Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Frou01 wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 12:25 pm

londuk1 wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 11:51 am

Frou01 wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 13, 2020 4:16 pm

Obviously my letter was sent to me on 11th this week.
I’m wondering how long a second class letter can take?
If it arrives soon might be worth changing to a private ceremony which is a lot sooner.

Hi I know we have similar approval dates (3/8 me)

How do you know it was sent on 11/11?

I have sent an email to my CT department.
In our approval letters are the numbers which CT department they respond from and to this one I have sent an email this week.

It was said it was sent on 11/11. That was Wednesday.
As on Thursday my council confirmed they have received my certificate I assume that the certificates are sent 1st class (that’s why the next day arrival) and as invitations are sent 2nd class it hasn’t arrived yet.

Btw I was looking up, 2nd class letters take 2-4 working days (including Saturdays) and not 10 working days.

oh my god you are right.
I just searched on Wandsworth council online ceremony booking system with my approval letter reference number and they got my certificate. woohoo
So my invitation letter should be on the way to me this week.

londuk1 wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 3:04 pm

Frou01 wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 12:25 pm

londuk1 wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 11:51 am

Frou01 wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 13, 2020 4:16 pm

Obviously my letter was sent to me on 11th this week.
I’m wondering how long a second class letter can take?
If it arrives soon might be worth changing to a private ceremony which is a lot sooner.

Hi I know we have similar approval dates (3/8 me)

How do you know it was sent on 11/11?

I have sent an email to my CT department.
In our approval letters are the numbers which CT department they respond from and to this one I have sent an email this week.

It was said it was sent on 11/11. That was Wednesday.
As on Thursday my council confirmed they have received my certificate I assume that the certificates are sent 1st class (that’s why the next day arrival) and as invitations are sent 2nd class it hasn’t arrived yet.

Btw I was looking up, 2nd class letters take 2-4 working days (including Saturdays) and not 10 working days.

oh my god you are right.
I just searched on Wandsworth council online ceremony booking system with my approval letter reference number and they got my certificate. woohoo
So my invitation letter should be on the way to me this week.

Oh wow that’s amazing! So happy for you.

#####UPDATE####


I have received a letter from my local registrars today and they are asking few personal details in order to book a time slot for citizenship cermony next week. I still have not received any invitation letter from hone office but it seem they have got all the paper work . My approval date was 18 August via email

ILR1980 wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 3:26 pm

#####UPDATE####


I have received a letter from my local registrars today and they are asking few personal details in order to book a time slot for citizenship cermony next week. I still have not received any invitation letter from hone office but it seem they have got all the paper work . My approval date was 18 August via email

What is your council and your timeline please

Hello all. I have not actually followed this thread previously. Please can someone who has been following this thread, be kind enough to give me a summary of what is happening with ceremonies.
What is the average time for ceremonies after approval letter? Any other suggestions?
Thank you

CULLINAN wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 4:41 pm

Hello all. I have not actually followed this thread previously. Please can someone who has been following this thread, be kind enough to give me a summary of what is happening with ceremonies.
What is the average time for ceremonies after approval letter? Any other suggestions?
Thank you

Hello. What is your council and your time line if you may share. Thank you

CULLINAN wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 4:41 pm

Hello all. I have not actually followed this thread previously. Please can someone who has been following this thread, be kind enough to give me a summary of what is happening with ceremonies.
What is the average time for ceremonies after approval letter? Any other suggestions?
Thank you

My suggestion is to follow the posts of baybars1.
He calculated a quite correct model of posting and arriving invitation letters depending on your approval date. Some people confirmed that the model works.


baybars1 » Thu Oct 15, 2020 10:58 am

Now that we have reached mid-July approvals with ceremony invites, let's take stock of the timeline projections. Better-than expected performance with respect to letter-sending timeline for some recent approvals has prompted me to the previous scrap point estimate for the arrival date of the invite and replace it with an empirically established range. The idea is to give a greater weight to more recent information.

Approved on -- Letter date - - - Letter arrival, date range------------
22/06/2020 - - - 28/09/2020 - - - from 05/10/2020 - - - to 19/10/2020
29/06/2020 - - - 01/10/2020 - - - from 08/10/2020 - - - to 22/10/2020
01/07/2020 - - - 02/10/2020 - - - from 09/10/2020 - - - to 23/10/2020
09/07/2020 - - - 07/10/2020 - - - from 14/10/2020 - - - to 28/10/2020
15/07/2020 - - - 09/10/2020 - - - from 16/10/2020 - - - to 30/10/2020
22/07/2020 - - - 14/10/2020 - - - from 21/10/2020 - - - to 04/11/2020
29/07/2020 - - - 16/10/2020 - - - from 23/10/2020 - - - to 06/11/2020
01/08/2020 - - - 19/10/2020 - - - from 26/10/2020 - - - to 09/11/2020
08/08/2020 - - - 22/10/2020 - - - from 29/10/2020 - - - to 12/11/2020
15/08/2020 - - - 27/10/2020 - - - from 03/11/2020 - - - to 17/11/2020
19/08/2020 - - - 28/10/2020 - - - from 04/11/2020 - - - to 18/11/2020
29/08/2020 - - - 03/11/2020 - - - from 10/11/2020 - - - to 24/11/2020
01/09/2020 - - - 04/11/2020 - - - from 11/11/2020 - - - to 25/11/2020
08/09/2020 - - - 06/11/2020 - - - from 13/11/2020 - - - to 27/11/2020
15/09/2020 - - - 11/11/2020 - - - from 18/11/2020 - - - to 02/12/2020
22/09/2020 - - - 16/11/2020 - - - from 23/11/2020 - - - to 07/12/2020
29/09/2020 - - - 18/11/2020 - - - from 25/11/2020 - - - to 09/12/2020
01/10/2020 - - - 19/11/2020 - - - from 26/11/2020 - - - to 10/12/2020
08/10/2020 - - - 24/11/2020 - - - from 01/12/2020 - - - to 15/12/2020
15/10/2020 - - - 27/11/2020 - - - from 04/12/2020 - - - to 18/12/2020
22/10/2020 - - - 01/12/2020 - - - from 08/12/2020 - - - to 22/12/2020
29/10/2020 - - - 04/12/2020 - - - from 11/12/2020 - - - to 25/12/2020
01/11/2020 - - - 04/12/2020 - - - from 11/12/2020 - - - to 25/12/2020

CULLINAN wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 4:41 pm

Hello all. I have not actually followed this thread previously. Please can someone who has been following this thread, be kind enough to give me a summary of what is happening with ceremonies.
What is the average time for ceremonies after approval letter? Any other suggestions?
Thank you

Having made a dog's dinner of the entire process, the Home Office are now sending invitation letters and certificates for those approved up until September and in large numbers, hard at work to catch up, apparently. However, they are no longer printing and posting these docs in the strict date order of approval (if they every really did), so trying to predict when your letter will arrive is hard.

I had made a model for members of this forum, trying to predict exactly that and it has worked for some. Whilst you can certainly check it out, it is worth highlighting the fact that the actual deviations from central predictions have been quite large for some members.

Needless to mention, the Home Office's reputation for unresponsiveness to case-specific queries has reached epic proportions.

To top it all off, some local councils in are conducting citizenship ceremonies whereas the others aren't, citing coronavirus restrictions (even though they are not legally prohibited from conducting those ceremonies).

If you are still awaiting your invitation letter, good luck!

Thank you @szrsrts @BGV

Thank you @Baybars1

Thank you for making the model. My situation is a little different than others. I applied on 22nd June and got an approval letter in the POST today 14th Nov (dated 10th Nov). No email approval.

Background: On 6th Nov, I received a UKVI survey email which is usually sent after a decision is made. However, I had not received any decision. I enquired with HO on 10th Nov as I was concerned, and same date is on my approval letter received via post on 14th Nov. So maybe that triggered approval letter via post. (?)

I am assuming my decision MAY have been made on an earlier date but maybe not pushed via email (as reported by many others previously- technical/human error?)

Having said that, time will tell when I receive my citizenship ceremony invitation letter. My decision letter does not state the “12 weeks wait.” Has it changed now?

CULLINAN wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 4:41 pm

What is the average time for ceremonies after approval letter?

It appears to differ from council to council. If you post the council that you expect the ceremony to be held at, others who have applied within the same council area will be able to respond with the information.

The ceremony part of the process is controlled/run by the local councils and there is a wide range of service among various councils, with some holding only virtual, some holding only private in-person (with some charging extra for it and others not charging for it) and some holding group, socially distanced ceremonies (again, some allowing guests and some not allowing guests, etc).

If you post the council that you expect the ceremony to be held at, others who have applied within the same council area will be able to respond with the information.

Thank you for your reply. I have an experience how ceremonies work pre-corona as my wife attended one. However, post corona things are different. Thanks for filling me in.

My council is London borough of Hounslow. Any members having experience with this council? Is this council working at pace?

Szrsrts wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 3:53 pm

ILR1980 wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 3:26 pm

#####UPDATE####


I have received a letter from my local registrars today and they are asking few personal details in order to book a time slot for citizenship cermony next week. I still have not received any invitation letter from hone office but it seem they have got all the paper work . My approval date was 18 August via email

What is your council and your timeline please

My Council is Southampton

Date of application:, 28July 2020
BIOMETRIC ENROLMENT : 12 August 2020
Decision email with Approval : 18August 2020
Letter received from local registrars (asking to book ceremony) : 14 Nov 2020

Hi, Cullinan.
I am unlucky to be bonded to Hounslow council.
No updates on their website about ceremonies ( last one- 14.08 ) and no facility to check on arrivals of the certificates, using your reference number.
After every my email, I got a call from them, telling me that HO is extremely busy (what a news ! )and demand that I MUST have an invitation letter.
Medieval....
Approved on on 18.08.

korben555 wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 9:34 pm

Hi, Cullinan.
I am unlucky to be bonded to Hounslow council.
No updates on their website about ceremonies ( last one- 14.08 ) and no facility to check on arrivals of the certificates, using your reference number.
After every my email, I got a call from them, telling me that HO is extremely busy (what a news ! )and demand that I MUST have an invitation letter.
Medieval....
Approved on on 18.08.

Thank you for the update. I suppose the HO ceremony invitation letter is important as by the time one receives that, the certificate is despatched to the council also. Is my understanding correct??
I checked that there website is not updated after 14/8 also

Since you were approved in August, I assume you will be next in line?

Good news guys just got home and my invitation letter from the Home office has arrived.
Date applied :2nd July 2020
Date of biometrics : 22nd August 2020
Date of approval: 09 September 2020
Invitation letter dated : 28 October 2020
Invitation letter received : 13 November 2020
Invitation from Hackney council :14 Nov 2020
Citizenship ceremony : 25 November 2020
Council : Hackney council

Will update you when I’m able to book the ceremony date. Good luck guys
[/quote]

Just wanted to update:
My cousin was approved in July, he got ceremony invitation last week and attended ceremony yesterday in Merton Council.

My friend approved in July also got ceremony invitation last week. Ceremony next month in Hillingdon Council.

Might be useful for someone following these councils.

CULLINAN wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 7:34 pm

Thank you @szrsrts @BGV

Thank you @Baybars1

Thank you for making the model. My situation is a little different than others. I applied on 22nd June and got an approval letter in the POST today 14th Nov (dated 10th Nov). No email approval.

Background: On 6th Nov, I received a UKVI survey email which is usually sent after a decision is made. However, I had not received any decision. I enquired with HO on 10th Nov as I was concerned, and same date is on my approval letter received via post on 14th Nov. So maybe that triggered approval letter via post. (?)

I am assuming my decision MAY have been made on an earlier date but maybe not pushed via email (as reported by many others previously- technical/human error?)

Having said that, time will tell when I receive my citizenship ceremony invitation letter. My decision letter does not state the “12 weeks wait.” Has it changed now?

Maybe they have skipped the 12 weeks part as it doesn’t work anyway from what we have seen and likely the backlog might be cleared or at least partly soon and waiting times might be a lot shorter.

I’ve heard about that survey. I’m wondering why they have never sent it to me...

@Frou01
Yes i think they are catching up with the speed of printing ceremony invitations and certificates. Not everyone receives a UKVI survey but usually it is received after decision.

Frou01 wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 12:25 pm

I have sent an email to my CT department.
In our approval letters are the numbers which CT department they respond from and to this one I have sent an email this week.

It was said it was sent on 11/11. That was Wednesday.
As on Thursday my council confirmed they have received my certificate I assume that the certificates are sent 1st class (that’s why the next day arrival) and as invitations are sent 2nd class it hasn’t arrived yet.

Btw I was looking up, 2nd class letters take 2-4 working days (including Saturdays) and not 10 working days.

Hi Frou01.
Could you please tell me how long it took the CT dept. to respond to your email?
Was it your caseworker who responded?
Thank you.

CULLINAN wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 10:05 pm

@Frou01
Yes i think they are catching up with the speed of printing ceremony invitations and certificates. Not everyone receives a UKVI survey but usually it is received after decision.

From what I’ve seen applicants got it usually like 2 weeks after approval. So maybe like you said yours has been some time ago.

And congratulations btw and hopefully the wait isn’t too long for your ceremony.

Dreams101 wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 10:16 pm

Frou01 wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 12:25 pm

I have sent an email to my CT department.
In our approval letters are the numbers which CT department they respond from and to this one I have sent an email this week.

It was said it was sent on 11/11. That was Wednesday.
As on Thursday my council confirmed they have received my certificate I assume that the certificates are sent 1st class (that’s why the next day arrival) and as invitations are sent 2nd class it hasn’t arrived yet.

Btw I was looking up, 2nd class letters take 2-4 working days (including Saturdays) and not 10 working days.

Hi Frou01.
Could you please tell me how long it took the CT dept. to respond to your email?
Was it your caseworker who responded?
Thank you.

Less than 24 hours. Yes from caseworker.
Didn’t expect that this fast as I sent in the past an email to citizenship support and took them over two months to sent me a reply.
A friend has emailed to her CT which is a different number and got no response. And another person I know has sent one the week before only brief response like you will receive it shortly and in fact it was there 2 days later.
Let us know when you have received something. Good luck!

Frou01 wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 10:26 pm

Less than 24 hours. Yes from caseworker.
Didn’t expect that this fast as I sent in the past an email to citizenship support and took them over two months to sent me a reply.
A friend has emailed to her CT which is a different number and got no response. And another person I know has sent one the week before only brief response like you will receive it shortly and in fact it was there 2 days later.
Let us know when you have received something. Good luck!

This is very helpful. Thank you very much for your reply.
I am going to email them Monday morning. Hopefully they'll reply with an update.

Dreams101 wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 10:36 pm

Frou01 wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 10:26 pm

Less than 24 hours. Yes from caseworker.
Didn’t expect that this fast as I sent in the past an email to citizenship support and took them over two months to sent me a reply.
A friend has emailed to her CT which is a different number and got no response. And another person I know has sent one the week before only brief response like you will receive it shortly and in fact it was there 2 days later.
Let us know when you have received something. Good luck!

This is very helpful. Thank you very much for your reply.
I am going to email them Monday morning. Hopefully they'll reply with an update.

May I know what is this email for?? To chase ceremony invitations? Thanks

CULLINAN wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 10:37 pm

May I know what is this email for?? To chase ceremony invitations? Thanks

Hi. Yes. I was approved by email back in May and I haven't received anything from the HO since then!

CULLINAN wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 10:37 pm

Dreams101 wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 10:36 pm

Frou01 wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 14, 2020 10:26 pm

Less than 24 hours. Yes from caseworker.
Didn’t expect that this fast as I sent in the past an email to citizenship support and took them over two months to sent me a reply.
A friend has emailed to her CT which is a different number and got no response. And another person I know has sent one the week before only brief response like you will receive it shortly and in fact it was there 2 days later.
Let us know when you have received something. Good luck!

This is very helpful. Thank you very much for your reply.
I am going to email them Monday morning. Hopefully they'll reply with an update.

May I know what is this email for?? To chase ceremony invitations? Thanks

Many departments have stopped to respond to answer emails. And as so many are over the 12 week limit and expecting their letters since some weeks some have got a response from their CT department (the CT number is included in the approval pdf letter). However some got a response, some not (yet?).
When waiting for so long and many haven’t received anything after the announced time it got a bit frustrating to have no communication.

However when calling the helpline they have mentioned that HO doesn’t want to get contacted by email, only in writing.