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James_tl Junior Member
Joined: 24 Aug 2012 Posts: 12
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Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 11:29 pm Post subject: Absent days & return of documents |
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Hello everyone! First i just wanted to say what an informative, friendly and helpful this forum has been in assisting me with my Naturalisation application. I can not thank the moderators and the people here enough!
So my current situation is, i have applied for British citizenship and received my confirmation letter from HO on the 26th of July, 2012. Essentially it's been a month already. However, i am looking to travel for business in the next 4 weeks and i will be absent for around 2 - 3 month.
Bear in mind, i have already used up my 76 out of my 90 days of absence from the UK one year prior to the application. So if i was to travel during my application, outside of the UK, in the next 4 weeks or so, for 2 - 3 month, would these future absence be added onto my 76 days of absence? In turn, would that hinder my application or potentially breach the absence requirement?
This is a statement by HO for days of absence, which states that 'Spend less than 90 days outside the UK in the 12 months prior to the application'
Note the wording, 'Prior to the application'. Does that confirm the 90 days absence only affect the one year time period before the application and by applying, this resets the absent days?
Furthermore, would it be acceptable to request for my original passport back? (Applied through Post)
Would it delay any process made for my application? Taking in consideration my application was acknowledged on the 26th of July so any scans should be completed in the computer.
I am grateful for everybody's continuing contribution towards this insightful forum, i am looking forward to your responses.
Thank You & Kind Regards,
James |
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gidoc Sage
Joined: 31 Mar 2008 Posts: 873
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Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 3:06 pm Post subject: |
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>So my current situation is, i have applied for British citizenship and received my confirmation letter from HO on the 26th of July, 2012.>
Have you been granted Citizenship?
If so, apply for PP after oath ceremony and then travel
Perhaps you mean your application has been submitted.
You can travel as much as you want until you get approval, nothing gets counted any more. You can request your passport back once your application is being looked at; all the documents are scanned and then looked at. However 4 wks from application date appears early, take your chances if you want to but application could get delayed. |
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kel - thin ice -
Joined: 14 Jul 2012 Posts: 222
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Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 4:41 pm Post subject: |
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| gidoc wrote: | >So my current situation is, i have applied for British citizenship and received my confirmation letter from HO on the 26th of July, 2012.>
Have you been granted Citizenship?
If so, apply for PP after oath ceremony and then travel
Perhaps you mean your application has been submitted.
You can travel as much as you want until you get approval, nothing gets counted any more. You can request your passport back once your application is being looked at; all the documents are scanned and then looked at. However 4 wks from application date appears early, take your chances if you want to but application could get delayed. |
I am abit confused about this as I keep hearing that you can't request your passport back until after 3 months? |
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James_tl Junior Member
Joined: 24 Aug 2012 Posts: 12
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Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2012 12:19 am Post subject: |
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| gidoc wrote: | >So my current situation is, i have applied for British citizenship and received my confirmation letter from HO on the 26th of July, 2012.>
Have you been granted Citizenship?
If so, apply for PP after oath ceremony and then travel
Perhaps you mean your application has been submitted.
You can travel as much as you want until you get approval, nothing gets counted any more. You can request your passport back once your application is being looked at; all the documents are scanned and then looked at. However 4 wks from application date appears early, take your chances if you want to but application could get delayed. |
Hi Gidoc, you are right in saying that 'Perhaps you mean your application has been submitted' and by Confirmation letter i meant the letter of acknowledgement. So i am still waiting for the decision as it has only been 4 weeks since i have posted it.
Just to confirm your comments, after my submission of the application, i can travel for AS MUCH AS I WANT? And these time outside of the UK after the submission would not be counted as absence?
Furthermore adding to Kel's comment, i have seen also, a number of comments stating one should wait after 3 month before requesting for original back, and others stating 4 weeks? Obviously we want to ensure we do not delay our application, so are there any rules to this set by the HO or is it up to the discretion of individual case worker?
Anyhow, thank you for your help and i appreciate it immensely, i'm sure many others will feel the same by benefiting.
Kind Regards,
James |
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James_tl Junior Member
Joined: 24 Aug 2012 Posts: 12
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:39 am Post subject: |
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Anybody? Any help is appreciated!
Thanks
James |
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noble72uk - thin ice -
Joined: 15 Jun 2009 Posts: 177
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 1:16 pm Post subject: |
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| James_tl wrote: | Anybody? Any help is appreciated!
Thanks
James |
In your case why you didn't apply VIA the NCS and keep your passport Handy.
Call the Home office to check with them how to send you your passport back |
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James_tl Junior Member
Joined: 24 Aug 2012 Posts: 12
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 1:32 pm Post subject: |
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| noble72uk wrote: | | James_tl wrote: | Anybody? Any help is appreciated!
Thanks
James |
In your case why you didn't apply VIA the NCS and keep your passport Handy.
Call the Home office to check with them how to send you your passport back |
I know it was a mistake on my part. I didn't realise you could keep your passport via NCS. |
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kel - thin ice -
Joined: 14 Jul 2012 Posts: 222
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 1:47 pm Post subject: |
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James, i share your pain. This is the same reason why i didn't use ncs and now i wish i had.
Did you try speaking to UKBA to find out if you could request your docs back before the 3 mos period? I will definitely be requesting mine after 3 mos if I don't hear from them sooner (unless of course there is a possibility to request them before?) |
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noble72uk - thin ice -
Joined: 15 Jun 2009 Posts: 177
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:40 pm Post subject: |
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| kel wrote: | James, i share your pain. This is the same reason why i didn't use ncs and now i wish i had.
Did you try speaking to UKBA to find out if you could request your docs back before the 3 mos period? I will definitely be requesting mine after 3 mos if I don't hear from them sooner (unless of course there is a possibility to request them before?) |
Guys you can still call or email them if you request your documents after 3 months but I want to inform you these days they are dealing with the applications between 3 to 4 months and some lucky people less then that as well.
I hope you'll get yours before the 3 months. |
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kel - thin ice -
Joined: 14 Jul 2012 Posts: 222
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 3:30 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks Nobel, that is what I am hoping. As I have no urgent reason to travel, I will wait out the 3 months before I decide if I want to request my docs as hopefully I will hear from them sooner and it won't have to come to that. How long did your processing take? |
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noble72uk - thin ice -
Joined: 15 Jun 2009 Posts: 177
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 7:11 pm Post subject: |
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| kel wrote: | | Thanks Nobel, that is what I am hoping. As I have no urgent reason to travel, I will wait out the 3 months before I decide if I want to request my docs as hopefully I will hear from them sooner and it won't have to come to that. How long did your processing take? |
Hi
Mine was 3 months and 16 days and during my processing time I saw some lucky people were giving the approvals in a 1-month and half. But I know the word be Patient is easy to pronounce but very hard to live with that stress but think twice to get some hopes. Some people that I really fell sorry for them that even their applications supposed to be straight forward but took them more then 6 months without any reason each time they called the UKBA they had the same answer (your application is under Checks). So I advise you its nice to focus on the term of people who waited longer 6 months. If you receive it before that time it's a Bonus > I wish you all guys to be naturalised with less than 3 months. |
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James_tl Junior Member
Joined: 24 Aug 2012 Posts: 12
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:44 pm Post subject: |
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It really does feel like they are picking applications at random.
I have spoken to someone at the HO today and enquired about the return of my passport. I specifically asked her wether the return of my passport will hinder or delay my application process;she confirmed it would NOT delay or hinder the application by any means. This seems inconsistent with what others have received, as they were told return of their passport within 3 month might delay their application. Anyways, i will wait a few month and see what happens.
I did try to ask her about days of absence after submission of application and she said i would have to email them instead. i will drop them an email and see what they say. |
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kel - thin ice -
Joined: 14 Jul 2012 Posts: 222
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Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 10:08 am Post subject: |
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| James_tl wrote: | It really does feel like they are picking applications at random.
I have spoken to someone at the HO today and enquired about the return of my passport. I specifically asked her wether the return of my passport will hinder or delay my application process;she confirmed it would NOT delay or hinder the application by any means. This seems inconsistent with what others have received, as they were told return of their passport within 3 month might delay their application. Anyways, i will wait a few month and see what happens.
I did try to ask her about days of absence after submission of application and she said i would have to email them instead. i will drop them an email and see what they say. |
which number did you ring and what options did you select. usually when i call i am on hold for so long that i give up. the automated voice on the line usually says that the "requesting the return of original docs might delay some applications".
it is unclear from yours if you actually requested your docs yesterday when you spoke to them of not? has it been clarified if docs can be requested before the 3 mos period or do you have to wait? sorry to be asking you endless questions but so far i have not been successful in reaching anyone at ukba to get clarification. |
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James_tl Junior Member
Joined: 24 Aug 2012 Posts: 12
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Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 7:28 pm Post subject: |
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| kel wrote: | | James_tl wrote: | It really does feel like they are picking applications at random.
I have spoken to someone at the HO today and enquired about the return of my passport. I specifically asked her wether the return of my passport will hinder or delay my application process;she confirmed it would NOT delay or hinder the application by any means. This seems inconsistent with what others have received, as they were told return of their passport within 3 month might delay their application. Anyways, i will wait a few month and see what happens.
I did try to ask her about days of absence after submission of application and she said i would have to email them instead. i will drop them an email and see what they say. |
which number did you ring and what options did you select. usually when i call i am on hold for so long that i give up. the automated voice on the line usually says that the "requesting the return of original docs might delay some applications".
it is unclear from yours if you actually requested your docs yesterday when you spoke to them of not? has it been clarified if docs can be requested before the 3 mos period or do you have to wait? sorry to be asking you endless questions but so far i have not been successful in reaching anyone at ukba to get clarification. |
Hi Kel you will find the contact info on this page - http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/contact/contactspage/nationality/
Just to clarify, when i spoke to the HO, they confirmed that I AM ABLE TO request for my passport back should i wish to. And i also confirmed that although my application has only been 1 month, by requesting for my passport back, it would not affect my application in anyway. But in the end i didn't request it, because i'm going to wait a few month and see what happens.
Give them a ring and see what they say, i was only on hold for about 12 mins.
Kind Regards,
James |
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kel - thin ice -
Joined: 14 Jul 2012 Posts: 222
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Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:03 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks James. I will try and give them a call tomorrow |
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noble72uk - thin ice -
Joined: 15 Jun 2009 Posts: 177
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Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:54 pm Post subject: |
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| kel wrote: | | Thanks James. I will try and give them a call tomorrow |
Hi do not use 08450105200 use this number 01516725626 it maybe cheap or free. |
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James_tl Junior Member
Joined: 24 Aug 2012 Posts: 12
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Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 9:38 pm Post subject: |
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| noble72uk wrote: | | kel wrote: | | Thanks James. I will try and give them a call tomorrow |
Hi do not use 08450105200 use this number 01516725626 it maybe cheap or free. |
Awesome i didn't know there was this number!
Kel, keep us updated to what they say tomorrow!
Thanks
James |
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kel - thin ice -
Joined: 14 Jul 2012 Posts: 222
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Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2012 9:38 am Post subject: |
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| will do. the 01516 number is the one i have used in the past but never actually wait long enough to speak to anyone. what is the ukba working hours? i am trying to figure out when is the best time to call. from past experience i notice they are closed for lunch about 12:30 - 1:30 |
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James_tl Junior Member
Joined: 24 Aug 2012 Posts: 12
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Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2012 10:07 am Post subject: |
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| kel wrote: | | will do. the 01516 number is the one i have used in the past but never actually wait long enough to speak to anyone. what is the ukba working hours? i am trying to figure out when is the best time to call. from past experience i notice they are closed for lunch about 12:30 - 1:30 |
9-5 with those lunch hours i think.
Remember to keep on waiting until they pick up the phone, shouldn't be more than 20 mins!
Keep us updated.
Thanks
James |
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kel - thin ice -
Joined: 14 Jul 2012 Posts: 222
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Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2012 10:11 am Post subject: |
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| lol, i hope you are right about the not more than mins wait. will see how it goes later |
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