Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

DreamerInDarkness · Post by **DreamerInDarkness** » Tue Sep 08, 2020 12:43 pm

hashmil wrote: ↑
Tue Sep 08, 2020 12:33 pm
My ceremony will be held on Friday virtually!

I applied in February, and got my letter of inviation only in August. Though the letter was dated in March.

I called the council as soon as i got the letter, and they said there's a huge backlog and to get in touch early September - and to keep checking their website for details.

On the website there was an email address for the council - so yesterday i emailed them asking about whats happening. Today i got a call from the council saying that they can have a virtual ceremony via Microsoft Teams on Friday.

My council is Wandsworth Council in London btw.

Congrats. I don't know why they're not doing nationwide virtual ceremonies.

hashmil · Post by **hashmil** » Tue Sep 08, 2020 1:49 pm

DreamerInDarkness wrote: ↑
Tue Sep 08, 2020 12:43 pm
Congrats. I don't know why they're not doing nationwide virtual ceremonies.

Thank you! And i'm sure they will at some point have a virtual option available for everyone.

When i contacted the council last month, they said they were still waiting until home office sent them the certificates, and hadn't got mine - and until then they couldnt arrange anything.

I guess concil's are still waiting to recieve certificates from the Home Office before they can arrange anything? just assuming here..

Also - i guess the infrastructure/tech capabilities of each concil is different

IrobotZ · Post by **IrobotZ** » Tue Sep 08, 2020 2:16 pm

Got approved late June, still havent got the invitation letter. Called my local council and they told me that they havent got my certificate yet and even if they did I still have to have the invitation letter to attend the ceremony. Need to move home really soon, hope I could get the letter soon, really dont wanna change address with the home office during the current situation

The process of sending out invitation is rather random, I saw people got their letter within 2 weeks of approval while others waiting for more than 3 months without any luck. On the local council level, some councils are kind enough to let people attend ceremony without the invitation and introducing virtual ceremony to help the people in needs while others are basically doing nothing... Hope things could run smoothly for everybody.

sunny_uk123 · Post by **sunny_uk123** » Tue Sep 08, 2020 2:20 pm

Hi all

Just an update for anyone who has chosen Solihull as their council for citizenship ceremony. I spoke to them today and they are only doing group ceremonies (reduced numbers) but doing them every week instead of every month to cope with the backlog. No private or e- ceremonies though.

They said they are receiving certificates from HO regularly on a weekly basis. They call all those for whom they receive the certificates so as to schedule the ceremonies.

good luck!

hashmil · Post by **hashmil** » Tue Sep 08, 2020 2:40 pm

IrobotZ wrote: ↑
Tue Sep 08, 2020 2:16 pm
Got approved late June, still havent got the invitation letter. Called my local council and they told me that they havent got my certificate yet and even if they did I still have to have the invitation letter to attend the ceremony. Need to move home really soon, hope I could get the letter soon, really dont wanna change address with the home office during the current situation

The process of sending out invitation is rather random, I saw people got their letter within 2 weeks of approval while others waiting for more than 3 months without any luck. On the local council level, some councils are kind enough to let people attend ceremony without the invitation and introducing virtual ceremony to help the people in needs while others are basically doing nothing... Hope things could run smoothly for everybody.

How did you get the approval? I only ever got the invitation letter, which is what mentioned that my application was approved..

Frou01 · Post by **Frou01** » Tue Sep 08, 2020 2:56 pm

sunny_uk123 wrote: ↑
Tue Sep 08, 2020 2:20 pm
Hi all

Just an update for anyone who has chosen Solihull as their council for citizenship ceremony. I spoke to them today and they are only doing group ceremonies (reduced numbers) but doing them every week instead of every month to cope with the backlog. No private or e- ceremonies though.

They said they are receiving certificates from HO regularly on a weekly basis. They call all those for whom they receive the certificates so as to schedule the ceremonies.

good luck!

Thank you for this.

I’m in Birmingham and as Birmingham has the most applicants waiting and are still by March backlog keeping up to arrange ceremonies for almost 1000 new citizens.
I’m thinking that will take even longer than other councils to get through the backlog.

I will try to call them.
Also will try to call HO and ask if I could change to that council.

IrobotZ · Post by **IrobotZ** » Tue Sep 08, 2020 3:22 pm

hashmil wrote: ↑
Tue Sep 08, 2020 2:40 pm

IrobotZ wrote: ↑
Tue Sep 08, 2020 2:16 pm
Got approved late June, still havent got the invitation letter. Called my local council and they told me that they havent got my certificate yet and even if they did I still have to have the invitation letter to attend the ceremony. Need to move home really soon, hope I could get the letter soon, really dont wanna change address with the home office during the current situation

The process of sending out invitation is rather random, I saw people got their letter within 2 weeks of approval while others waiting for more than 3 months without any luck. On the local council level, some councils are kind enough to let people attend ceremony without the invitation and introducing virtual ceremony to help the people in needs while others are basically doing nothing... Hope things could run smoothly for everybody.
How did you get the approval? I only ever got the invitation letter, which is what mentioned that my application was approved..

Got an approval email from the Home office end June because I been waiting for a year after submit my application and I have send a few emails chasing for a result, The email mentioned that my application was successful and told me that due to cov19 invitation letter will be issued later and ask me to patiently waiting for it.

U Aziz · Post by **U Aziz** » Tue Sep 08, 2020 7:55 pm

U Aziz wrote: ↑
Wed Aug 12, 2020 3:15 pm
Just spoke to my Council, they are chasing HO to issue the certificates as they’ve almost cleared the backlog.
Only certificates they’ve received so far are from Feb 2020, nothing from March onwards...
Seems like we are due to wait much longer than expected.
Rubbish service from HO in this instance again!!!

Have spoken to registrars office (Hillingdon council) this afternoon, they are getting certificates every Tuesday, guy on the phone confirmed receiving some from June approvals but unfortunately I wasn’t on the list, have been advised to check again next Tuesday.

IrobotZ · Post by **IrobotZ** » Tue Sep 08, 2020 10:03 pm

Mhmd2005 wrote: ↑
Mon Sep 07, 2020 11:56 pm
Please help,
This is my third email which I feel ignored but I don't know why.
My citizen certificate with my council for nearly a month now ( london- brent)
They said they will send it back to HO on the 19th september as this is the date the HO told them the last date for me to attend the ceremony. Its not 3 month or 6 months as my application approved on 19/5/20.
They refused to book for me as I dont have the invitation letter.
I contacted the citizenship help line around 20 times now and they keep saying they cant help and I have to send email to citizenship.support which i sent around 10 email with no response .
I have sent emails to all the citizenship email we have in the forum no response.
I have contacted the council again today and they refused to book or help in any way.
I am lost, I dont know what to do.
Any help please

Try to email you MP, make a complain to the council and the Home office at the same time, explain your situation in details might help. I do not understand why would they refuse to host your ceremony without the invitation letter, During the current situation the local council should be helpful and compassionate rather than trying to create more obstacles to the local residents.

Soo123 · Post by **Soo123** » Tue Sep 08, 2020 10:17 pm

Thanks for the update U Aziz
Hopefully you will get the approval letter soon once they clear the backlog they it won’t take long I was approved end of July but in the letter was dated end of January hopefully we will get the letter end of September.
Please let us know once you get your approval letter

Lopand · Post by **Lopand** » Tue Sep 08, 2020 10:52 pm

Starting on Monday, social gatherings of more than six people will be illegal in England, indoors or outdoors. I assume that it will affect the councils' ability to offer group ceremonies (or even private ceremonies as well). Who knows if this isn't a sign for an upcoming full lockdown.

I've been waiting for my invitation letter since May. So frustrating.

Post by **CULLINAN** » Tue Sep 08, 2020 10:55 pm

Lopand wrote: ↑
Tue Sep 08, 2020 10:52 pm
Starting on Monday, social gatherings of more than six people will be illegal in England, indoors or outdoors. I assume that it will affect the councils' ability to offer group ceremonies (or even private ceremonies as well). Who knows if this isn't a sign for an upcoming full lockdown.

I've been waiting for my invitation letter since May. So frustrating.

Agreed, the new laws effective from Monday will definitely have an impact on further delays.

DreamerInDarkness · Post by **DreamerInDarkness** » Tue Sep 08, 2020 10:57 pm

CULLINAN wrote: ↑
Tue Sep 08, 2020 10:55 pm

Lopand wrote: ↑
Tue Sep 08, 2020 10:52 pm
Starting on Monday, social gatherings of more than six people will be illegal in England, indoors or outdoors. I assume that it will affect the councils' ability to offer group ceremonies (or even private ceremonies as well). Who knows if this isn't a sign for an upcoming full lockdown.

I've been waiting for my invitation letter since May. So frustrating.
Agreed, the new laws effective from Monday will definitely have an impact on further delays.

Hopefully we’ll see a push towards virtual ceremonies nationwide now. That’s an easy solution to this problem.

Rabs · Post by **Rabs** » Tue Sep 08, 2020 11:00 pm

Here we go again....wondering how the new restrictions affect the long-awaited ceremonies

Post by **CULLINAN** » Tue Sep 08, 2020 11:02 pm

Rabs wrote: ↑
Tue Sep 08, 2020 11:00 pm
Here we go again....wondering how the new restrictions affect the long-awaited ceremonies

Gathering of more than 6 will be banned from Monday 14th Sep.

IrobotZ · Post by **IrobotZ** » Tue Sep 08, 2020 11:11 pm

CULLINAN wrote: ↑
Tue Sep 08, 2020 11:02 pm

Rabs wrote: ↑
Tue Sep 08, 2020 11:00 pm
Here we go again....wondering how the new restrictions affect the long-awaited ceremonies
Gathering of more than 6 will be banned from Monday 14th Sep.

If a second ware do hit, people who got approved during June/July may not get the invitation letter before the end of this year... Dreadful situation indeed

The last email from further nationality support in mid Aug mentioned that people should get their invitation between 8-12 weeks, But things will definitely change if new restrictions are introduced

Lopand · Post by **Lopand** » Tue Sep 08, 2020 11:15 pm

DreamerInDarkness wrote: ↑
Tue Sep 08, 2020 10:57 pm

CULLINAN wrote: ↑
Tue Sep 08, 2020 10:55 pm

Lopand wrote: ↑
Tue Sep 08, 2020 10:52 pm
Starting on Monday, social gatherings of more than six people will be illegal in England, indoors or outdoors. I assume that it will affect the councils' ability to offer group ceremonies (or even private ceremonies as well). Who knows if this isn't a sign for an upcoming full lockdown.

I've been waiting for my invitation letter since May. So frustrating.
Agreed, the new laws effective from Monday will definitely have an impact on further delays.
Hopefully we’ll see a push towards virtual ceremonies nationwide now. That’s an easy solution to this problem.

This is my greatest hope! It is the only way, in my opinion, to fight the huge backlog in all councils (but my council insisted that they're not even considering it).

Soo123 · Post by **Soo123** » Tue Sep 08, 2020 11:36 pm

I hope it don’t affect us as schools and work places will be opened fingers crossed

Anatol · Post by **Anatol** » Wed Sep 09, 2020 1:07 am

I do not get it, what's their problem with the virtual ceremony?
Just put a smartphone/laptop in front of the guy who reads the script, run a Microsoft teams meeting and in half an hour 250 ceremonies sorted. Repeat a few times and you are in thousands.
Bureaucracy is more people doing less things, and taking more time to do them worse

DreamerInDarkness · Post by **DreamerInDarkness** » Wed Sep 09, 2020 8:44 am

Anatol wrote: ↑
Wed Sep 09, 2020 1:07 am
I do not get it, what's their problem with the virtual ceremony?
Just put a smartphone/laptop in front of the guy who reads the script, run a Microsoft teams meeting and in half an hour 250 ceremonies sorted. Repeat a few times and you are in thousands.
Bureaucracy is more people doing less things, and taking more time to do them worse

No part of this immigration/citizenship process is designed to make it simple, every part is designed to make it deliberately and pointlessly inefficient, expensive, difficult, time consuming and stressful.

Cocobana · Post by **Cocobana** » Wed Sep 09, 2020 11:01 am

I think the social gathering restrictions due to be imposed is aimed at parties and raves. It does affect workplaces and I don’t think it should affect the ceremony provided that they continue to follow social distance guidelines.
Maybe more details for this new restriction will be released in the coming week

shaggie44 · Post by **shaggie44** » Wed Sep 09, 2020 11:19 am

Finally the journey is over for me!!

I had my private ceremony today in Luton.

Goodluck to everyone still waiting.

Lopand · Post by **Lopand** » Wed Sep 09, 2020 12:28 pm

Cocobana wrote: ↑
Wed Sep 09, 2020 11:01 am
I think the social gathering restrictions due to be imposed is aimed at parties and raves. It does affect workplaces and I don’t think it should affect the ceremony provided that they continue to follow social distance guidelines.
Maybe more details for this new restriction will be released in the coming week

Well, the "social distance guidelines" are about to be gathering of up to 6 people, so of course it will impact (at least) the group ceremonies.

AlexGo · Post by **AlexGo** » Wed Sep 09, 2020 1:17 pm

Hi everyone, who had ceremony certificate please stay in touch about how long need wait a passport. Thanks, it will help for everybody

Post by **CR001** » Wed Sep 09, 2020 1:19 pm

AlexGo wrote: ↑
Wed Sep 09, 2020 1:17 pm
Hi everyone, who had ceremony certificate please stay in touch about how long need wait a passport. Thanks, it will help for everybody

This topic is NOT for 'passport application updates'. If you want to follow the passport application timelines, follow the TIMELINE ONLY thread, link below. Please do not try to take this thread off topic!!

https://www.immigrationboards.com/briti ... -7180.html

Immigrationboards.com: Immigration, work visa and work permit discussion board

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