Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

[zahmed78]

App date: 1oct
Approval date: 29 oct 20
Emailed HO for update: 29 oct
invitation date 22 dec 20
latter received 13 jan
Private ceremony book 30/01
Hounslow council

[London249]

Hi all
Yesterday received my invitation letter for ceremony. Time line is below.
Applied online 5th September.
Bio materic done. 17 September (idvp app) and in person 5th of October crydon.
Approved email received 5th of December.
Invition letter received by post 21 January.
Ceremony book same day via phone call on 26th January. Barking and Dagenham Council.
Good luck for everyone who is waiting for invition.

Congratulations. I am from LBBD, approved on 9th November. Let me know how does it go and did to pay to book the ceremony or it was free. Virtual or in person?

Hi guys mine is also 9th of November approval received via email, same Barking and Dagenham council but still waiting for invitation pls update if any update

[Missi]

Congratulations. I am from LBBD, approved on 9th November. Let me know how does it go and did to pay to book the ceremony or it was free. Virtual or in person?

Hi guys mine is also 9th of November approval received via email, same Barking and Dagenham council but still waiting for invitation pls update if any update

Hi..
I am not from the same council but my application was approved on 12th of November, last Tuesday when I ring home offce they told me I will get my invitation letter arround 4th of February. We can expect that they will start sending invitation letter from tomorrow.

[Alisher715]

Approval date 26th Oct
Invitation letter. Still waiting

Hillingdon council.

I have sent an email 2 weeks ago but no response yet.

[London249]

Hi guys mine is also 9th of November approval received via email, same Barking and Dagenham council but still waiting for invitation pls update if any update

Hi..
I am not from the same council but my application was approved on 12th of November, last Tuesday when I ring home offce they told me I will get my invitation letter arround 4th of February. We can expect that they will start sending invitation letter from tomorrow.

Hi thanks for your update pls keep update regarding November invitation

[Energy]

Approved on 28th October and still waiting for letter..
Anyone same approval date?

Same here, approved on 28th, nothing yet. Council Newham

Same. Approval date 28 October. Letter not received.

Hello Oria

I would suggest you check with your council. They might receive your certificate.

All the best

[nnn15]

Hello,
Just for information - if you don’t hear from the HO after 12 weeks, do follow up. My application had a ‘technical error’ and my 22 Sept approval did not progress through the system as it should have. After following up I was told about the error and that I would have to have a new decision letter, which I just received... now 4 months behind in the queue. Don’t just wait patiently if you had an approval and waited the 12 weeks with no invitation letter.

App date: 24 April 20
First Approval date: 22 Sept 20
Emailed HO for update: 12 Jan 21
Second approval date: 20 Jan 21

My application was affected by the "technical error" as well, but it wasn't put at the end of the queue. It took about 5 weeks to get a ceremony invitation letter after the HO acknowledged the issue (technical error acknowledged in the beginning of December, letter received mid-January). I submitted a complaint to the HO (https://www.ukvi-complaints.homeoffice.gov.uk/reason) and I also reached out to my MP. And I explicitly asked if my paperwork issuance could be prioritised ahead of the recently approved applications as I had been waiting for 8 months already. The HO support never replied to me, but the paperwork got issued.

Thank you for that info. Did you receive a second approval letter on a subsequent date? I have requested papers to be expedited, but have also had no response to that request. I had not filed a complaint, but will. Many thanks for the link. Glad your papers came through.

No, I didn't receive a second approval letter. It appears that the date on the letter is the date they generate the pdf, not the approval date. You can find out when your application was approved if you get a response to a SAR request.

[nomanwahab]

Hi all
Yesterday received my invitation letter for ceremony. Time line is below.
Applied online 5th September.
Bio materic done. 17 September (idvp app) and in person 5th of October crydon.
Approved email received 5th of December.
Invition letter received by post 21 January.
Ceremony book same day via phone call on 26th January. Barking and Dagenham Council.
Good luck for everyone who is waiting for invition.

Congratulations. I am from LBBD, approved on 9th November. Let me know how does it go and did to pay to book the ceremony or it was free. Virtual or in person?

Group ceremony and its free of charge. Rest i will update after ceremony.

What time is yours?. Mine is same day tuesday 26th Jan at 1030 LBBD.

11 o clock.

[askmeplz82]

Hi

Is there any updates from Ealing Council? Could anybody reach them to book a ceremony?

Thanks

Seems like no one can reach Ealing Council.

Why not go and check them in person? Majority public services are open and you can visit them by law.

I live close by. I went there. security there asked me are you here for COVID test . I replied Registrar. He told me there is no one in there. The office is closed.

[askmeplz82]

Hi

Is there any updates from Ealing Council? Could anybody reach them to book a ceremony?

Thanks

i got the invitation more than 1 month ago . They are not responding to any calls anymore ... i send 4/5 emails. 3 phone calls

[Ahmad2019]

Hello first time posting here. I live in HARROW, London
5th August 2020 I got approved for British citizenship
22nd October 2020 Ceremony Invitation letter Dated, however I didn't recieve this until November
6th January 2021 ceremony booked but CANCELLED
22 January 2021 Virtual ceremony done! It only took less than 5 mins. Actually Harrow council only started the virtual ceremonies from today and I was one of the first ones.

Good luck to everyone!

Congrats! did you pay any extra money for the Virtual cermony please?

[shahzy970]

Anyone from Newham council here? Can you please share your experience?
What reference number have you used to book your ceremony?
How long have you been waiting for?

Many thanks to those who replied to my previous question

Hi! Did you check with Newham council? mine is Newham and I tried to reach out but they couldn't find my details plus I haven't received the invitation letter from ho yet.

Thanks

Yes I tried to call them, managed to get through but they said they have received ma y invitation letters but they would not add that into the system because they are not carrying any ceremonies until the end of the lockdown. And that they are dealing with a high number of deaths.

Mine was approved on the 28 October but still haven’t received invitation.

Anyone from October is still waiting?

Hi Yanis,

Unfortunately due to high mortality rate cos of COVID in Newham Council and also, due to lack of resources they are pretty slow in uploading certificates. Keep trying after 2:30 pm every day ( As suggested by Yazzz). Hopefully, we all should have good news from the council this week.

Let us know if you anything changes - Good Luck

Thanks

[Yazzz95]

Anyone from Newham council here? Can you please share your experience?
What reference number have you used to book your ceremony?
How long have you been waiting for?

Many thanks to those who replied to my previous question

Hi! Did you check with Newham council? mine is Newham and I tried to reach out but they couldn't find my details plus I haven't received the invitation letter from ho yet.

Thanks

Yes I tried to call them, managed to get through but they said they have received ma y invitation letters but they would not add that into the system because they are not carrying any ceremonies until the end of the lockdown. And that they are dealing with a high number of deaths.

Mine was approved on the 28 October but still haven’t received invitation.

Anyone from October is still waiting?

Hi Yanis,

Unfortunately due to high mortality rate cos of COVID in Newham Council and also, due to lack of resources they are pretty slow in uploading certificates. Keep trying after 2:30 pm every day ( As suggested by Yazzz). Hopefully, we all should have good news from the council this week.

Let us know if you anything changes - Good Luck

Thanks

Hi Shahzy,
Did you manage to contact them ??
Did they book you for ceremony ??

[hamzakhani]

Good morning everyone
i was approved on 10th november and waiting for my ceremony letter.
urgently wanna go to pakistan due to some emergency. can i fly on my ILR card
thank u very much

[hk623d]

Hi! Did you check with Newham council? mine is Newham and I tried to reach out but they couldn't find my details plus I haven't received the invitation letter from ho yet.

Thanks

Yes I tried to call them, managed to get through but they said they have received ma y invitation letters but they would not add that into the system because they are not carrying any ceremonies until the end of the lockdown. And that they are dealing with a high number of deaths.

Mine was approved on the 28 October but still haven’t received invitation.

Anyone from October is still waiting?
Same 28th October approved but still haven’t received the letter yet...

Hi Yanis,

Unfortunately due to high mortality rate cos of COVID in Newham Council and also, due to lack of resources they are pretty slow in uploading certificates. Keep trying after 2:30 pm every day ( As suggested by Yazzz). Hopefully, we all should have good news from the council this week.

Let us know if you anything changes - Good Luck

Thanks

Hi Shahzy,
Did you manage to contact them ??
Did they book you for ceremony ??

[mename]

Does anyone manage to book citizenship ceremony in Westminster? What was your timeline/how do you manage to book one? Still waiting for the reply over the email

[jasmine89]

Has anyone had any further updates from Manchester City Council ? It feels like this waiting has no end to it.

[jasmine89]

Yes i got it last week.

Manchester council Reply -

“We received a large batch of certificates for October decisions at the end of last week and the certificates have been uploaded onto our system.

Please do not worry about the date on the letter or the stated 21 days.

We have finalised plans of how we will deliver the ceremonies during this lockdown.
This will be a virtual ceremony, which we are currently in the testing phase.

If your certificate is amongst them, then we will be sending out an invitation beginning of next week.“

Good morning. Have you heard anything further from them. I hope they contact us this week.

[CULLINAN]

Good morning everyone
i was approved on 10th november and waiting for my ceremony letter.
urgently wanna go to pakistan due to some emergency. can i fly on my ILR card
thank u very much

Yes you can. You only become British when you attend the ceremony. You can travel on your ILR BRP before that. ILR BRP is invalid after you attend the ceremony and needs to be returned within 5 days after ceremony, otherwise you risk a £1000 fine.
Note, you can attend ceremony within 6 months (extended due to corona) after HO ceremony invitation.

Note: Children do not attend a ceremony and become British the day of approval/date on certificate.

[myukqueries]

Manchester council Reply -

“We received a large batch of certificates for October decisions at the end of last week and the certificates have been uploaded onto our system.

Please do not worry about the date on the letter or the stated 21 days.

We have finalised plans of how we will deliver the ceremonies during this lockdown.
This will be a virtual ceremony, which we are currently in the testing phase.

If your certificate is amongst them, then we will be sending out an invitation beginning of next week.“

Good morning. Have you heard anything further from them. I hope they contact us this week.

Good Morning...
Nothing yet. I was going to message you as well...
I am hoping to hear something soon.
I think you will get something before me but you never know with these things and we may get the invitation at the same time.

Does anyone know how many people attend a group virtual ceremony in one sitting.. if there is a group virtual ceremony??

Thanks

[hk623d]

Yes I tried to call them, managed to get through but they said they have received ma y invitation letters but they would not add that into the system because they are not carrying any ceremonies until the end of the lockdown. And that they are dealing with a high number of deaths.

Mine was approved on the 28 October but still haven’t received invitation.

Anyone from October is still waiting?
Same 28th October approved but still haven’t received the letter yet...

Hi Yanis,

Unfortunately due to high mortality rate cos of COVID in Newham Council and also, due to lack of resources they are pretty slow in uploading certificates. Keep trying after 2:30 pm every day ( As suggested by Yazzz). Hopefully, we all should have good news from the council this week.

Let us know if you anything changes - Good Luck

Thanks

Hi Shahzy,
Did you manage to contact them ??
Did they book you for ceremony ??

Invitation received by post today.

Application date: 1st September 2020
Biometric: 20th October
Approved: 28th Oct 2020
Invitation letter print date: 7th Jan 2021
Invitation letter received by post 25th Jan 2021

Free virtual Ceremony booked for 29th January

[Oria]

Approved on 28th October and still waiting for letter..
Anyone same approval date?

Same here, approved on 28th, nothing yet. Council Newham

Same. Approval date 28 October. Letter not received.

Hello Oria

I would suggest you check with your council. They might receive your certificate.

All the best

They have already received my certificate but cannot hold my ceremony until I’ve my invitation. I’ve a reply from home office that the invitations are in progress & will be contacted soon. Strange not even a timeline.

[Teedee]

Hi guys mine is also 9th of November approval received via email, same Barking and Dagenham council but still waiting for invitation pls update if any update

Hi..
I am not from the same council but my application was approved on 12th of November, last Tuesday when I ring home offce they told me I will get my invitation letter arround 4th of February. We can expect that they will start sending invitation letter from tomorrow.

Hi - what number did you call the HO on please?

[Teedee]

Approved on 28th October and still waiting for letter..
Anyone same approval date?

Same here, approved on 28th, nothing yet. Council Newham

Hi,

I was approved on 27 OCT and HO just confirmed today by email to me that my invitation letter was posted
on 15 Jan and it's on the way. Still waiting for this in the post. Your ones must be on the way. HO sent all letters until OCT.

Hi,

Could you please provide the HO email address you used?

Many thanks

[Teedee]

Approved on 28th October and still waiting for letter..
Anyone same approval date?

Same here, approved on 28th, nothing yet. Council Newham

Hi,

I was approved on 27 OCT and HO just confirmed today by email to me that my invitation letter was posted
on 15 Jan and it's on the way. Still waiting for this in the post. Your ones must be on the way. HO sent all letters until OCT.

I have spoken to HO as well over the phone and they have sent all the OCT approval letters and hopefully we will get next week, Finger crossed x

Hi - could you please provide the phone number you contacted them on? Thank you