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Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

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CULLINAN
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Re: Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Post by CULLINAN » Sat Nov 14, 2020 8:01 pm

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?
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Re: Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Post by ILR1980 » Sat Nov 14, 2020 8:32 pm

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

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Re: Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Post by korben555 » 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.

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Re: Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Post by CULLINAN » Sat Nov 14, 2020 9:40 pm

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 :shock:

Since you were approved in August, I assume you will be next in line?
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Re: Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Post by Yawboat » Sat Nov 14, 2020 9:45 pm

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]

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CULLINAN
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Re: Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Post by CULLINAN » Sat Nov 14, 2020 9:49 pm

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.
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Re: Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Post by Frou01 » Sat Nov 14, 2020 10:01 pm

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...

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Re: Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Post by CULLINAN » 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.
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Re: Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Post by Dreams101 » 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.

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Re: Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Post by Frou01 » Sat Nov 14, 2020 10:17 pm

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. :)

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Re: Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Post by Frou01 » Sat Nov 14, 2020 10:26 pm

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! :)

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Re: Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Post by Dreams101 » 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.

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Re: Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Post by CULLINAN » 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
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Re: Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Post by Dreams101 » Sat Nov 14, 2020 10:55 pm

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!

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Re: Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Post by Frou01 » Sat Nov 14, 2020 10:58 pm

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.

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Re: Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Post by CULLINAN » Sat Nov 14, 2020 11:41 pm

Thank you @Frou01 for the information.
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Re: Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Post by baybars1 » Sun Nov 15, 2020 12:51 am

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?
If there is no 12-week wait mentioned in your approval letter, I would think that you should receive your invitation soon.

Basically, once your application has been approved, it is transferred from the Caseworking Team (CT) to the Citizenship Ceremonies Support Team (CCST). The former would have notified you about the approval whereas the latter would send you the invite.

Also, while the CT can work from home, the CCST cannot, which is why they had a massive hiatus between mid-March and early August. That is also why the CT had been advising people whose applications were approved between the start of the first lockdown and maybe mid October about the 12-week wait. However, the CCST seem to have been sending large numbers of certificates to councils on a weekly basis since the last week of October.

Therefore, maybe, just maybe, the CCST is now in a position to start sending invites shortly after the case has been transferred to them, for the more recent approvals, at least.

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Re: Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Post by CULLINAN » Sun Nov 15, 2020 12:54 am

@Baybars1
Many thanks for your knowledgeable and informative reply. Fingers crossed, lets see when I get the ceremony invite. I will update here as soon as I get it.
Yes the approval I got in post has the CT number and CW name also.
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Re: Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Post by Choudhryalim » Sun Nov 15, 2020 1:28 am

@CULLIMAN

Congratulations on receiving your approval.
I remember you from the other thread giving advice to people regarding biometric information

I am glad that you have received your approval

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Re: Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Post by CULLINAN » Sun Nov 15, 2020 1:31 am

Choudhryalim wrote:
Sun Nov 15, 2020 1:28 am
@CULLIMAN

Congratulations on receiving your approval.
I remember you from the other thread giving advice to people regarding biometric information

I am glad that you have received your approval
Thank you :lol:
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Re: Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Post by SwiftKey » Sun Nov 15, 2020 7:41 am

CULLINAN wrote:
Sun Nov 15, 2020 1:31 am
Choudhryalim wrote:
Sun Nov 15, 2020 1:28 am
@CULLIMAN

Congratulations on receiving your approval.
I remember you from the other thread giving advice to people regarding biometric information

I am glad that you have received your approval
Thank you :lol:
congratulations! when was your application been approved CULLINAN ?

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Re: Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Post by PJUKVIS » Sun Nov 15, 2020 8:01 am

Szrsrts wrote:
Fri Nov 13, 2020 1:47 pm
toombs wrote:
Fri Nov 13, 2020 1:37 pm
Nope...still nothing
19th of August approval here...Still waiting for the invitation letter(it will be 3 months on 19th of November). Contacted Bristol council on Thursday, I was told that they waiting for big batch and I was asked to call them back next week... :|: cry its like never-ending story...
15 th August here.. Still waiting..
Thanks to everyone updating us from Bristol. It’s useful to see other people’s timelines.

I’m Bristol Council too and still waiting. I was approved on 15th September.

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Re: Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Post by CULLINAN » Sun Nov 15, 2020 10:21 am

SwiftKey wrote:
Sun Nov 15, 2020 7:41 am
congratulations! when was your application been approved CULLINAN ?
Thank you. 14th Nov.
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Re: Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Post by Frou01 » Sun Nov 15, 2020 11:22 am

PJUKVIS wrote:
Sun Nov 15, 2020 8:01 am
Szrsrts wrote:
Fri Nov 13, 2020 1:47 pm
toombs wrote:
Fri Nov 13, 2020 1:37 pm
Nope...still nothing
19th of August approval here...Still waiting for the invitation letter(it will be 3 months on 19th of November). Contacted Bristol council on Thursday, I was told that they waiting for big batch and I was asked to call them back next week... :|: cry its like never-ending story...
15 th August here.. Still waiting..
Thanks to everyone updating us from Bristol. It’s useful to see other people’s timelines.

I’m Bristol Council too and still waiting. I was approved on 15th September.
Could anyone from Bristol tell me if they would go ahead with a ceremony when the certificate would be there, but not the invitation letter?
A friend is waiting in Bristol and we are wondering if they confirm next week they have received her certificate with that big batch (as August approval too) to go ahead for the case the invitation letter still doesn’t come.

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Re: Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

Post by Szrsrts » Sun Nov 15, 2020 1:03 pm

Hello people,

I recently emailed home office and obviously received a automated email. Strangely it is quite different than the previous one.

Before
When your application has been approved, your invitation will be sent when your Local Authority is in a position to host your ceremony and it may take up to 12 weeks for your ceremony invite to be sent.

Now
Whilst we will continue to work closely with our local authorities to expand the provision of citizenship ceremonies, including the expansion of availability of virtual ceremonies, due to the changing restrictions and guidance relating to COVID-19, it is not possible at this time to advise when a certificate will be despatched once an application has been approved.

So this means waiting time is not 12 weeks anymore longer than that?

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