Delaying Citizenship Ceremony

[stha]

Dear Forum Members,

My application for naturalization has been successful and have to book for naturalization ceremony. However, i'm thinking of delaying the ceremony as i have to travel to India in June. If attend ceremony and obtain BC , the time would not permit me to get british passport and cancel my old Indian passport and get visa to travel to india.

Can some body please advice me, what i have mentioned is right thing to do and how long can I delay ceremony for?

Many thanks,

stha

[CR001]

You should attend your ceremony within 90 days of date of approval, the letter you received should say this.

Please bear in mind that you are not British until you have attended the ceremony and received your certificate. So if you attended the ceremony a couple of weeks before you need to travel, you have a 3 month grace period to use your Indian passport to travel, so you should be fine.

I am not 100% sure if you can ask for an extension or how to do it if you can.

[stha]

Many Thanks CR001 - guru , that answer was very satisfactory . Really appreciate your quick response.

[currydixon]

Hello Guru

I am in similar boat. I am invited to attend ceremony on 13 May 2014, and I am travelling China on 23 May for 1 week, I already have my China visa on Indian passport. I have two option either attend ceremony after coming back from China or attend ceremony and travel China.
my question is, Do i need to carry British naturalisation certificate with me when I go China, just in case?

please advise.

Thanks

[NMal]

Hi, I have received a letter of Approval and booking for Citizenship Ceremony although its asking me to book within 21 days , I was in confusion that we are given 90 days to book an appointment for ceremony after receiving the letter. has the rule been changed as I plan to travel to india in mid Feb (in months time) and don't want to take hassle of being in situation that I apply for British passport and wait for it until the last day of my travel.
Please suggest if I can delay the appointment somehow for 45 days once I come back from india and do it all.
Regards

[CR001]

Hi, I have received a letter of Approval and booking for Citizenship Ceremony although its asking me to book within 21 days , I was in confusion that we are given 90 days to book an appointment for ceremony after receiving the letter. has the rule been changed as I plan to travel to india in mid Feb (in months time) and don't want to take hassle of being in situation that I apply for British passport and wait for it until the last day of my travel.
Please suggest if I can delay the appointment somehow for 45 days once I come back from india and do it all.
Regards

You need to phone and BOOK the ceremony within 21 days. You need to ATTEND the ceremony with 90 days. Nothing has changed in this regard.

Book and attend are not the same thing. Attending the ceremony is separate and before a passport application.

In your case, ask the council for a date for when you are back from India to ATTEND the ceremony.

[NMal]

Thanks Char, Now I m clear on this n relaxed!!
Thanks for your quick response. much appreciated.
Regards

[jaweb]

To ask extension from HO you need to contact them and they will ask you to write a letter why you want to extend the 90 days. I know this as I was planning it too but finally i managed to attend the ceremony on the 85.day