MN1 - Both parents just got their ILR

[yallow]

Hi guys,

We just got our ILR's today. Now waiting for our BRP's. Now we need to get our son a British passport by Christmas to travel. So I want to do it ASAP. He was born here and we didn't get him an ILR. He had a Tier 1 dependant though (which is not valid any more I guess).

I've just started reading about MN1 and NCS.

Could you tell me which documents they need? Do I need to wait for BRP or I can apply straight away now?

Thanks!

[Jambo]

I suggest you read Citizenship FAQs - Common Questions - Read before posting - Children.

With regards to BRP, this question has been raised before (since ILR BRP was introduced in February) but no one actually confirmed it in the forum (I guess as most people receive their BRP before attending the NCS appointment).
I would think the approval letter is enough but suggest you contact the HO to verify. Please let us know their advice.

[Ozair]

Congratulations on your ILR.

I am in the same boat as you. Will apply for ILR on 3rd October and have filled out the MN1 form already and NCS appointment booked for 8th October.

You will need to register your child first as british citizen, which, if you are optimistic, will take at least 2 months. After you get the certificate of registration, you can book a fast track appointment for passport. The processing time will be 1 week but getting the date for fast track could set you back for a couple of weeks. A postal application for passport also takes 3 weeks and costs less.

Regarding applying before BRP, i contacted a NCS office near my home and they suggested that i can use the confirmation letter from Home Office to apply for ILR and they booked me an appointment. Following is the correspondence with them.

Dear Mr Ozair

Yes a letter from the Home Office confirming ILR will be sufficient for your child's appointment to go ahead, as long as the child was born in the UK.

We believe your Biometric residents card might well be updated on the day of the appointment or a new biometric card issued - in which case you can bring them to the appointment for proof of ILR.

On the day of the appointment you will need to bring:

Completed MN1 application form
Your child's UK birth certificate
Passport - if he/she has one
Both parent's passports and biometric card/Home Office letter confirming ILR
Your marriage certificate - including a translation into English

Would you like to book the appointment for Monday 8 October at our office in Ampthill. We can offer you a 10.00 am appointment. Just one parent needs to attend with all the papers detailed above. Your child doesn't need to attend the appointment.

Can you confirm if you would like the appointment on Monday 8th October at 10.00 am and I will book this for you?

Best wishes.

Mary Belisario

[Maqsood ahmad]

Hi Ozair, Its Maqsood. We discussed before I applied my ILR. Got ILR approval on 20th Sep and received biometric cards for all 3 of us (Myself, wife and 1 year old son who was born in UK) a few days later. Now registring my child as a British citizen using form MN-1. Got an appointment through NCS on 3rd October. As per your understanding, what else do I need apart from the following for a successful MN-1, please?
(1) Completed MN1 form under section 1 (3)?
(2) Fee £551
(3) Our ILR Approval letter
(4) Passports and biometric cards for all 3 of us.
(5) My son's birth certificate
(6) My Pakistani Marriage certificate (Nikah Namah). Got an English version which I had used for my wife's Tier 1 Dependant visa back in 2010. Do I really need this Nikah Nama?
And is that correct Council staff will take copies and return all original documents back to me - including our passports and Biometric cards?

[Ozair]

Sorry for the later reply, i was occupied by the ILR forum as i had to apply for my ILR on 3rd october.

How did your NCS appointment go?

[Ozair]

I have just been to the Nationality chekcing service operated by central bedfordshire council and they have accepted the ILR approval letter for the application. They confirmed it by calling the home office first and the home office advised that it is acceptable.

They charged me £30 after checking the whole application. In total it took 30 minutes to process.

My only concern was that they told me that they would post all the applications together on friday so it will get to home office on monday.

It might be possible that people might want their applications to reach sooner so it is better if you confirm from the NCS office before booking an appointment as to when they are going to post the application.

[yallow]

I have just been to the Nationality chekcing service operated by central bedfordshire council and they have accepted the ILR approval letter for the application. They confirmed it by calling the home office first and the home office advised that it is acceptable.

They charged me £30 after checking the whole application. In total it took 30 minutes to process.

My only concern was that they told me that they would post all the applications together on friday so it will get to home office on monday.

It might be possible that people might want their applications to reach sooner so it is better if you confirm from the NCS office before booking an appointment as to when they are going to post the application.

Congrats Ozair! I decided to wait until our BRPs. We just got them today (8 working days or 12 calendar days after PEO appointment) and I have an appointment in NCS tomorrow @14-00. They will probably send the documents the next day then.. I still hope to get the passport by Christmas.

Also what do I do to get it quicker when I receive the certificate?

Thanks!

[Ozair]

I have just been to the Nationality chekcing service operated by central bedfordshire council and they have accepted the ILR approval letter for the application. They confirmed it by calling the home office first and the home office advised that it is acceptable.

They charged me £30 after checking the whole application. In total it took 30 minutes to process.

My only concern was that they told me that they would post all the applications together on friday so it will get to home office on monday.

It might be possible that people might want their applications to reach sooner so it is better if you confirm from the NCS office before booking an appointment as to when they are going to post the application.

Congrats Ozair! I decided to wait until our BRPs. We just got them today (8 working days or 12 calendar days after PEO appointment) and I have an appointment in NCS tomorrow @14-00. They will probably send the documents the next day then.. I still hope to get the passport by Christmas.

Also what do I do to get it quicker when I receive the certificate?

Thanks!

Best of luck for NCS. It is very straight forward compared to ILR . The NCS will tell you when they will post your application. You may ask them if they have any way to fast track it like send the application tomorrow at additional cost? I doubt they would do that as usually the courier companies collect the posts only once a week otherwise there is a charge for collection. This i know from where i work.

Unfortunately, my NCS will only post it on friday and it should reach them on monday so 2 months from monday is mid December. Looking at the processing time line sticky on MN1, it looks like most of the applications are processed in 6-9 weeks and there is only one instance when an application took only 1 month to be processed.

I would suggest that you get your passport application form ready. The requirement for the photograph is that it should not be older than 1 month and attested by a counter signatory who has to date it as well. So i was thinking of getting my form and photograph signed in the first week of december hoping that i will get the certificate mid of december. The day you get your childs certificate of registration, call the number you can find on the guide which comes with the form to see if you can get hold of a fast track appointment. You can only book it 2 weeks in advance, so i would wait until i hear from home office about the grant of the citizenship before i book it and then it should take a week from when you apply in person.

[Jambo]

The countersignatory doesn't only attest the photo but also the complete form (which can't be completed without the Registration certificate number). So the date on the photo/form can't be earlier than the date on the certificate or you might get the application refused and delayed.

[Ozair]

The countersignatory doesn't only attest the photo but also the complete form (which can't be completed without the Registration certificate number). So the date on the photo/form can't be earlier than the date on the certificate or you might get the application refused and delayed.

good point!

[yallow]

thanks, I had an NCS appointment today and the guy told he'll do his best to send the documents later this evening. I will call them tomorrow to ask for the tracking number - to see when they reach UKBA (Liverpool).

Do you have a link to that passport form? How is it called? Is there a guide too?

Thanks!

[Ozair]

You can get it free from a post office that operate check and send, request for it to be posted or fill it online and they will send you a printed form in 1 week for you to sign and countersign.

[yallow]

The day you get your childs certificate of registration, call the number you can find on the guide which comes with the form to see if you can get hold of a fast track appointment. You can only book it 2 weeks in advance, so i would wait until i hear from home office about the grant of the citizenship before i book it and then it should take a week from when you apply in person.

Thanks Ozair! Where did you find this information? How do I book appointments for fast track service? I just want to check their availability now. If I get the certificate tomorrow for example when is the earliest I can have an appointment?

Many many thanks for your valuable input!

[Ozair]

The day you get your childs certificate of registration, call the number you can find on the guide which comes with the form to see if you can get hold of a fast track appointment. You can only book it 2 weeks in advance, so i would wait until i hear from home office about the grant of the citizenship before i book it and then it should take a week from when you apply in person.

Thanks Ozair! Where did you find this information? How do I book appointments for fast track service? I just want to check their availability now. If I get the certificate tomorrow for example when is the earliest I can have an appointment?

Many many thanks for your valuable input!

It is in the guide which i got along with the form from post office.

Number to call: 0300 222 0000

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTr ... /DG_174149

Let me know if you call them and how soon you can get an appointment!

[Ozair]

There is one other way to apply for the passport from abroad if you are tight on schedule.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTr ... /DG_183772

http://ukinhongkong.fco.gov.uk/en/help- ... y/pakistan

It will take at least 4 weeks and you will need a lot more documents.