Naturalisation certificate correction time frame

[User]

Hi All,

I just wanted to keep you all informed that the naturalisation certificate correction (where it is HO's mistake) process is taking anywhere between 16-18 weeks (4-5 months).

I submitted my naturalisation certificate for correction, around end 3rd week of June (a day just after collecting my naturalisation certificate in the ceremony). I have got a confirmation today that it is taking anywhere between 16-18 weeks for corrections to be done

I was told that I will have to wait until, probably end of September, to see my corrected naturalisation certificate.

I asked them if they could issue some certificate to me confirming the corrected details so that i could apply for british passport while they take their time to actually correct the naturalisation certificate. But they said they cannot issue any such certificate and that i will have to wait until i receive my corrected naturalisation certificate, to apply for my british passport.

The worrying thing is i have already lost my native citizenship by aquiring the British citizenship and i cannot now apply for the british passport without getting my naturalisation certificate corrected.

No travel documents at all for several months!!! What a mess!!!!!

I wonder why the Nationailty group has not thought about issues like these - considering there could be mistakes by HO on the naturalisation certificates and also the fact that there are several nations that don;t currently support dual nationality - which all could mean that a prospective british citizen (by naturalisation) could end up in a mess that i am in (i.e. not being able to apply for my british travel document).


regards.

[John]

User, this is totally ridiculous! But now that you are British why not do something us British do whenever some Government body acts unreasonably? That is, why not contact your MP.

I suspect the MP might be rather interested to learn that is takes so long to correct a mistake on a Naturalisation Certificate. After all the originals of such certificates are produced in far shorter a time than being quoted by you. They need to be to ensure the certificate can be handed out at a Citizenship Ceremony.

Why should a correction take any longer? Contact your MP! Get this sorted out, not just for yourself but for the small number of people in the future who find themselves in a similar position as you.

[User]

Cheers John. I will have to take some help now i guess. I have never spoken to a UK MP before, now i may need to

Sorry that i am updating this information ion every thread that i get a chance to, but it was just to let every one be aware that this is a nightmare that they will have to go through if that silly careless typing was done in anybody's certificate.

I am really really frustrated that i cannot plan my travel for several months to come - i really feel that i was much better off with my travel options with my Indian passport than with a british citizenship status that i have now ;-) I just can't get out of UK now

You know what - i was infact planning a pleasure trip to visit my family (just!!!) to show off my british status and have fun / good time and come back. Now because of the Nationality group's delays, its just a distant reality

Anyway - just have to bite the bullet (delay!)!

regards.

Ta!

[vin123]

The worrying thing is i have already lost my native citizenship by acquiring the British citizenship and i cannot now apply for the British passport without getting my naturalisation certificate corrected.

Acquiring British citizenship does not make you lose your original citizenship. Infact, Britain does not consider much about which country you are from while granting you citizenship. It is simply the laws prevailing in your country.

Regarding travel, its perfectly legal to use your original passport (If not surrendered and still valid) for travel purposes till the point you receive your travel documents (British passport).
You will not be violating anything as far as I see it, because, you are using only one valid travel document issued to you from your country of domicile. Your original passport is valid as long as you are not under possesion of anyother foreign passports while travelling.
The situation obviously will not remain the same once you get the British passport and start using for travel purpose.

[John]

Vin123, you are right that UK law has no problem with dual nationality.

But are you possibly ignoring the law of the "country of domicile" as you call it? Many countries around the world have laws that say that a person will lose their nationality if they acquire any other nationality. From postings on this Board it seems that India is such a country.

[User]

Vini - My indian passport clearly says that the moment i aquire any other country's citizenship, i will automatically lose my indian citizenship and i should surrender my indian passport. (there is a rubber stamp of this information on the second page in my indian passport).

So - the answer is, i have automatically lost my indian citizensip the moment i aquired british one and hence cannot use my indian passport to travel anymore.

regards.

[User]

Hi All,

I am very very happy to let you all know that i have received my British citizenship certificate today - i just checked my mail box about 20 minutes back

I am very happy today that i got back my certificate corrected.

I had sent out recently in post with all documentary evidence and a letter explaining my urgent travel possibilities and that it is affecting my bussiness, because i am having to tell my customers that i don;t have a british passport yet even though i am citizen .
I also called them up 2 days back and explained my situation clearly.

They must have realised the crux of the issue and have corrected my certificate, printed a new one sometime this week and now i have recd. it safely - a load of thanks to the HO Nationality group team members for this.

Wow!!!!!!!
Now i can apply for my british passport - and hopefully it won't take more than 10 working days in all - i will use the post office service (which says it takes about 2 weeks for new passports). incidentally the post office that is very near to my house is one of the registered participating high street agents of Passport agency to process and forward the pasport applications.

Thanks for all of your moral suport. I will keep you all updated about my british pasport soon

In all it has taken about 4+ weeks to get the naturalisation certificate corrected - which seems fair and reasonable to me.

regards.

Ta!

[John]

User, that is great! What was it? About six weeks to get the certificate corrected?

You are right to think about using the Post Office passport checking service. The Passport Agency give priority to applications submitted in that way. Not only that, the cost of the checking at the Post Office is extremely low when you take into account that you do not need to pay for the cost of using Special Delivery to post the application with its valuable documents to the Passport Agency.

[vin123]

Good news that they have sorted it out for you in no time than you thought.

I think passport is the only acceptable form of document while you do any international travel.
Say for example, if you land up in New York with your current British citizenship certificate and the Indian passport without a valid US visa at JFK immigration counter, do you think they are gonna accept it for the fact that British citizens are allowed to enter US without a visa?

Till you receive your passport, which, by all means is the only recognized form of an international travel document you are entitled to use your Indian passport provided it is valid. Your transient or temporary citizenship process may not be looked upon till you physically hold a passport.
That’s just my take on this situation - but there is enough room for debate on this topic.

[Mo007]

Congrats user!

Did you submit the corrections to be made by mail or via a service center?

Thanks

[bhavna]

Dear User,

Which postal address did you use for further communications with home office regarding your certificate?

Thanks