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kel · - thin ice - Joined: 14 Jul 2012 Posts: 222

So today I finally rcvd my ceremony invitation letter almost 2 weeks after my approval letter. Called my local council to book my ceremony but unfortunately the next available date is 31st October. Whilst I have booked this date tentatively, I am toying with the idea of whether or not to go for a private ceremony. My first choice was to be apart of a public ceremony and share the experience with other new citizenship, however I would also prefer not having to wait so long to attend the ceremony, plus I am not sure I will be able to get that day off work yet.

For those who have already been through this stage or are going through it at the moment, i would like to hear your opinion. Those already booked private ceremonies, approximately how much did it cost? I forgot to ask the council this earlier but will be sure to ring them back and ask.

sushdmehta · Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 3:09 pm Post subject:

150 quids at Camden council.
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kel · - thin ice - Joined: 14 Jul 2012 Posts: 222

wow, that is steep. i will sleep on it and decide tomorrow what i will do. it would also be interesting to know what ceremony you recommend from experiences.

electricorange · Junior Member Joined: 14 Jun 2012 Posts: 11

£100 at Hammersmith & Fulham council.

But if you want to go away for the holidays, an extra month might be very useful to help you get your passport in time to book travel. You can apply the day you get your certificate.

addh · - thin ice - Joined: 05 Jun 2011 Posts: 111

kel · - thin ice - Joined: 14 Jul 2012 Posts: 222

thanks.

i am planning to take a week and a half off work in october but i doubt i will travel. i had planned to take the week and a half anytime from now upto 26th october as i need to be back in office 29 october onwards since another colleague might be on holiday that week. i was hoping i could get a ceremony date upto 26th latest so i could plan my days off around it. now it get a tad bit complicated.

i intend to travel in december from about 15th upto abt 4th jan. if i stick to the 31st october ceremony date and make passport application same time, i wonder if i would be lucky to have my british passport before my hols. though i suppose i am still free to travel on my other passport but it would be nice to have the british one by then too. decisions, decisions....

kel · - thin ice - Joined: 14 Jul 2012 Posts: 222

are you guys going private?

Gyfrinachgar · Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 3:48 pm Post subject:

Wrexham charges £150, too. Pretty hefty fee, but if time is a major issue, it is money well spent.

manyaonisland · Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 3:51 pm Post subject:

£115 @ Kingston (Surry)

I waited for 4 weeks for my public ceremony. I was thinking of going private too which was available in weeks time but I worked on the timelines and looking at what it takes to get British passport and other processing i am within my timelines for travel.

The decision you should make really depends on what are your travel plans (if any)? If possible, try to make it to public ceremony as it gives you great feeling to be there with the group and get handed certificate from dignitary Idea

. On top of it does not cost you anything more Rolling Eyes

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kel · - thin ice - Joined: 14 Jul 2012 Posts: 222

electricorange · Junior Member Joined: 14 Jun 2012 Posts: 11

The passport thread indicates roughly a 4-to-6-week turnaround for first-time adult applicants, but you're right that it will depend on the availability of appointments in the London area if you're not willing to go out of town for your interview.

If you file your application on the day of your public ceremony, you *should* be ok by the 15th December, but that's not the kind of thing I would personally count on. If you got a private ceremony even a week earlier, though, it would be a near-guarantee.

For what it's worth, though my ceremony was private, I attended a friend's public ceremony in Kensington a few years ago. I'll agree from my public ceremony experience it would nice to be a part of a group, although each new citizen has to say the oath/affirmation independently so it can take a long time depending on how many people are a part of the ceremony. The private ceremony was very dignified, though, and I think the significance of the oath, pledging your allegiance to the queen (and her successors!), etc really sink in when it's just you.

Not sure how helpful it is, but there's an argument for either side. What it really comes down to is whether you're in enough of a hurry to get your passport that you're willing to drop the extra £££.

kel · - thin ice - Joined: 14 Jul 2012 Posts: 222

thanks electricorange, that is really useful.

to be honest i am not really in a hurry for the british passport as i will be travelling to my home country in december and will not be giving up my original nationality so i will be able to travel on my hold passport. i wont need the british passport for that. though i will be sending my current passport with the passport application, my undestanding of the timelines in the passport topic is that they usually return your original docs after about a couple of weeks of so.

i did ask camden council earlier how many people will be attending the ceremony and they said usually there is a limit of 45. all these oaths and pledges seem like they will go on for quite a while. I wonder if it will be over and done with in about an hour an a half/2 hours latest?

manyaonisland · Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 4:56 pm Post subject:

kel · - thin ice - Joined: 14 Jul 2012 Posts: 222

manyaonisland, thanks for your comments which is of great help.

is it compulsory to stay for the networking, snacks afte rthe ceremony or are you free to leave if you wish? as my ceremony is starting at 10am, i am hoping i can be at work by noon or latest 12:30 if i only decide to take a the morning off.

also, one other thing, as i have booked the ceremony today, should i be expecting a written confirmation of this booking from the council? no one mentioned over the phone that i need to arrive there early.

manyaonisland · Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 5:11 pm Post subject:

kel · - thin ice - Joined: 14 Jul 2012 Posts: 222

i was told it start at 10am. now that you mention it, it is unclear to me if that is the ceremony or registation. i guess i will know more when i rcv the written confirmation in due couse. will keep you posted.

ceremony will be at camden council.

kel · - thin ice - Joined: 14 Jul 2012 Posts: 222

I am now almost 100% sure I will stick to the public ceremony on 31st October. I guess I will have to arrange to take the morning off.

manyaonisland · Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2012 6:52 am Post subject:

kel · - thin ice - Joined: 14 Jul 2012 Posts: 222

thanks very much Smile

Jellybean123 · Junior Member Joined: 22 Sep 2012 Posts: 12

I'm torn between public or private ceremony?