Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

[Benbella]

Letter dated 9/3

[Jawad566]

Thanks good luck for ceremony

[AKusername]

Hi all, received my invitation by post today!

Nationality: Non-EU
Date of application: mid-October 2020
Date Biometrics enrolled: 25 November 2020
Date on Approval: 5 January 2021
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: 20 March 2021
Date on the letter printed: 10 March 2021
Date of virtual ceremony: 22 March 2021 (plenty slots were available)

Good luck to everyone waiting

[Benbella]

my local council is Croydon. It has been about three weeks I sent them email requesting to book a virtual citizenship ceremony, but have not heard anything back. Have tried to call the council, no one could give me an answer.

Does anyone experience similar issue at the moment?

Did u ever do the virtual ceremony as am with Croydon but now regretting y I put it down

[Nupe21]

Hi everyone
Just received the approval by Royal Mail for December 1 :lol:I one more step and is over

[Moha007]

Hi all, received my invitation by post today!

Nationality: Non-EU
Date of application: mid-October 2020
Date Biometrics enrolled: 25 November 2020
Date on Approval: 5 January 2021
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: 20 March 2021
Date on the letter printed: 10 March 2021
Date of virtual ceremony: 22 March 2021 (plenty slots were available)

Good luck to everyone waiting

Which council ?

[AKusername]

Which council ?

Westminster

[Hamza167]

We have got approval on 30/11/2020
Received invitation letter from Home Office on 23/02/2021 letter dated 11/02/2021.
We contacted the Essex Council by phone as well as by email but could not make any booking for Oath taking ceremony even the Private Ceremony on payment of £150.
The council replied they have got backlog as well the Home Office is not sending the Certificates to the Council at the same time as the Invitation letter being send to the applicant.
Is there any one facing the same situation and any suggestion to expedite the matter.
Thanks to all.

Hi,

I had my HO invitation letter back In January 16 however I didn’t get anything from Essex council until the first week of Feb and then only on 26th of feb I had my group ceremony so it will take a while. In regards to private virtual ceremony they only do it if you have an emergency and you need to a apply for a passport urgently.

Best regards,

Alex

Thanks a lot Alex
Best regards
Hamza

[Bazaar]

Hey all!

So I got my letter for citizenship in January (HOORAY!) but when I contacted Hounslow council about the ceremony, they informed me that they never plan on opening up private ceremonies again (this can't be true??)

I understand we're still in lockdown, but a strong part of me was really hoping to delay my ceremony until June (that's the latest I can delay it I believe) so that I can actually have a private ceremony with a small group of friends and family there with photos/video.

Other boroughs seem to allow private ceremonies (once covid ends) and I just don't know what to do in my situation. I truly wish to find a way to delay my ceremony so that I can actually have a ceremony that's not virtual.

I'm with Hounslow as well. I was gutted they only gave an appointment in June as the earliest , a virtual ceremony . Did you book yours?

[Jojo0316]

Hey all!

So I got my letter for citizenship in January (HOORAY!) but when I contacted Hounslow council about the ceremony, they informed me that they never plan on opening up private ceremonies again (this can't be true??)

I understand we're still in lockdown, but a strong part of me was really hoping to delay my ceremony until June (that's the latest I can delay it I believe) so that I can actually have a private ceremony with a small group of friends and family there with photos/video.

Other boroughs seem to allow private ceremonies (once covid ends) and I just don't know what to do in my situation. I truly wish to find a way to delay my ceremony so that I can actually have a ceremony that's not virtual.

I'm with Hounslow as well. I was gutted they only gave an appointment in June as the earliest , a virtual ceremony . Did you book yours?

Is this paid or free? Also did you ask if we can pay and get an earlier date? I read somewhere on this forum that if you offer to pay they will give an earlier paid slot. Any idea if this is true or not?

[Benbella]

Anyone had a virtual ceremony from Croydon... The number on letter isn't picked up n don't know what to do... Any success stories or leads of what number to ring..
Thanks

[Farrukh1989]

Congratulations, Pal!
My approval was received on the 4th of January, so it's really good news for me.

Could you please confirm whether your approval letter from back in the January was dated 5th as well or you just received it on the 5th, but it was dated with an earlier date?

Hi all, received my invitation by post today!

Nationality: Non-EU
Date of application: mid-October 2020
Date Biometrics enrolled: 25 November 2020
Date on Approval: 5 January 2021
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: 20 March 2021
Date on the letter printed: 10 March 2021
Date of virtual ceremony: 22 March 2021 (plenty slots were available)

Good luck to everyone waiting

[Bazaar]

Hey all!

So I got my letter for citizenship in January (HOORAY!) but when I contacted Hounslow council about the ceremony, they informed me that they never plan on opening up private ceremonies again (this can't be true??)

I understand we're still in lockdown, but a strong part of me was really hoping to delay my ceremony until June (that's the latest I can delay it I believe) so that I can actually have a private ceremony with a small group of friends and family there with photos/video.

Other boroughs seem to allow private ceremonies (once covid ends) and I just don't know what to do in my situation. I truly wish to find a way to delay my ceremony so that I can actually have a ceremony that's not virtual.

I'm with Hounslow as well. I was gutted they only gave an appointment in June as the earliest , a virtual ceremony . Did you book yours?

Is this paid or free? Also did you ask if we can pay and get an earlier date? I read somewhere on this forum that if you offer to pay they will give an earlier paid slot. Any idea if this is true or not?

it's free, I wasn't offered anything else . But after I talked to them I emailed them the next day saying that my letter says I have to take the ceremony within 3 months and waiting until June would take me beyond that.. she only said because of Covid blah blah but she still did not mention I could have it earlier if I paid

[AKusername]

Congratulations, Pal!
My approval was received on the 4th of January, so it's really good news for me.

Could you please confirm whether your approval letter from back in the January was dated 5th as well or you just received it on the 5th, but it was dated with an earlier date?

Just checked - I've only received an email with the initial application approval on 5 Jan 2021 and the attached pdf letter was dated 5 Jan 2021 as well.

Maybe it's something to do with the home address local post office delivery speed? My delivery address is within greater London area.

Let me know once you get yours, looks like it won't be long now look out for the brown envelope in your post box

[pistol242]

I just came back from the in-person ceremony at Newham. I have to warn anyone attending a ceremony in Newham, the address they gave in the appointment email is wrong. The ceremony is not at the East Ham Library, but at the East Ham Town Hall. I was refused entry at the library, and the security guard had no idea why is their address on my citizenship ceremony invitation letter, and doesn't know where should I go to attend my ceremony. At the end I went to the town hall to ask about it, and was told that the ceremony is at the town hall, not the library.

Now, another small annoyance is stopping me from getting my British passport. I don't want to apply for a passport right now, because my hair style during the lockdown is a total disaster, and I don't want that to be on my passport for 10 years. I will wait for the hairdressers and barbers to reopen first.

[Luluokis29]

I just received my ceremony invitation today. I was approved 11 Dec 2020. Ceremony letter dated 24 Feb 2021

me too, got the letter today, mid December approval, letter dated 26th February

Hi Everyone,
I also got my invitation letter...(dated 25/02/2021) I have moved houses since approval on 14/12/2020. I have been very anxious about getting my invitation letter. Glad it is over now. Ceremony booked for 26/03/2021. Good luck to everyone still waiting.

Please did you communicate to home office regarding change of address. I was approved in 9/2/2021 but I have house and expecting ceremony invitation. I have registered a Royal Mail redirection to my new house. Please explain to me how you go with your regarding moving house - did you notify home office?

Thanks

No I did not notify them...I redirected my mail.

[Bazaar]

Now, another small annoyance is stopping me from getting my British passport. I don't want to apply for a passport right now, because my hair style during the lockdown is a total disaster, and I don't want that to be on my passport for 10 years. I will wait for the hairdressers and barbers to reopen first.

[JKAR25142]

Hi all, we have applied for citizenship on 11/2019 and since then we have not heard from the HO! can anyone help me! or is there any email I can send to chase it up!

Thanks

[JKAR25142]

Yes, I have but they said I have to wait and they said they know it is frustrating!

Tell them there's been a mistake as the Home Office has already confirmed 4 months ago that the paperwork for all applications approved up to August 2020 had been printed and processed. Therefore no one is likely to be working on your application and hence you'd like it to be investigated.

Yeah, I will try this Thanks Thanks Thanks for the help, to be honest, I've got depression and anxiety because. and I may do repeat uni year that bad my situation is

I understand this causes a lot of distress. But your application has been approved, so it's just an admin mistake.
Follow up on all the channels, communicate it's some mistake on the Home Office side as they've confirmed it's done but you still haven't received any paperwork, so it needs to be investigated and further wait won't change anything.
Out of all the channels the MP is probably the most powerful one. And do submit complaints at the HO website.

Hi mate
I got this!

Dear xxxxxxxxxx,

Thank you for contacting UKVI Contact Centre.

The appropriate team are aware and are dealing with your request. UKVI hope to action your request as soon as possible.

UKVI is keen to continually review and improve its service to our customers. To help us to do so we would be grateful if you could complete a short online survey. Please access the survey using the following link:

https://www.homeofficesurveys.homeoffice.gov.uk.


Yours Sincerely,

What should this mean?

[obormot]

My mother had her ceremony today in Glasgow.
They called us last week to say that group ceremonies were cancelled, but they offered her a private one at no additional cost - and at the same time group one was supposed to be.

[TF1]

Hi All,

Does anyone know which approval dates are currently being processed by UKVI for Naturalisation certificates and ceremony letters?

Many thanks.

[Moha007]

I just came back from the in-person ceremony at Newham. I have to warn anyone attending a ceremony in Newham, the address they gave in the appointment email is wrong. The ceremony is not at the East Ham Library, but at the East Ham Town Hall. I was refused entry at the library, and the security guard had no idea why is their address on my citizenship ceremony invitation letter, and doesn't know where should I go to attend my ceremony. At the end I went to the town hall to ask about it, and was told that the ceremony is at the town hall, not the library.

Now, another small annoyance is stopping me from getting my British passport. I don't want to apply for a passport right now, because my hair style during the lockdown is a total disaster, and I don't want that to be on my passport for 10 years. I will wait for the hairdressers and barbers to reopen first.

When was your approval

[Moha007]

I just came back from the in-person ceremony at Newham. I have to warn anyone attending a ceremony in Newham, the address they gave in the appointment email is wrong. The ceremony is not at the East Ham Library, but at the East Ham Town Hall. I was refused entry at the library, and the security guard had no idea why is their address on my citizenship ceremony invitation letter, and doesn't know where should I go to attend my ceremony. At the end I went to the town hall to ask about it, and was told that the ceremony is at the town hall, not the library.

Now, another small annoyance is stopping me from getting my British passport. I don't want to apply for a passport right now, because my hair style during the lockdown is a total disaster, and I don't want that to be on my passport for 10 years. I will wait for the hairdressers and barbers to reopen first.

When was your approval

[naruto]

Hi All,

Does anyone know which approval dates are currently being processed by UKVI for Naturalisation certificates and ceremony letters?

Many thanks.

They started doing January approvals now

[Jojo0316]

Hi All,

Does anyone know which approval dates are currently being processed by UKVI for Naturalisation certificates and ceremony letters?

Many thanks.

They started doing January approvals now

Hopefully we hear something soon. I’m actually getting mentally and physically ill waiting and waiting and waiting.