Eligibility criteria: AN Form ILR 10+ yrs
Method of application: Self Post
Date of application: 21 October 2013
Date of receipt by UKBA: 22 October 2013 (as per Royal Mail Trace and Track system)
Date of acknowledgement : Waiting
Date of debit of fees: 21/11/2013 at 09:04AM
Date of approval: waiting
Date of Ceremony: waiting
** Due to the change in requirements for naturalisation as of 28th October 2013 (meaning applicants for naturalisation after 28th October need to complete the life in the UK test AND the english test), there has been an increase in the number of applications received by UKBA in the week commencing 21st October (this is what an immigration solicitor mentioned to me during conversation) so I'm going to be extra patient.
*** After hearing incidents of UKBA sending forms back due to banks declining the fee transaction, I called my bank - Santander - the same day I posted the application. What I was told was that any unusual transactions of large value will be flagged up by the fraud team so the transaction will be declined by the bank (followed up by a telephone call from the bank to you, at which stage the UKBA would have started to send the forms back to you). Further to this, I was also told that the UKBA often makes mistakes when processing the transactions by either not spelling the name correctly or completing the details accurately, which will result in the transaction getting declined. However, you can call the bank and check if an attempt has been made. Even if the UKBA misspells your name in the transaction request, your bank CAN tell you if the attempt has been made.
The best option for this, if you have any worry, is to call your bank's customer services manager and explain the situation. Ask them to put a note on your account that you are expecting the sum of (£your application fee) to be taken by the UKBA and that you cannot afford to have this payment declined. This will obviously help the fraud team understand the background of the transaction so with a little luck and common sense the bank will not decline.
WISH YOU ALL THE VERY BEST.