General discussion on naturalization applications

Hi Hassan1983
5 year Refugee +ILR 13 Years long Residency
with No criminal Records & No Convictions
To be honest I have no idea what is causing to delay my application

One of my friend's application took 16 months
And my other friend got approved in 14 months

It's Monday again! I was refreshing my mailbox for 100 times but still got no approval. Anyone got the good news already?

mrafgsharoon wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 07, 2021 1:32 am

Hi Hassan1983
5 year Refugee +ILR 13 Years long Residency
with No criminal Records & No Convictions
To be honest I have no idea what is causing to delay my application

One of my friend's application took 16 months
And my other friend got approved in 14 months

Jeeeeeeeeeeez, that is a very long time!!

I started to think the nationality plays a big role in how soon/slow we all get the decisions from the HO.

I could be wrong though!

prs wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 10:49 am

mrafgsharoon wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 07, 2021 1:32 am

Hi Hassan1983
5 year Refugee +ILR 13 Years long Residency
with No criminal Records & No Convictions
To be honest I have no idea what is causing to delay my application

One of my friend's application took 16 months
And my other friend got approved in 14 months

Jeeeeeeeeeeez, that is a very long time!!

I started to think the nationality plays a big role in how soon/slow we all get the decisions from the HO.

I could be wrong though!

Unfortunately that could be the case unless HO release the enigmatic procedure their rituals follow in framing time for BC Applications desicion..

Any one had experience. I submitted application on 21/05
I received email from HO 07/09 that

Your English language qualification you have provided was taken more than 2 years prior to your application and was not a requirement of your indefinite leave to remain/settlement and
If you do not send this information by 28/9/21 your application may be refused. I booked another b1 test on same day and sent the result on 12/09 and I am still waiting
From last 2 months
I seen one of the member posted his timeline recently saying his response was not processed correctly and they said they didn't receive his response and his application was on hold. 6 months going to complete next week

I can see that some people who applied in August or Sept have received responses. There doesn't seem to be any order but at least people are being approved.

daku wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 8:30 pm

I can see that some people who applied in August or Sept have received responses. There doesn't seem to be any order but at least people are being approved.

And that is the frustrating part... next week it will be 5 month for me...

Markus2904 wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 09, 2021 9:22 am

daku wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 08, 2021 8:30 pm

I can see that some people who applied in August or Sept have received responses. There doesn't seem to be any order but at least people are being approved.

And that is the frustrating part... next week it will be 5 month for me...

It's a random system. No logic in their selection of cases for approval.

Pretty frustrating, I applied on 07 June 2021 (Eligibility: British spouse + ILR) with biometrics on 10 June 2021 and still waiting, 152 days. Emailed home office on 26 October 2021 with no response yet except for the automated one that we will get back in 20 working days if it's been 6 months. One can only hope.

I submitted an FOI request last month and received a reply from the Home Office.

The average processing time for naturalisation applications submitted this year is approximately 100 days.

The number of naturalisation applications received in 2021 is below: Jan 11244, Feb 12,081, Mar 14,067 Apr 10,807 May 10,956 June 11,487. The delay of June applications might be caused by the impact of the high number of applications submitted in March.

In 2021 approximately 8% of the applicants received approval within 30 days. Over 23% of the applications were approved within 60 days.

I have submitted another FOI request and asked for the order that UKVI processed the applications, and why they prioritised the later submissions instead of dealing with the early pending applications.

Aerotony wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 10, 2021 8:40 am

I submitted an FOI request last month and received a reply from the Home Office.

The average processing time for naturalisation applications submitted this year is approximately 100 days.

The number of naturalisation applications received in 2021 is below: Jan 11244, Feb 12,081, Mar 14,067 Apr 10,807 May 10,956 June 11,487. The delay of June applications might be caused by the impact of the high number of applications submitted in March.

In 2021 approximately 8% of the applicants received approval within 30 days. Over 23% of the applications were approved within 60 days.

I have submitted another FOI request and asked for the order that UKVI processed the applications, and why they prioritised the later submissions instead of dealing with the early pending applications.

I've also requested a FOI from the Home Office Yesterday and asked the following:

1- What are the EXACT steps that a caseworker will take once a Naturalisation Application has been assigned to them?

2- How many cases are assigned to each caseworker (an average would suffice).

3- What are the names of the 'third party' companies that HO and UKVI work with to gather information about the applicant?

4- What is the Naturalisation fee (£1,330+) for?

5- Does the applicant nationality (country of origin) play a role in making decisions for his/her Naturalisation Application?

6- Why UKVI and HO ignores emails and requests sent to them regarding Naturalisation Applications even though they charge a huge amount of money for this service?

prs wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 10, 2021 1:33 pm

Aerotony wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 10, 2021 8:40 am

I submitted an FOI request last month and received a reply from the Home Office.

The average processing time for naturalisation applications submitted this year is approximately 100 days.

The number of naturalisation applications received in 2021 is below: Jan 11244, Feb 12,081, Mar 14,067 Apr 10,807 May 10,956 June 11,487. The delay of June applications might be caused by the impact of the high number of applications submitted in March.

In 2021 approximately 8% of the applicants received approval within 30 days. Over 23% of the applications were approved within 60 days.

I have submitted another FOI request and asked for the order that UKVI processed the applications, and why they prioritised the later submissions instead of dealing with the early pending applications.

I've also requested a FOI from the Home Office Yesterday and asked the following:

1- What are the EXACT steps that a caseworker will take once a Naturalisation Application has been assigned to them?

2- How many cases are assigned to each caseworker (an average would suffice).

3- What are the names of the 'third party' companies that HO and UKVI work with to gather information about the applicant?

4- What is the Naturalisation fee (£1,330+) for?

5- Does the applicant nationality (country of origin) play a role in making decisions for his/her Naturalisation Application?

6- Why UKVI and HO ignores emails and requests sent to them regarding Naturalisation Applications even though they charge a huge amount of money for this service?

HO will not answer any of your questions, as they don't fall under FOI. Only question 2, was it formulated differently, could be considered under FOI.

Question 4 is partially answered here. Basically the cost of naturalisation is much lower than the fee, HO is making a lot of profit on these applications.

TerryGH wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 10, 2021 2:09 pm

prs wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 10, 2021 1:33 pm

Aerotony wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 10, 2021 8:40 am

I submitted an FOI request last month and received a reply from the Home Office.

The average processing time for naturalisation applications submitted this year is approximately 100 days.

The number of naturalisation applications received in 2021 is below: Jan 11244, Feb 12,081, Mar 14,067 Apr 10,807 May 10,956 June 11,487. The delay of June applications might be caused by the impact of the high number of applications submitted in March.

In 2021 approximately 8% of the applicants received approval within 30 days. Over 23% of the applications were approved within 60 days.

I have submitted another FOI request and asked for the order that UKVI processed the applications, and why they prioritised the later submissions instead of dealing with the early pending applications.

I've also requested a FOI from the Home Office Yesterday and asked the following:

1- What are the EXACT steps that a caseworker will take once a Naturalisation Application has been assigned to them?

2- How many cases are assigned to each caseworker (an average would suffice).

3- What are the names of the 'third party' companies that HO and UKVI work with to gather information about the applicant?

4- What is the Naturalisation fee (£1,330+) for?

5- Does the applicant nationality (country of origin) play a role in making decisions for his/her Naturalisation Application?

6- Why UKVI and HO ignores emails and requests sent to them regarding Naturalisation Applications even though they charge a huge amount of money for this service?

HO will not answer any of your questions, as they don't fall under FOI. Only question 2, was it formulated differently, could be considered under FOI.

Question 4 is partially answered here. Basically the cost of naturalisation is much lower than the fee, HO is making a lot of profit on these applications.

All of the questions that I asked were carefully thought and planned so they all fall under the FOI category.

They have assigned the "case" to a caseworker now and will get back to me with answers which I will be positing here when they do.


Only question 2, was it formulated differently, could be considered under FOI.

Re your comment above, there's no other way of 'formulating' that question. its a straightforward question which requires a straightforward answer.

Also, we all know that the high court has found the Home Office’s fees unlawful. Hence my question number 4. I need a written evidence from them for future reference.

P.S. finding them unlawful over a year ago has NOT stopped them from charging people nor has it stopped them from increasing their fees.

The rules only apply to the applicants and not them. Try and miss a document and you will feel the full force of their policy. They are a money making machine and a good one at it. They are business and not there to serve the applicants. Shouldn't they refund people their money if they don't meet their deadlines?

prs wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 10, 2021 1:33 pm

Aerotony wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 10, 2021 8:40 am

I submitted an FOI request last month and received a reply from the Home Office.

The average processing time for naturalisation applications submitted this year is approximately 100 days.

The number of naturalisation applications received in 2021 is below: Jan 11244, Feb 12,081, Mar 14,067 Apr 10,807 May 10,956 June 11,487. The delay of June applications might be caused by the impact of the high number of applications submitted in March.

In 2021 approximately 8% of the applicants received approval within 30 days. Over 23% of the applications were approved within 60 days.

I have submitted another FOI request and asked for the order that UKVI processed the applications, and why they prioritised the later submissions instead of dealing with the early pending applications.

I've also requested a FOI from the Home Office Yesterday and asked the following:

1- What are the EXACT steps that a caseworker will take once a Naturalisation Application has been assigned to them?

2- How many cases are assigned to each caseworker (an average would suffice).

3- What are the names of the 'third party' companies that HO and UKVI work with to gather information about the applicant?

4- What is the Naturalisation fee (£1,330+) for?

5- Does the applicant nationality (country of origin) play a role in making decisions for his/her Naturalisation Application?

6- Why UKVI and HO ignores emails and requests sent to them regarding Naturalisation Applications even though they charge a huge amount of money for this service?

Thank you for submitting the FOI request and I hope both of us could receive the reply from the Home Office.

I believe the issue is with the UKVI's case allocation system. According to a FOI request submitted a few years ago, the UKVI always relocated the Nationality and Citizenship caseworkers to help the other departments (e.g. Passport office, visitor visa) when they were experiencing a high workload. When these caseworkers return to the N&C team, or the new caseworkers join the department, the system will allocate the fresh cases to them. Since they don't have any pending cases, the new applications will be processed within a few days or weeks. In the meantime, if a caseworker is on leave (sick or holiday), all the allocated pending cases will be put on hold until he/she returns, or the leave has exceeded a certain length of time. It's one of the most reasonable explanations since I experienced exactly the same issue with the IT and finance department where I work. 

For the issue of the application fee, several MPs have sent written questions to the Home Office and the replies were ' they are within the parameters agreed with HM Treasury and Parliament, as set out in Section 68 (9) of the Immigration Act 2014'. Unfortunately the courts cannot order government departments what to do. Even if the court ruled that the application fee is illegal, the UKVI will do some internal reviews, researches, calculations then discuss the case with the HM Treasury. The process might take years. Technically the Home Office is using the profit that generated from us to fill the hole in their budgets. 

4- What is the Naturalisation fee (£1,330+) for?

@Aerotony
This is not an internal secret.
The previous Home Secretary explained in front of the Home Affairs Committee that the total naturalisation fee is made up (roughly) of c.£400 pounds processing fee, £80 ceremony fee and the remaining portion to support/subsidise the work of the Home Office. These are not the precise numbers (except for the ceremony fee) but they are ballpark (could be researched in the committee's minutes).

Aerotony wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 10, 2021 3:43 pm

prs wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 10, 2021 1:33 pm

Aerotony wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 10, 2021 8:40 am

I submitted an FOI request last month and received a reply from the Home Office.

The average processing time for naturalisation applications submitted this year is approximately 100 days.

The number of naturalisation applications received in 2021 is below: Jan 11244, Feb 12,081, Mar 14,067 Apr 10,807 May 10,956 June 11,487. The delay of June applications might be caused by the impact of the high number of applications submitted in March.

In 2021 approximately 8% of the applicants received approval within 30 days. Over 23% of the applications were approved within 60 days.

I have submitted another FOI request and asked for the order that UKVI processed the applications, and why they prioritised the later submissions instead of dealing with the early pending applications.

I've also requested a FOI from the Home Office Yesterday and asked the following:

1- What are the EXACT steps that a caseworker will take once a Naturalisation Application has been assigned to them?

2- How many cases are assigned to each caseworker (an average would suffice).

3- What are the names of the 'third party' companies that HO and UKVI work with to gather information about the applicant?

4- What is the Naturalisation fee (£1,330+) for?

5- Does the applicant nationality (country of origin) play a role in making decisions for his/her Naturalisation Application?

6- Why UKVI and HO ignores emails and requests sent to them regarding Naturalisation Applications even though they charge a huge amount of money for this service?

Thank you for submitting the FOI request and I hope both of us could receive the reply from the Home Office.

I believe the issue is with the UKVI's case allocation system. According to a FOI request submitted a few years ago, the UKVI always relocated the Nationality and Citizenship caseworkers to help the other departments (e.g. Passport office, visitor visa) when they were experiencing a high workload. When these caseworkers return to the N&C team, or the new caseworkers join the department, the system will allocate the fresh cases to them. Since they don't have any pending cases, the new applications will be processed within a few days or weeks. In the meantime, if a caseworker is on leave (sick or holiday), all the allocated pending cases will be put on hold until he/she returns, or the leave has exceeded a certain length of time. It's one of the most reasonable explanations since I experienced exactly the same issue with the IT and finance department where I work. 

For the issue of the application fee, several MPs have sent written questions to the Home Office and the replies were ' they are within the parameters agreed with HM Treasury and Parliament, as set out in Section 68 (9) of the Immigration Act 2014'. Unfortunately the courts cannot order government departments what to do. Even if the court ruled that the application fee is illegal, the UKVI will do some internal reviews, researches, calculations then discuss the case with the HM Treasury. The process might take years. Technically the Home Office is using the profit that generated from us to fill the hole in their budgets. 

Its absolutely disgusting how this whole thing runs!

I feel bad for people that still come over here or planning to come over here just to realise in the future that they've made a huge mistake!

alterhase58 wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 10, 2021 4:06 pm

4- What is the Naturalisation fee (£1,330+) for?

@Aerotony
This is not an internal secret.
The previous Home Secretary explained in front of the Home Affairs Committee that the total naturalisation fee is made up (roughly) of c.£400 pounds processing fee, £80 ceremony fee and the remaining portion to support/subsidise the work of the Home Office. These are not the precise numbers (except for the ceremony fee) but they are ballpark (could be researched in the committee's minutes).

You see, I don't mind if I pay 2k for a service and receive a service that's actually worth that much!

But when I pay £1500 for a service and receive a service thats equivalent to what I'd get from my local corner shop, then thats whats annoying and that's what HO doesn't seem to understand!

Hi Marcus 2904
Just to let you know I received approval email today.
It took 5 month and 24 days
Good luck for you.

Hi Marcus 2904
Just to let you know I received approval email today.
It took 5 month and 24 days
Good luck for you.

faizanminhas2012 wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 15, 2021 9:30 am

Hi Marcus 2904
Just to let you know I received approval email today.
It took 5 month and 24 days
Good luck for you.

Thanks... funnily enough I received my email today....

Over the moon...

Markus2904 wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 15, 2021 5:27 pm

faizanminhas2012 wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 15, 2021 9:30 am

Hi Marcus 2904
Just to let you know I received approval email today.
It took 5 month and 24 days
Good luck for you.

Thanks... funnily enough I received my email today....

Over the moon...

Congrats to both!
You applied 3 weeks before me, so it gives me hope that I can receive the decision in 2021.

Congratulations

Good luck to you. One thing is sure they only send approval Emails every Monday.

TerryGH wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 15, 2021 5:50 pm

Markus2904 wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 15, 2021 5:27 pm

faizanminhas2012 wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 15, 2021 9:30 am

Hi Marcus 2904
Just to let you know I received approval email today.
It took 5 month and 24 days
Good luck for you.

Thanks... funnily enough I received my email today....

Over the moon...

Congrats to both!
You applied 3 weeks before me, so it gives me hope that I can receive the decision in 2021.

Thanks. I actually got 2 emails with the exact same wording... lol