kent.gov.uk or call 03000 41 40 04
Bexley - email BexleyRegistrationCitizenship@kent.gov.uk or call 03000 41 11 03.

[wil]

Hi all, I’ve been following along here for a while, thanks to everyone for your updates and thank you baybars1!

My approval date is 29th July and I contacted Hertfordshire council yesterday. Below their response I received this morning:

“ Thank you for your email.

The Home Office are currently around 12 weeks behind with sending out invitation letters and certificates, however, I have checked our system and can see that we have received your certificate from the Home Office so you should receive your invitation any day now.

Due to the new lockdown measures, we have had to cancel all Citizenship ceremonies between Thursday 5th November 2020 and Wednesday 2nd December 2020, and currently we are not able to make any new bookings for group or private Citizenship ceremonies until further notice.

Please keep an eye on our website for further service updates, and please accept our apologies for any inconveniences caused.

Kind regards”

[baybars1]

Hi all, I’ve been following along here for a while, thanks to everyone for your updates and thank you baybars1!
Kind regards”

You are welcome and thanks for your kind note. I am glad that your certificate has arrived, primarily on your account, but also because it shows that my model would have actually worked quite well into the year-end, except for the new lockdown.

Given that some councils are continuing ceremonies and some aren't, modelling based on approval dates and the dates on invites alone will not be meaningful.

[MannyWarrior]

Hi all, I’ve been following along here for a while, thanks to everyone for your updates and thank you baybars1!
Kind regards”

You are welcome and thanks for your kind note. I am glad that your certificate has arrived, primarily on your account, but also because it shows that my model would have actually worked quite well into the year-end, except for the new lockdown.

Given that some councils are continuing ceremonies and some aren't, modelling based on approval dates and the dates on invites alone will not be meaningful.

Manchester council said they’re still awaiting advice from government so they don’t know what they can and can’t offer as only marriages/civil partnerships were cancelled. So no ceremonies until the advice is clear I guess.

They didn’t reply to my part of my email whether theh got my certificate, sadly so I had to reply and ask them once again.

Thanks for your model btw!!!

[Cost Manager]

Any updates from westminster ? I called them yesterday an they have no clue.

[Parisiana]

Hi all, I’ve been following along here for a while, thanks to everyone for your updates and thank you baybars1!
Kind regards”

You are welcome and thanks for your kind note. I am glad that your certificate has arrived, primarily on your account, but also because it shows that my model would have actually worked quite well into the year-end, except for the new lockdown.

Given that some councils are continuing ceremonies and some aren't, modelling based on approval dates and the dates on invites alone will not be meaningful.

Manchester council said they’re still awaiting advice from government so they don’t know what they can and can’t offer as only marriages/civil partnerships were cancelled. So no ceremonies until the advice is clear I guess.

They didn’t reply to my part of my email whether theh got my certificate, sadly so I had to reply and ask them once again.

Thanks for your model btw!!!

I just called the Westminster Council and they said exactly the same thing. They are still waiting for guidance from the Government, but as of now citizenship ceremonies can still be booked. The question that remains is if the Home Office will continue printing / sending citizenship certificates and ceremonies invitation letters during lockdown.

[Oxford900]

I have received an invitation from the Reading Borough Council for a ceremony in November and will now see if they go ahead or whether they will cancel the November date.

One question regarding the "invitation letter". I have received my approval letter from the HO back in July, informing me on the successful outcome of my application. Yesterday I have received the invitation letter from the Reading Borough Council to attend the ceremony.

What puzzles me is that many contributors here refer to an "invitation letter" by the HO. Is that distinct from the approval letter by the HO?

In other words, do I have to wait for three communications? (1) Approval letter by HO by email, (2) Invitation letter by HO - physical and (3) Invitation letter by the local council?

In my understanding, only (1) and (3) should be sufficient as the local council has confirmed that they have my certificate. Any thoughts please? Many thanks.

Also, if anybody else is based in Reading, please let me know.

Have a good day, everyone.

[Cost Manager]

Hi all, I’ve been following along here for a while, thanks to everyone for your updates and thank you baybars1!
Kind regards”

You are welcome and thanks for your kind note. I am glad that your certificate has arrived, primarily on your account, but also because it shows that my model would have actually worked quite well into the year-end, except for the new lockdown.

Given that some councils are continuing ceremonies and some aren't, modelling based on approval dates and the dates on invites alone will not be meaningful.

Manchester council said they’re still awaiting advice from government so they don’t know what they can and can’t offer as only marriages/civil partnerships were cancelled. So no ceremonies until the advice is clear I guess.

They didn’t reply to my part of my email whether theh got my certificate, sadly so I had to reply and ask them once again.

Thanks for your model btw!!!

I just called the Westminster Council and they said exactly the same thing. They are still waiting for guidance from the Government, but as of now citizenship ceremonies can still be booked. The question that remains is if the Home Office will continue printing / sending citizenship certificates and ceremonies invitation letters during lockdown.

Last Friday Westminster emailed me and said they are expecting invitations until end of July on Monday. I try their online database 1000 times in a day but no luck. I doubt they will continue during lockdown.