Re-entering UK with Citizenship Cert but No Passport or BRP

[Nomadder]

Hello

Firstly, thank you to everyone who spends time contributing answers on this forum: it has been incredibly useful on my journey to citizenship.

My question is as follows:

I applied for naturalisation and have just received my confirmation letter (i.e. telling me that I can book my citizenship ceremony). The letter clearly states that I must return my ILR BRP after the ceremony. The online government guidance adds that this needs to be within five business days and that the BRP becomes invalid after the citizenship ceremony.

I am travelling overseas for work (back and forth from the UK) over the next few months, such that I'm not sure if I have a clear window of a few weeks to complete my ceremony and apply for my (first) UK passport.

Therefore, does anyone know if I can do the ceremony now and use my citizenship certificate (obtained at the ceremony) to re-enter the UK (along with my New Zealand passport). I have contacted UKVI twice and have had two different answers: (a) they don't know; and (b) it might work but will be up to the immigration officer at the airport to decide at the time.

It isn't a problem per se to enter the UK with my New Zealand passport; however only as a visitor. I don't want to lie or omit anything so I would have to state that my intention is to re-enter permanently (and use my citizenship certificate as support of my right to remain).

If anyone has some experience with this and/or can give me any guidance, I would be very grateful.

Thank you in advance.

[Casa]

You can't enter as a visitor, as this isn't your intention. Risky to expect to enter with a Certificate of BC alone. See this similar thread
http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... 05055.html

[Nomadder]

Thank you, Casa. I searched for similar questions before posting mine, but had missed that thread. Apologies.

I guess I would plan to explain to the immigration officer at the border that I am entering the UK permanently but intend to apply for my passport immediately. It's hard to know what the consequences would be: perhaps having to wait at immigration for an indefinite period while they confirm that I am a British citizen? The UKVI advisor could only say that the decision was up to the immigration officer (and he could not say what the risks are).

However, as you say: it's a bit risky and after having jumped through so many hoops to get to this stage, I'd hate to jeopardise anything now.

Therefore, unless anyone has further guidance (and can give me some certainty), it seems I might have to try cancel one of the work trips and stay in the UK for a few weeks to do the ceremony and passport application in one go.

Thanks again; much appreciated.

[CR001]

Current waiting times are about 2-3 weeks for passport applications. If you can put off any travel till them, that is what I would suggest.

[Nomadder]

Noted. Thank you, too.

[JohnnyZee]

Hi - I entered the UK with my BRP/foreign pasport 1 month after my ceremony. I told the immigration officer that I am now naturalised citizen. However, that did not matter to him as he still admitted me using my ILR BRP. He also mentioned my biometrics are still on system! This was 5-6 weeks after my ceremony but UKBA hadn't deleted biometrics!

Anyway, it may be risky to re-enter UK with only foreign passport (no BRP). However, I still feel it may be possible. You can try. But if your work trips are not time sensitive, I feel you should apply for UK passport first. Anyway, best of luck!

[ohara]

Sounds like a monumental pain in the backside for people who need to travel immediately after naturalisation. I feel somewhat lucky that my home country is also in the EU and I can continue (for now) to use that passport while I am waiting for a British one.

It sounds like the immigration office made a mistake admitting you on the basis of your ILR BRP as technically it is invalid for travel once you become British. You were lucky

I don't believe HO will destroy your biometric information unless you ask them to

[Gomjaba]

Sounds like a monumental pain in the backside for people who need to travel immediately after naturalisation. I feel somewhat lucky that my home country is also in the EU and I can continue (for now) to use that passport while I am waiting for a British one.

It sounds like the immigration office made a mistake admitting you on the basis of your ILR BRP as technically it is invalid for travel once you become British. You were lucky

I don't believe HO will destroy your biometric information unless you ask them to

I am intrigued, how did you keep your EU passport when applying for a British one? I am from the EU as well and one of the requirements is to send all uncancelled passports with your application.

[JohnnyZee]

Sounds like a monumental pain in the backside for people who need to travel immediately after naturalisation. I feel somewhat lucky that my home country is also in the EU and I can continue (for now) to use that passport while I am waiting for a British one.

It sounds like the immigration office made a mistake admitting you on the basis of your ILR BRP as technically it is invalid for travel once you become British. You were lucky

I don't believe HO will destroy your biometric information unless you ask them to

Not a mistake my friend! In reality, I cannot be denied entry into the country of my citizenship unless I am a threat! So the immigration officer was trying to make my life and his life easier by letting me enter on ILR BRP (probably the smart thing to do). If he wanted, he could have made me wait there for hours until he got approval from his "manager" - but luckily, he checked and saw my BRP details on system. Best to avoid making this complicated when you can, in reality, keep them simple!

[ohara]

Sounds like a monumental pain in the backside for people who need to travel immediately after naturalisation. I feel somewhat lucky that my home country is also in the EU and I can continue (for now) to use that passport while I am waiting for a British one.

It sounds like the immigration office made a mistake admitting you on the basis of your ILR BRP as technically it is invalid for travel once you become British. You were lucky

I don't believe HO will destroy your biometric information unless you ask them to

I am intrigued, how did you keep your EU passport when applying for a British one? I am from the EU as well and one of the requirements is to send all uncancelled passports with your application.

Sorry for not being clear. What I meant was that I don't need to get a British passport immediately, as my EU one still gives me free access to the UK. If I need to travel immediately after my ceremony, I can just delay applying for a British passport until I have a couple of free months and in the mean time continue to use my EU passport.

[CR001]

Sorry for not being clear. What I meant was that I don't need to get a British passport immediately, as my EU one still gives me free access to the UK. If I need to travel immediately after my ceremony, I can just delay applying for a British passport until I have a couple of free months and in the mean time continue to use my EU passport.

Yes, you can do this.