Can I travel outside UK after receiving citizenship approval email

Hello,

Today we have received email from home office that our Naturalisation application has been approved.
Next step is to book ceremony.

However, we have holiday planned outside UK from 17th Oct - 24Th Oct.
Let's assume I book ceremony after 24th OCT. In that case, Can I travel outside UK using my current ILR (BRP) card ?


Thanks,
Kamal

you aren't citizen until the ceremony itself, so yes

That makes sense ! thanks

How about after the ceremony ? Do I must have British passport to travel outside UK?
From when BRP ( ILR) is invalid after the ceremony day ?

ksrangal wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 26, 2022 10:46 am

That makes sense ! thanks

How about after the ceremony ? Do I must have British passport to travel outside UK?
From when BRP ( ILR) is invalid after the ceremony day ?

You're mandated to cut your BRP and return it immediately after your ceremony. Based on your current nationality, there's no other way to get on plane to the UK.

OK.

We are also travelling to India from 4th - 20th Dec.
Currently, India has stopped eVisa for British citizens. If I do ceremony before that , I will not be able to visit India.

I need to do my ceremony within three months from today i.e before 26th Dec, 2022.
One option is to book ceremony after 20th dec, and keep all the travel plans as normal.

Please give your opinion on having ceremony in the very last fews days of 3 months.

Thanks!

I think there's still a concession that gives you not 90 but 180 days due to covid?
https://www.gov.uk/citizenship-ceremonies

Citizenship ceremonies and coronavirus (COVID-19)
Usually you must attend a citizenship ceremony within 3 months of receiving your invitation from the Home Office. Because of coronavirus, this has been extended to 6 months.

check with local council just in case maybe

I don't think so.
In the mail from home office, it clearly says, I must attend ceremony within 3 months.

One more option ( Not sure if feasible) :

Attend ceremony, get new British passport.
Travel to India using India passport and enter back UK using British passport. Provided that there is a legal grace period when I can surrender my current Indian passport.

As soon as you become a British citizen India imposes that you are no longer an Indian national, so your Indian passport may not be valid. Check with the council if you can get a private ceremony as soon as you are back, but that might be difficult before they close for the holidays.

I called council and they said they have received my documents with ceremony deadline 15th Dec, 2022.

However based on my confirmation email it says 3 months from today, which is 26th Dec, 2022.

As I'm coming back to UK on 20th Dec, 2022 and council has private ceremony appointment available on 21st, Dec 2022.

Now, I don;t know which deadline is the right one - council's or based on email I received.

Any suggestion?

Thanks!

You need to ask the Home Office I guess, they sent your council the paperwork with a different date, so they need to advise.

ksrangal wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 26, 2022 4:17 pm

I called council and they said they have received my documents with ceremony deadline 15th Dec, 2022.

However based on my confirmation email it says 3 months from today, which is 26th Dec, 2022.

As I'm coming back to UK on 20th Dec, 2022 and council has private ceremony appointment available on 21st, Dec 2022.

Now, I don;t know which deadline is the right one - council's or based on email I received.

Any suggestion?

Thanks!

The correct one is who currently has your paperwork. For all intent and purposes, the winner is the council.
The council has the right to return your cert back to the HO for failure to attend ceremony. They owe you no further explanation.

If I was you, I'd either change my ticket ASAP, or come to a compromise with the council. Trying to be cocky would be at your own expense.

Well, in my case, it seems council is really flexible.
They are ready to give me a private ceremony appointment on 21st Dec,2022.
They said we will attach your confirmation email saying 3 months ceremony deadline with our paper work when they report back to home office.

They said it is up-to me if I want before 15th Dec or 26th dec.

It's my brother's wedding, so I can't cancel my trip.
Also, India has NOT opened eVisa for British citizens, so I won't be able to travel if I do the ceremony before my India visit.

However, to be safe, I would like to get an extension on ceremony deadline ( a month or so).
I guess Home Office can grant that.

So far I'm unable to find out right contact number to enquire this matter.

Thanks!

You can try to write to UKVI through these email addresses: furthernationalityenquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk NationalityEnquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk citizenship.Support@homeoffice.gov.uk NationalitySupportTeamFMT@homeoffice.gov.uk

As per this link , one can travel to India using Indian Passport after getting Naturalisation.

https://www.hcilondon.gov.in/page/surre ... -passport/

--------------------
* Can I use my Indian Passport to travel after naturalisation?

There is a grace period of three months after acquisition of foreign nationality (to be counted from the date of registration / Naturalisation Certi?cate and not from the date of foreign passport) for using Indian passport for travel. But the grace period is not applicable once the British/Foreign Passport is acquired, he/she should travel only on the British/Foreign passport once the same is obtained even if he/she is within the grace period of three months.

--------------------

How will you enter back into UK when you are supposed to cut your ILR Brp and return it within 5 days of naturalisation?

Thanks for out pointing that!

Best option I have is to do my ceremony after my India visit.