Return BRP after Citizenship Ceremony within 5 days

[saanju9]

Yes, I do agree with most of you that the guidance should have been a bit more clearer.
Well, I hope they are not asking people who have got their Naturalisation before 8th Jan to send theirs... because ...
Its too late I have binned mine ages ago

[Steak_and_Kidney_Pie]

I don't intend on travelling immediately after my naturalisation ceremony but I also don't want to give up my BRP, as I would like to save it as a souvenir of my visa journey ("Old Rules" spouse of a British Citizen who has been here 3+ years and counting... I've kept all of the paperwork I've been issued from my "your visa has been issued" email that I received when I received word that my Fiancée Visa had been approved on that fateful day in Canada back in July 2012 to the papers that came when the BRP that was my ILR arrived in October 2014).

I'm currently 4 months pregnant and have been waiting for 3 months now for a decision on my naturalisation application (please hurry up, Mrs. May... you've had my application for long enough, don't you think? I'm from a low-risk Commonwealth country who has been married to a native-born UK citizen for the required amount of time, so it's not like I'm going to go out and start doing stupid stuff), so when the approval finally does come through and I've had my ceremony, I'll not likely be allowed to travel (fly) anywhere interesting, so I'm happy to wait for my British passport to come through before I leave the UK again.

If I'm allowed to keep my BRP, I'm happy to put a hole punch through the chip in the card or clip the corner (like how a passport is cancelled), but I'd really like to keep it as part of my record and not surrender it back to the government.

[cs95tdg]

The HO have published a new version of the AN form today, where this requirement is now mentioned. There is an option to either allow the HO to retain your BRP at the time of the application or for the applicant to return it within 5 days of their ceremony. So this appears to be how they intend to communicate the requirement to new applicants. I realise it won't help anyone who has already naturalised but not seen the updates on the HO website.

Just sharing for any new applicants. See Pages 24-25.
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... 1-2016.pdf

[aragon]

The HO have published a new version of the AN form today, where this requirement is now mentioned. There is an option to either allow the HO to retain your BRP at the time of the application or for the applicant to return it within 5 days of their ceremony. So this appears to be how they intend to communicate the requirement to new applicants. I realise it won't help anyone who has already naturalised but not seen the updates on the HO website.

Just sharing for any new applicants. See Pages 24-25.
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... 1-2016.pdf

So am I interpreting this right, that everyone who applied using the previous form are OK to not send their BRPs back. Since, they would not know about it unless they are like us who seat on this forum day and night.

Also, this is bit out of topic, but I checked with my local post office today. The lady on the counter said that they don't need BRP for passport applications. I told her that few of the people I know have been asked for their BRP cards when they apply for passport due to this new change. She told me that she don't know anything of that sort and so far as she knows, BRP is not required while applying passport.

[cs95tdg]

The HO have published a new version of the AN form today, where this requirement is now mentioned. There is an option to either allow the HO to retain your BRP at the time of the application or for the applicant to return it within 5 days of their ceremony. So this appears to be how they intend to communicate the requirement to new applicants. I realise it won't help anyone who has already naturalised but not seen the updates on the HO website.

Just sharing for any new applicants. See Pages 24-25.
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... 1-2016.pdf

So am I interpreting this right, that everyone who applied using the previous form are OK to not send their BRPs back. Since, they would not know about it unless they are like us who seat on this forum day and night.

I believe the intention would be for anyone who has naturalised to return the BRP so that they can destroy it securely. I say that because the requirement is both published on the website as well as the new form. But I doubt this can be enforced for former applicants. I would personally write to the HO to enquire, if anyone wants a definitive answer.

[missy_86]

This is tricky...

I have received my Naturalisation certificate and applied for a Passport on the same day - 06.01, no one ever told me about returning BRP back. I know they only published it on the 08.01. Do I still have to do it now?

[mamabibi]

I am confused about this as well. Do we have to still send our BRP? I received my certificate on the 6th of Jan and never knew i was supposed to send back my BRP. It's now past 5 days. What should I do?

[FayEng]

HI

For the information of the members

I have retuned the BRP yesterday. my ceremony was on the 6th . You can send it by Recorded delivery to the free post.

I dont think we should stress much about this as the amendment to rules came on the 8th.

Fay

[cs95tdg]

You can send it by Recorded delivery to the free post.

Thanks for sharing that information.

[missy_86]

HI

I dont think we should stress much about this as the amendment to rules came on the 8th.

Fay

Thanks Fay, will do just the same today

[scorpion123]

For the last couple of months, once an applicant attends their ceremony, their BRP card is cancelled.

If I understood correctly then "an approval letter from HO for the naturalisation application is the confirmation that BC has been granted? "

If so, applicant's BRP would automatically get canceled upon issuance of the approval letter?

Question is,

what if someone travels out of the UK for few weeks after submitting the naturalisation application and his/her application gets processed (approved) whilst the applicant is still abroad, how that person would gain entry back into UK without a valid BRP?

[noajthan]

For the last couple of months, once an applicant attends their ceremony, their BRP card is cancelled.

If I understood correctly then "an approval letter from HO for the naturalisation application is the confirmation that BC has been granted? "

If so, applicant's BRP would automatically get canceled upon issuance of the approval letter?

Question is,

what if someone travels out of the UK for few weeks after submitting the naturalisation application and his/her application gets processed (approved) whilst the applicant is still abroad, how that person would gain entry back into UK without a valid BRP?

The approval letter is just a notification letter & is not the legal grant of citizenship; nor does it cancel a BRP by default.

It is the receipt of the naturalisation certificate at the oath-taking ceremony that confirms the privilege of citizenship.

[sonub4ualt]

I received my invitation letter from the council for ceremony today. It does not mention anything about BRP, but instead they asked me to get the home office approval letter to confirm my identity along with an ID proof.

Also, when we applied back in Oct'15 we used application form version dated May'15 and it does not mention anything about the BRP. May be a new addition to HO rules.

[nm]

Hi

I have applied for my spouse in October and received her naturalization certificate on 15th Friday. Does she still required to return her passport since she has applied in October using the old form.

Also what's the address the BRP needs to be returned if i want to return ?

[Casa]

Hi

I have applied for my spouse in October and received her naturalization certificate on 15th Friday. Does she still required to return her passport since she has applied in October using the old form.

Also what's the address the BRP needs to be returned if i want to return ?

She doesn't have to return her passport....she needs to return her BRP. The information is on the Dec 15 version of the AN Guide.
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... hanges.pdf

If you did not return your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) when you applied to
become a British citizen, you must return it to the Home Office within 5 days from the date you attended your Citizenship ceremony, or the date you were issued with a certificate of naturalisation, whichever is sooner.
Please send to the following address, to be destroyed:
Freepost RRYX-GLYU-GXHZ
Returns Unit
PO Box 163
Bristol
BS20 1AB
Please cut up your BRP and return your/your client’s cancelled permit in a windowless plain envelope, with a covering note, which clearly explains the reason for return or an explanation for not returning the card.
Should you fail to return the BRP, or notify the department of the reasons for not being able to do so, the Secretary of State may impose a fine of up to £1,000.

[Casa]

I received my invitation letter from the council for ceremony today. It does not mention anything about BRP, but instead they asked me to get the home office approval letter to confirm my identity along with an ID proof.

Also, when we applied back in Oct'15 we used application form version dated May'15 and it does not mention anything about the BRP. May be a new addition to HO rules.

It's a new Regulation.

[seagul]

Unless receiving in official writing nobody can enforce anything on anyone. It's ho/council duty to send that instructions along with approval letter to applicants because surfing internet to find new regulation is voluntary. And yes for new January applicants it will be different because that new regulation is already up in form which they need to signed too. New pilot scheme users who got HO unofficial faster processing will explain it more better because they must be dealing that so far by now.

[cs95tdg]

I believe the intention would be for anyone who has naturalised to return the BRP so that they can destroy it securely.

Just to let everyone know that this requirement & intention was explained at the ceremony I attended today. Everything that's now stated around this In the new AN form & guidance was also repeated.

[littlemaiden]

I believe the intention would be for anyone who has naturalised to return the BRP so that they can destroy it securely.

Just to let everyone know that this requirement & intention was explained at the ceremony I attended today. Everything that's now stated around this In the new AN form & guidance was also repeated.

Hello, I also attended ceremony today and wasn't told. Which means I will pretend I didn't hear this new requirement.

[Casa]

I believe the intention would be for anyone who has naturalised to return the BRP so that they can destroy it securely.

Just to let everyone know that this requirement & intention was explained at the ceremony I attended today. Everything that's now stated around this In the new AN form & guidance was also repeated.

Hello, I also attended ceremony today and wasn't told. Which means I will pretend I didn't hear this new requirement.

No doubt they'll accept that explanation when they notify you of the £1,000 fine

[London_king]

Hello every one... Congratulations for those got approvals.. & I wish really best of luck who are waiting...

I attended my ceremony on 14th Jan, But no one explained me about this during ceremony, that how I shall return the BRP card and when. But thanks to this forum where person like me can get true and practical updates. I returned my brp card though on 15th Jan any way.

My question is this how long does it take to reach HO, and how will they know when it was posted,as it is a free post?

Thanks in advance....

[Casa]

Hello every one... Congratulations for those got approvals.. & I wish really best of luck who are waiting...

I attended my ceremony on 14th Jan, But no one explained me about this during ceremony, that how I shall return the BRP card and when. But thanks to this forum where person like me can get true and practical updates. I returned my brp card though on 15th Jan any way.

My question is this how long does it take to reach HO, and how will they know when it was posted,as it is a free post?

Thanks in advance....

Don't worry about it.

[vishpb35]

I believe the intention would be for anyone who has naturalised to return the BRP so that they can destroy it securely.

Just to let everyone know that this requirement & intention was explained at the ceremony I attended today. Everything that's now stated around this In the new AN form & guidance was also repeated.

Thanks Char, did you apply through *new* combined naturalisation + passport service? In any case; When did you apply for naturalization last year? I believe you filled the old AN form that did not had this option to return BRP within 5 days of ceremony.

[cs95tdg]

Just to let everyone know that this requirement & intention was explained at the ceremony I attended today. Everything that's now stated around this In the new AN form & guidance was also repeated.

Thanks Char, did you apply through *new* combined naturalisation + passport service? In any case; When did you apply for naturalization last year? I believe you filled the old AN form that did not had this option to return BRP within 5 days of ceremony.

Yes, I did; I applied in November and yes, this requirement wasn't stated in the form or guidance at the time. However, the reason I provided the update above was to highlight that even though it wasn't mentioned on the form then, it is now a requirement which was also highlighted & explained during the citizenship ceremony I attended. The council registrar advised everyone to refer to the latest HO AN guidance for details.

[vishpb35]

Just to let everyone know that this requirement & intention was explained at the ceremony I attended today. Everything that's now stated around this In the new AN form & guidance was also repeated.

Thanks Char, did you apply through *new* combined naturalisation + passport service? In any case; When did you apply for naturalization last year? I believe you filled the old AN form that did not had this option to return BRP within 5 days of ceremony.

Yes, I did; I applied in November and yes, this requirement wasn't stated in the form or guidance at the time. However, the reason I provided the update above was to highlight that even though it wasn't mentioned on the form then, it is now a requirement which was also highlighted & explained during the citizenship ceremony I attended. The council registrar advised everyone to refer to the latest HO AN guidance for details.

Thanks Char, did you get any update about your british passport (as you applied using combined application). Any passport interview lined up for you?