UKM application experience and timeline

[nashwoff]

Hi everyone still following...

Happy to report I got my approval today! So based on my application, as well as ambrit's, it seems these UKM applications are being turned around rather quickly by Home Office these days. Here's my timeline as of now:

Eligibility criteria: UKM (born before 1983 in USA to British mother)
Language criteria met: native English speaker
Nationality: USA
Method of application: form UKM
Date of application: 17 Jan 2017 (Fedex Intl Priority)
Payment method: Credit card
Date of receipt by HO/UKVI: 19 Jan 2017
Date of acknowledgement: 20 Jan 2017
Date money gone off account: 23 Jan 2017
Date of letter requesting biometrics: 4 Feb 2017
Biometrics done: 13 Feb 2017 (USCIS New York City)
Date of approval: 28 March 2017
Date of ceremony: pending
Date applied for passports: pending
Date passports received: pending

Good luck to those still waiting.....waiting....waiting.

[ambrit]

Congratulations Nashwoff! I'll post as soon as I receive my ceremony notification or upon receipt of any other news of significance. Cheers.

[ambrit]

I have an update. I received a call from the British Consulate in New York on Wednesday to schedule my citizenship ceremony. I scheduled it for Monday, April 10th and received a follow-up e-mail from the British Consulate confirming my ceremony. It probably goes without saying, but I'm chuffed!!

[nashwoff]

Fantastic news ambrit and thanks for keeping us posted. Helpful to know how the Consulate in NY contacts folks for ceremonies - I was wondering that myself since I'm based in NYC. Have a great ceremony. Nashwoff

[format346]

Hello all,
I am new to this site and can't figure out how to post a question about my UKM form. Can anyone help please?
Firstly, congratulations to those who have successfully applied!
Next, my query refers to question 1.35 on the UKM form regarding if I had been settled in the UK before 1st January 1983.
My situation in short, I was born in 1973 in France to a British mother and French father. I have French nationality. On their divorce, my Mother took me and my brother to the UK in 1978 or 1979 (?), and we were given blue paper Indefinite leave to remain documents (this I lost about 20 years ago). In 1982, my Mother took us to the US where we went to school for less than a year, before returning to live in the UK, the autumn of 1983 and I have lived here permanently ever since, education, working, paying taxes etc.
What I am concerned about is if this movement to the US in 1982 will be detrimental to my application for British citizenship now?
If anyone can help with this it would be very much appreciated. I'm scared and I don't want to have to move to France.
Thank you very much in advance.

[nashwoff]

HI format 346, It shouldn't matter where you were born or where you lived before or after 1983. As long as your mother is British, you are automatically British by descent. I recently got my citizenship by UKM and I have never lived in the UK. I was born in New York and still live here. On that section of the form 1.35, since it seems you were not a resident of the UK before Jan 1983 for at least a 5 year period, you could lave it blank I believe. Or if you believe your residency in the UK from 1978 to 1982 was definitely 5 years or more, you could list that time period there. I left it blank on my form as an American citizen with a British mother and my application was successful. Good luck with your application!

[sscowden]

Word at last! Received a letter from the SF British Consulate today with approval and a scheduled ceremony date. Woo hoo.

Application: UKM
Applied from USA

Jan 6 Application sent via Fed Ex Intl Priority.

Jan 9 Confirmed (by Fed Ex) delivery to UKVI

Jan 15 Ceremonial debit fee charged to credit card.

Jan 26 Acknowledgement email received

Jan 27 Biometrics instructions received via email. Replied same day with preferred location/date.

Jan 28 Confirmation date given for Biometrics - email.

Feb 14 Biometrics completed in San Francisco.

Apr 28 Received approval letter in the mail (dated Apr 26) from SF British Consulate with ceremony date.

May 25 Citizenship ceremony scheduled.

[Brijbhushan]

When and why your Aoolication Fee for £80 is refunded without replying to your Application in the Pending process

[Brijbhushan]

How can you have prove your Registration under Sec6 (1) of the British Nationality Act 1948 in the absence of Registration Certificate
Can British Passport with the status OF Citizen of the United Kingdom & Coloniies can be issued without Registration Certificate under sec ^(1) of BNA 1948

[ew2017]

How long did it take to get your passport's back?
Thank you!

[ew2017]

Did anyone sent certified copies of their passport's?

[orojim]

How long did it take to get your passport's back?
Thank you!

My U.S. passport was returned with my approval letter. I first applied (sending the passport to Liverpool) on Sept. 19. The approval letter reached me in Arizona on Jan. 24. That's a bit over four months round trip for the U.S. passport.

I had no special travel plans for the time period involved, so there was no hardship for me. But anyone who travels regularly to other countries or who might have to travel on short notice (a relative in declining health, for example) needs to think about the possibility of being stranded.

I don't know if the UK accepts a certified copy of an applicant's current non-UK passport during the citizenship approval process. Check these boards thoroughly and you'll likely find an answer; these folks provide wonderful information and advice.

I can tell you that once you have completed your ceremony and have your UK citizenship certificate, HM Passport Office accepts colour copies of your entire non-UK passport, so you can keep your original on hand. That's what I did. I received my British passport less than two weeks after applying.

[AngelaHawkes]

Hello,

I'm just beginning my UKM application process and have a few questions.

Did anyone have to send their mother's expired UK passport or will a birth certificate suffice?

Also, I was happy to see in one post that someone sent a notarized copy of their US passport. Did anyone else do this?

Thank you!

[a_powers]

Hello,

I'm just beginning my UKM application process and have a few questions.

Did anyone have to send their mother's expired UK passport or will a birth certificate suffice?

Also, I was happy to see in one post that someone sent a notarized copy of their US passport. Did anyone else do this?

Thank you!

I sent the original British birth certificate since I didn't have her passport and it went through.
You could try a copy of your passport, worse case is they ask for the original. I sent originals, but I don't think it is a legal requirement.

[AngelaHawkes]

Thank you!

Another question in regard to this statment on the UKM guidance:

you would have had the right of abode in the UK and have become a British citizen on 1 January 1983, if you had become a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies;


I was born in the US in 1970. My mother's last UK passport was valid until 1974. She became an American citizen sometime after this. Does it matter if the mother became a US citizen? Would that have somehow affected the "right of abode?"

[a_powers]

Acquiring another citizenship (US) would not affect the right of abode.
My mother became a US citizen years before I was born and it makes no difference in either case.

[GodsKid]

Hi Everyone,

Eligibility criteria: UKM (born before 1983 in JA to British mother)
Nationality: JA
Method of application: form UKM
Date of application: 13 November 2017 (DHL: 3dys)
Payment method: Credit card
Date of receipt by HO/UKVI: 15 November 2017
Date of acknowledgement: 20 November 2017
Date money gone off account: 17 Novermber 2017
Date of letter requesting biometrics: 30 November 2017
Biometrics done: 4 December 2017 (JA)
Date of approval: pending
Ceremony invitation received: pending
Date of ceremony: pending
Date applied for passport: pending

I had asked for an additional envelope to be sent by courier but it seemed like a strange question. I was told on communication, they would retrieve my documents from the agency. My question is, on the UKM app form, it says if no additional envelope is submitted, property will be returned via 2nd class post. I've seen a site which says that 2nd class post can be sent internationally with delivery times of up to 6/8 weeks.

This seems harsh though, so many things can happen in the interim and to reapply for my originals is a scary thought, but I've seen other persons who received their documents via International Economy (I'm assuming economy, signature required). Did these persons send the extra envelope then? Will I have to wait the 6/8 weeks, signature required, signature not required? Which is it, can anyone clarify please? Ty

Vi

And p.s. I did get into a very minor, no damages of property or persons sustained over 10 years ago, was young and misinformed, ended up with a misdemenor, but was forthcoming. And barely any tickets, paid directly, but not for drinking, speeding, under any influence etc.

[a_powers]

I didn't provide any return envelope. The original docs were returned via DHL, signature required. I'm in the USA.

[GodsKid]

Thank you for your prompt reply a_powers, I could not have responded any sooner.

Therefore HO contacted you via email I'm presuming (All my communication so far has been via email although I know the final result is on hard copy with your returned docs) to inform you to arrange with in this case DHL to go retrieve your documents where duh you paid and waited?

What the supe at DHL said and then reiterated twice is that they NEED to have a contact at HO in order to have someone to sign for the recording of the journey of the parcel. Were you also informed as such? And did the person who emailed you with their name; was this the contact you used then? If that's what happened? Ty

Vi

[a_powers]

The DHL guy came to my door with the HO letter and my original docs returned. They said my application was approved and I would be contacted by the Consulate for the citizenship ceremony. No prior contact setup was done.

[GodsKid]

Ty a_powers for your reply.

I had assumed one would have to return to DHL to make the payment to return your docs but forgot HO has our cc details already. So you're saying they just used your cc info similarly as when they charged you the 80lbs then? That would explain why you wouldn't hear anything beforehand. And the return journey of your docs was reflected on your cc activity then right?

Going into my 10th week waiting now, if I see a charge on my cc I would know the process is progressing. My case should not be an issue since both my mother and her mother were born in the UK plus I've had the ROA in all my passports, never ceased being a commonwealth citizen. As they say, waiting is the hardest part.

Ty in advance.

Vi

[a_powers]

The 80 pounds was taken when they got the application. I wasn't charged for the return of the docs postage. Prior to the return of the docs I completed a biometrics appointment at a USCIS Application Support Center.

[GodsKid]

Ok, ty a_powers. That's interesting as I thought for priority mail like a courier service that we would have to be charged for it. The return charge estimated by DHL JA said it would be about 9-13k max, the latter which is equivalent to the application fee of the 80lbs. But don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining; that's great.

Ok.....so I just continue to sit back and wait for it to be delivered to my post office then.

(I did my biometrics almost 8 weeks ago; when looking on all the timelines it's about a month or sooner from doing the biometrics that a decision is made. Oh well.)

Ty again.


Vi

[Lisanduk]

I have read all the timelines for UKM and notice that the 80 pounds is taken within a coupke of days before or after the acknowledgment email. My email was addressed in my previous married name which is concerning and no money taken yet. I checked the copy of my paperwork and realised i had left off the card expiry date. I submitted an email at a cost of 5.80 stating this, only to receive a reply saying they didn't understand my query!!

[a_powers]

From the date I mailed to the date they took the money out was about a month.

Without a credit card expiry date they will probably contact you about it. I would be patient, they go at their own pace. Worst case they reject the application.