May 2014 - Naturalisation Application Timeline

[mandate4]

I applied 1st week in May, unknowingly to me the application was approved some weeks ago. I received a letter today informing me although my application had been successful, they have identified that further checks are required to ensure that all of the requirements for citizenship are satisfied therefore they are unable to invite me to attend a ceremony at this time. They will endeavour to finalise my application at the earliest opportunity and will write to me again as soon as necessary checks are completed. Apparently one other lad on another forum received exactly same letter; has anyone else come across this? what was the outcome of the further checks?

[Nir]

Is it a gimmick to create false timelines ?

[ayoubtt]

Aliens had a hand in it maybe ??

[mandate4]

Is it a gimmick to create false timelines ?

hmmm that thought crossed my mind!! difficult to say

[Knut]

[quote="shaheen"]

sheet13.PNG

I think two more weeks to wait then people start getting their letters... Its just a guess![/quote

Hi friends,

I hope to balance realism with all of your hopes, but perhaps we might consider the facts, based on the data.

First, the number of approvals letter acknowledgments (which are already a few days delayed) abruptly stopped after 11 June.

This is consistent with http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... ff-backlog

Note in the Guardian - there has been a reallocation of 100 staff from visas and immigration case workers and staff from 11 June to the passport team. This began with training and they went right to work on the passport task force.

I am US citizen, applied through the NCS in mid-May, on basis of my British spouse. I have called the HO and received the usual non-answers, but the NCS has offered more color: the number of naturalization certificates they are receiving for ceremonies has gone from about 100 per week to 2, so they have gone from a few ceremonies a week to one per month. They had been advised that while there is a skeleton team that is still adjudicating cases, citizenship applications will receive lower priority, and as long as its under the 6 month standard, then it's not really a problem.

But, this issue is not just about staff resources.

There is a carry-over effect: new citizens naturally want new passports. They are trying to decrease demand for new passports while they passport office is overwhelmed by slowing the amount of new citizens. It was implied that some cases are being adjudicated, but that applicants are being withheld decisions until things clear up. Again, implied. There is not much that can be done about it, I'm afraid. There is no entitlement to citizenship, so I have just accepted that I need to be content to wait until the end of the year.

I get the impression that most cases will be decided in 5 ½ months now. But this is just based on the data above and my own conversation with a probably indiscreet NCS supervisor.

Summary: It is not good news. Expect a long delay on your application, and be pleasantly surprised otherwise. And once the current passport backlog is cleared and then they return to the citizenship backlog, there will be a new passport backlog of all of the new citizens wanting passports.

[sogy]

Knut, no one could write this better than you did!

From my old days in the US (as an immigrant, progressing form J-1 to the Green Card over some years), I remember the ditty: "Immigration is a privilege, not an entitlement". Well, so it is everywhere.

I am one of those approved post June 11th - but it was a long wait for me - over 100 days.

And I'm not so pessimistic about a long passport queue for the new citizens: the summer is almost over, and with it the season for swimming in a pool next to the real sea in an all-inclusive in Tunisia

[Spider_man]

I am new to this forum ..I submitted my application for naturalization on 06/05/2014 and fee was debited around 16th may .
I have not received any information after that from home office.

Could you please let me know what is the number to contact for tracking application and what information we need to supply in order to track application ?

I will be very greatful of you can let me know this information.

[mandyr]

Friends,
I hate to be the bearer of even more bad news, but have you seen the news today? The passport workers have now decided to go on strike http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-28519085

Just thought maybe you should all be made aware, so nobody has any more expectations about receiving news back from the HO anytime soon. (I've applied mid-May myself and am still waiting to hear back.)

Take care.
Mandy

[IndiMarshall]

Friends,
I hate to be the bearer of even more bad news, but have you seen the news today? The passport workers have now decided to go on strike http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-28519085

Just thought maybe you should all be made aware, so nobody has any more expectations about receiving news back from the HO anytime soon. (I've applied mid-May myself and am still waiting to hear back.)

Take care.
Mandy

heard that news but didnt get into the detial.. how long are they going on strike? and what effect will that have on us ? I applied in Mid may as well .

[mandate4]

I am new to this forum ..I submitted my application for naturalization on 06/05/2014 and fee was debited around 16th may .
I have not received any information after that from home office.

Could you please let me know what is the number to contact for tracking application and what information we need to supply in order to track application ?

I will be very greatful of you can let me know this information.

You can ring HO on 03001232253

[bartolomeo]

I am a May applicant. Just wanted to tell everyone to chill a bit. Noone promised us that we would get a decision sooner than 6 months' time. The fact that others got the answers earlier doesn't mean we would too. For all we had been told everywhere is that the decisions take up to 6 months. Noone lied and noone promised anything sooner. We've all got our ILR/PR cards so are free to travel (unless some genius decided to send everyth off directly, rather than use NCS) and that should warm our hearts. Prepare for 6 months and be pleasantly surprised if you get the answer sooner.

Also, there is a backlog of passport applications, so there is no point in stressing over the timeline as you would just join another queue to get your passport and moan over there )) let it go, everything will be fine!

STOP STRESSING OTHERS! If I were an MP whom my constituent contacted, I would tell him to contact me after 6 months and not a day before. UKBA is already under the cosh for messing up passport backlog issue and your letter won't make any difference until 6 months are up.

[IndiMarshall]

I am a May applicant. Just wanted to tell everyone to chill a bit. Noone promised us that we would get a decision sooner than 6 months' time. The fact that others got the answers earlier doesn't mean we would too. For all we had been told everywhere is that the decisions take up to 6 months. Noone lied and noone promised anything sooner. We've all got our ILR/PR cards so are free to travel (unless some genius decided to send everyth off directly, rather than use NCS) and that should warm our hearts. Prepare for 6 months and be pleasantly surprised if you get the answer sooner.

Also, there is a backlog of passport applications, so there is no point in stressing over the timeline as you would just join another queue to get your passport and moan over there )) let it go, everything will be fine!

STOP STRESSING OTHERS! If I were an MP whom my constituent contacted, I would tell him to contact me after 6 months and not a day before. UKBA is already under the cosh for messing up passport backlog issue and your letter won't make any difference until 6 months are up.

Noone Promised

[Sakram]

sheet13.PNG

I think two more weeks to wait then people start getting their letters... Its just a guess![/quote

Hi friends,

I hope to balance realism with all of your hopes, but perhaps we might consider the facts, based on the data.

First, the number of approvals letter acknowledgments (which are already a few days delayed) abruptly stopped after 11 June.

This is consistent with http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... ff-backlog

Note in the Guardian - there has been a reallocation of 100 staff from visas and immigration case workers and staff from 11 June to the passport team. This began with training and they went right to work on the passport task force.

I am US citizen, applied through the NCS in mid-May, on basis of my British spouse. I have called the HO and received the usual non-answers, but the NCS has offered more color: the number of naturalization certificates they are receiving for ceremonies has gone from about 100 per week to 2, so they have gone from a few ceremonies a week to one per month. They had been advised that while there is a skeleton team that is still adjudicating cases, citizenship applications will receive lower priority, and as long as its under the 6 month standard, then it's not really a problem.

But, this issue is not just about staff resources.

There is a carry-over effect: new citizens naturally want new passports. They are trying to decrease demand for new passports while they passport office is overwhelmed by slowing the amount of new citizens. It was implied that some cases are being adjudicated, but that applicants are being withheld decisions until things clear up. Again, implied. There is not much that can be done about it, I'm afraid. There is no entitlement to citizenship, so I have just accepted that I need to be content to wait until the end of the year.

I get the impression that most cases will be decided in 5 ½ months now. But this is just based on the data above and my own conversation with a probably indiscreet NCS supervisor.

Summary: It is not good news. Expect a long delay on your application, and be pleasantly surprised otherwise. And once the current passport backlog is cleared and then they return to the citizenship backlog, there will be a new passport backlog of all of the new citizens wanting passports.

Totally agree when this passport backlog started the first thing HO did is to delay the naturalisation application to their said 6 months which will ease the backlog on passport application as naturalisation application stands at around 16000 to 17000 a month and if these are delayed thats a good relief for backlog on passports I hope they wouldn't delay it more than 6 months

[IndiMarshall]

when is the last time anyone (May applicants) got an approval letter? Please let me know the application date too.

Is that Matrix sheet up to date ?

[alok_singh]

did anyone got approval in last week

[Spider_man]

I am new to this forum ..I submitted my application for naturalization on 06/05/2014 and fee was debited around 16th may .
I have not received any information after that from home office.

Could you please let me know what is the number to contact for tracking application and what information we need to supply in order to track application ?

I will be very greatful of you can let me know this information.

You can ring HO on 03001232253

Do you know what information we need to provide them ? I.e. any reference number or passport number etc

[IndiMarshall]

I am new to this forum ..I submitted my application for naturalization on 06/05/2014 and fee was debited around 16th may .
I have not received any information after that from home office.

Could you please let me know what is the number to contact for tracking application and what information we need to supply in order to track application ?

I will be very greatful of you can let me know this information.

You can ring HO on 03001232253

Do you know what information we need to provide them ? I.e. any reference number or passport number etc

just give them reference number mate.. they can track you down

[ayoubtt]

UPDATE

Eligibility criteria: Section 3(1) Registration of child born abroad, now living in UK with settled parents
Language criteria met : N/A
Current nationality: Pakistani
Method of application: Post (After NCS said she cant apply and wasted my time and money grrrr.)
Council name if NCS used: N/A
Date of application: 06-05-2014
Payment method : CC
Date of receipt by UKBA: 07-05-2014
Date of acknowlegment: 19-05-2014
Date of debit or clearance of fees: 14-05-2014
Date approval received: 31-07-2014

Date of ceremony: N/A

Stressful waiting is finally over, received the confirmation letter for my daughter in the post today as well as all the documents in the special delivery envelope I proveded with my application. Still have to wait upto two weeks for the certifcate to come but atleast I know where I stand now. Goodness I feel as light as air.

I had quite a complicated case, solicitors, NCS, home office and even Nationality and immigration department could not agree on one thing, but in the end with links to information provided by users on this forum we got tthrough.

So anyone in a similar situation can see my previous posts and see if it is of any help to them in their application.

Best wishes and good luck to all those still waiting.

[mash2u]

Congrats ayoubtt!

Considering you applied via post and got your response via special delivery envelope (not the Royal Mail 2nd class we NCS applicants will get), can you please confirm the date on the letter of approval?

Thanks and good luck.

[IndiMarshall]

UPDATE

Eligibility criteria: Section 3(1) Registration of child born abroad, now living in UK with settled parents
Language criteria met : N/A
Current nationality: Pakistani
Method of application: Post (After NCS said she cant apply and wasted my time and money grrrr.)
Council name if NCS used: N/A
Date of application: 06-05-2014
Payment method : CC
Date of receipt by UKBA: 07-05-2014
Date of acknowlegment: 19-05-2014
Date of debit or clearance of fees: 14-05-2014
Date approval received: 31-07-2014

Date of ceremony: N/A

Stressful waiting is finally over, received the confirmation letter for my daughter in the post today as well as all the documents in the special delivery envelope I proveded with my application. Still have to wait upto two weeks for the certifcate to come but atleast I know where I stand now. Goodness I feel as light as air.

I had quite a complicated case, solicitors, NCS, home office and even Nationality and immigration department could not agree on one thing, but in the end with links to information provided by users on this forum we got tthrough.

So anyone in a similar situation can see my previous posts and see if it is of any help to them in their application.

Best wishes and good luck to all those still waiting.

congrats mate..

I applied my naturalization with a stay of 5 yrs on Tier 1 and 1 yr on ILR..around the same date as u did for your kid.
Do u see that applications like these are looked into/considered as well in current situation ? or do u think your child category falls into separate zone..

[anujvyas_19]

Eligibility criteria: Section 3(1) Registration of child born in the UK for parents settled in the UK
Language criteria met : N/A
Current nationality: Indian
Method of application: Post
Council name if NCS used: N/A
Date of application: 07/05/14
Payment method : Cheque then received letter from HO that amount was not mentioned in words hence re-send pay slip with Debit cards details
Date of receipt by UKBA: Do not know
Date of acknowlegment: 19-05-2014
Date of debit or clearance of fees: 29/05/14
Date approval received: Waiting
Date of ceremony: Waiting

Also, got two different letter with two diff Our Ref number and called to 0300 number asking whether they are interlinked or not, response was yes they are linked. When checked status the standard reply case worker is to be provided for application...
Any suggestions please?

[ayoubtt]

UPDATE

Eligibility criteria: Section 3(1) Registration of child born abroad, now living in UK with settled parents
Language criteria met : N/A
Current nationality: Pakistani
Method of application: Post (After NCS said she cant apply and wasted my time and money grrrr.)
Council name if NCS used: N/A
Date of application: 06-05-2014
Payment method : CC
Date of receipt by UKBA: 07-05-2014
Date of acknowlegment: 19-05-2014
Date of debit or clearance of fees: 14-05-2014
Date approval received: 31-07-2014

Date of ceremony: N/A

Stressful waiting is finally over, received the confirmation letter for my daughter in the post today as well as all the documents in the special delivery envelope I proveded with my application. Still have to wait upto two weeks for the certifcate to come but atleast I know where I stand now. Goodness I feel as light as air.

I had quite a complicated case, solicitors, NCS, home office and even Nationality and immigration department could not agree on one thing, but in the end with links to information provided by users on this forum we got tthrough.

So anyone in a similar situation can see my previous posts and see if it is of any help to them in their application.

Best wishes and good luck to all those still waiting.

congrats mate..

I applied my naturalization with a stay of 5 yrs on Tier 1 and 1 yr on ILR..around the same date as u did for your kid.
Do u see that applications like these are looked into/considered as well in current situation ? or do u think your child category falls into separate zone..

Hi IndiMarshall, to be honest I have no idea what their criteria is, especially in the current situation. But according to the Audit report I read online which was a good 4 years or so old, they prioritize by starting the difficult applications first and then while they are waiting for any further information or replies from the applicants they process the easy applications.

So good luck and best wishes.

[Vitaliyz]

Eligibility criteria: child born in the UK parents on ILR
Language criteria met : N/A
Current nationality: Ukrainian
Method of application: NCS
Council name if NCS used: Aylesbury
Date of application: 14-05-2014
Payment method : debit card
Date of receipt by UKBA: 15-05-2014
Date of acknowledgement: 22-05-2014
Date approval received: waiting

[ammu28]

Application for Self + Spouse

Eligibility criteria: WP (1 year) + Tier 1 (4 years) + ILR (1 year)
Language criteria met (UK degree, exempt countries, PBS used documents, NARIC, or B1 test): PBS Documents + Original Degree
(Newcastle NCS asked to apply for NARIC, hope homeoffice will not ask for it)
Current nationality: Indian
Method of application: NCS
Council name if NCS used: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Date of application: 06 May 2014
Payment method CC/DC, Personal cheque, Bankers cheque etc: Credit Card
Date of receipt by UKBA: 09 May 2014
Date of acknowledgement: 15 May 2014(dated 12 May 2014)
Date of debit or clearance of fees: 14 May 2014
Date approval received: Waiting
Date of ceremony: Waiting

[Licia2113]

It's so crazy all our applications seem to be on hold