naturalisation application withdrawal

YM1900 · Post by **YM1900** » Thu Jan 06, 2022 1:40 am

Dear All,

I've made a mistake submitting my naturalisation application to early and decided to cancel it and resubmit. I've done that via https://eforms.homeoffice.gov.uk/outrea ... 1629651968 (from https://www.gov.uk/cancel-visa). After that I've sent a new application, booked biometric, fingerprints were taken etc.

Problem is that I've never got any emails from HO regarding my 1st application withdrawal while it was almost a month ago. Is there any way to get in touch or it's taking significantly more than a month normally? Probably something went wrong while I was sending that cancellation request and it's easier to resend it but don't want to cause anymore confusion.

Thank you in advance.

Post by **kamoe** » Wed Mar 16, 2022 8:11 pm

I'm in the same boat. Withdrew my partner's application two weeks and a half ago, using your same method, without acknowledgement. Seeing other posts, it doesn't seem like they sent automatic confirmation of request, neither an approximate timeframe.

Did you receive a refund or heard anything back in the end?

Post by **kamoe** » Thu Mar 17, 2022 7:05 am

And this morning, 45 days after I submitted the application, I have just received an email from the Home Office (home.office.atlas@notifications.service.gov.uk):

Dear [My partner's name]

Ref: XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX [partner's application 16-digit No.]

Following your recent application for Nationality you should have attended an appointment at a UK Visas and Citizenship Application Service point to enrol your biometrics (scanned fingerprints and photograph).

As part of your online application you were informed that you would receive this reminder letter if you had not attended an appointment and enrolled your biometrics within 45 working days. Our records show that you have failed to comply with this instruction, without providing us with a reasonable explanation.

If you have already booked or attended an appointment to enrol your biometrics before seeing this email, then please ignore this reminder.

Next Steps
As part of your online application, you were informed that you have to enrol your biometrics within a specified time frame. You must now return to your online application to book and attend an appointment at a UK Visas and Citizenship Application Service point to provide your evidence and enrol your biometrics (fingerprints and facial photograph).

Your application may be rejected as invalid if you do not provide your biometric information.
This will apply even if you have provided all the other relevant information, documentation and payment required to validate your application.

What happens if I cannot enrol my biometric information?
If there are exceptional circumstances as to why you are unable to enrol your biometric information within the specified time frame you must call the UK Visas & Immigration Contact Centre on 0300 123 2241 and explain why you are unable to attend. Please be aware that we may request more information and evidence about why you are unable to enrol your biometric features.

The Data Protection Act 2018 governs how we use personal data. For details of how we will use your personal information and who we may share it with please see our Privacy Notice for the Border, Immigration and Citizenship system at https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... itizenship. This also explains your key rights under the Act, how you can access your personal information and how to complain if you have concerns.

This just confirms to me that the withdrawal form is not at all connected to the application procedure in any automatic way, it's all manual. The Home Office does not yet know that I requested a withdrawal of the application!!!

Big question is, what are the consequences of letting the application be "rejected as invalid"? Would this mean they refund you? Or with the excuse that you failed to enrol biometrics, they won't? My biggest fear is that the withdrawal process is so slow, the request is going to reach the Home Office after the application is marked as invalid, and I'm wondering what is the best thing to do is.

To the OP: Please do let me know what happened in your case. Did you receive the same email as me? (I noticed you withdrew your application straight away, while I did it three weeks after submission, so timeframes might not be the same.)

To anyone with experience with invalid applications, and knows wether that means a full refund, do also let me know.

I do not trust I will be able to reach the Home Office using the phone umber they give me, and also do not trust that they can remotely update the application (I might be wrong, but this is the Home Office). I'll try, but if I cannot reach them within 30 minutes, I'll escalate this with my MP.

Post by **kamoe** » Thu Mar 17, 2022 8:16 am

Update: I called the number indicated on the email, only to be answered by a voice recording indicating you can no longer contact the Home Office there, and to please go to gov.uk and search a contact number for UKVLA there! (I am tempted to say I can't believe they don't bother updating their automatic email messages, but truth is, I can believe it).

I got to this page: https://www.gov.uk/contact-ukvi-inside- ... ationality

Citizenship and Nationality Enquiries
nationalityenquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 790 6268 - select option 2, then option 2 again
Monday to Thursday, 9am to 4:45pm
Friday, 9am to 4:30pm

I know for a fact that writing to nationalityenquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk is a dead end, they automatically send you a standard leaflet, you cannot really ask questions there, it is no a (wo)manned email address. So I will call. Except it's too earl, I'll wait until the lines are open.

I also got to this page: https://www.gov.uk/contact-ukvi-inside- ... pplication

So I have written them an email (ApplyOnlineE-Support@homeoffice.gov.uk) with all details of the situation and timeline, and asking for advice as to what the best way forward is. An auto reply tells me that due to covid, they will probably take more than the established 24 hours to come back to me. I will report back when I hear anything.

In the meantime, any thoughts or first-hand experience are very welcome and appreciated.

Thanks.

Post by **kamoe** » Thu Mar 17, 2022 8:39 am

And I just also sent the same email with all details of the situation to FurtherNationalityEnquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk. That one is a (wo)manned email address. The automatic reply does tell me they aim to come back to me within 20 working days.

Just covering all bases.

Post by **kamoe** » Thu Mar 17, 2022 9:16 am

Just called 0300 790 6268 and selected relevant options (can't remember which ones, I think 2, 4, 2; the menu will guide you).

The lady at the other end of the line told me to reply back to the email that sent me the "you have not submitted biometrics" notice (home.office.atlas@notifications.service.gov.uk) explaining that the reason the applicant has not submitted biometrics is that we withdrew the application, and to include the reference number we were given at the end of the withdrawal form (ROD). That's it.

I will report back with progress. I gather this will be useful for others.

Post by **kamoe** » Thu Mar 17, 2022 7:05 pm

kamoe wrote: ↑
Thu Mar 17, 2022 9:16 am
The lady at the other end of the line told me to reply back to the email that sent me the "you have not submitted biometrics" notice (home.office.atlas@notifications.service.gov.uk) explaining that the reason the applicant has not submitted biometrics is that we withdrew the application, and to include the reference number we were given at the end of the withdrawal form (ROD). That's it.

I just realised I did not use the above email address but I hit the reply button instead. Not the same thing. The reply-to email address is: atlasnotifications.notmonitored@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk which, by the looks of it... doesn't look promising (note the 'nonmonitored' bit).

I then did try home.office.atlas@notifications.service.gov.uk, but as someone else pointed out in this post, that one does not receive incoming email, I got a non-delivered error.

So my treasure hunt leads me back at the starting point. I will see if I get any replies to either of the other channels I am pursuing, then if I hear nothing by mid next week, I'll try and call again and see if they have another suggestion.

Pffffffff.

Post by **kamoe** » Fri Mar 18, 2022 8:29 am

I escalated this with my MP yesterday evening. I asked them to please simply get an acknowledgment from The Home Office that the withdrawal is in place and that the refund will take place. I don't care if it takes months, I just want a written acknowledgment and confirmation from the Home Office that it will happen. My MP's immigration assistant replied to me just before midnight, telling me they have made contact with the Home Office, that they will report back when an answer is issued, and that they hope to be able to help me. Now, that's care and service.

Why am I doing all this? Why do I bother so much? I know if I just left it as is, the worst case scenario would be that the application gets declared invalid by the Home Office before the withdrawal request even reaches the right people. In that case, according to the fee refund guideline, the Home Office refunds the fee but retains a £25 admin fee. Not a terrible outcome, but I strongly oppose this by principle. At no point we have been negligent in attending a biometrics appointment that should not take place, or have failed to request a withdrawal in good time before biometrics. If the withdrawal process is too slow, it's entirely the HO's fault, and their terrible process. They should not be taking a £25 cut from me or anyone else. They already charge an immoral fee as it is.

Have a nice day everyone.

Post by **kamoe** » Sun Mar 20, 2022 11:00 am

kamoe wrote: ↑
Thu Mar 17, 2022 8:16 am
I have written them an email (ApplyOnlineE-Support@homeoffice.gov.uk) with all details of the situation and timeline, and asking for advice as to what the best way forward is. An auto reply tells me that due to covid, they will probably take more than the established 24 hours to come back to me. I will report back when I hear anything.

Another circular dead end:

Dear [my title],

Thank you for your email correspondence of 17 March.

This inbox is only for technical support enquiries for applicants applying online within the United Kingdom via GOV.UK link https://www.gov.uk/visas-immigration.

There is currently no reported problems with our online application services.

We are unable to assist with enquiries regarding withdrawals/cancellations and refunds.

Please use the link below to contact other areas of UK Visas and Immigration from inside the UK with general/procedural enquiries (including withdrawals and refunds):

https://www.gov.uk/contact-ukvi-inside-outside-uk

UK Visas and Immigration contact centre
Telephone: 0300 790 6268
Monday to Thursday (excluding bank holidays), 9am to 4:45pm Friday (excluding bank holidays), 9am to 4:30pm
(please note that the telephone lines and email service are currently experiencing a high level of demand)

For the Nationality section: Furthernationalityenquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk

I am sorry we are unable to assist further as no technical fault has been identified.

UKVI is keen to continually review and improve its service to our customers. To help us to do so we would be grateful if you could complete a short online survey. Please access the survey using the following link:

https://www.homeofficesurveys.homeoffic ... k/s/BQ0LU/

Yours faithfully,

[Their Name]
Apply Online E-Support Team
UK Visas and Immigration

Not that I had any hopes on it. They did reply, which is better than nothing. Filled in the survey with my critical thoughts.

Post by **kamoe** » Sat Mar 26, 2022 6:59 pm

Quick update: I found a thread on another forum from someone with the exact same question, and who ultimately succeeded to get their refund here.

Long story short: In normal circumstances refunds can take up to six weeks. If six weeks have passed after the request for withdrawal and no refund has yet been issued, then raise a complain here (Options "Refunds", "Yes, I have requested a refund").

So I'll just wait two more weeks, then act accordingly.

The person in question apparently received an acknowledgment within 24 hours of making the complaint. If at all is useful for anyone in this stressful situation.

Post by **kamoe** » Sun Apr 03, 2022 5:00 pm

Update: Finally, 5.5 weeks after my withdrawal submission, today I have received email confirmation that the application has been withdrawn and fees will be refunded within 30 days (so I did not need to raise the post-6-week complain in the end). No other acknowledgement or follow up was ever received before this; it was really 5.5 weeks in complete darkness.

Hope this is useful for anyone in the same situation. Will update when refund arrives, for timeframe reference purposes.

Post by **kamoe** » Thu Apr 14, 2022 10:46 am

Happy to report that yesterday I have received full refund for the withdrawn application. This came 1.5 weeks after their acknowledgement.

Full timeline as follows (7 weeks in total):

Application withdrawn: 25/02/2022
Acknowledgment of withdrawal: 03/04/2022
Fees refunded: 13/04/2022

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