TIMELINE AFTER NATURALISATION APPLICATION SUBMISSION

The money (cheque) left my account today

Really impressive turnaround, which I never expected! Got the passport today. End of a long journey :)

timefactor wrote:Date of ILR: 28/10/07
NCS or Postal : NCS Southwark
Date of submission or posting : 10/11/2008
CRITERIA : WP (5 years)
Date of debit of debit/credit card : 13/11/2008
Date of receipt of acknowledgement : 18/11/2008
-- in between they returned wife's application to sign & date again, as she did not completed 5 years when applied, rang me couple of times (8 O'clock in the night!! really hard working :o ) to confirm the full names etc
Date of receipt of approval from HO : 24/02/2009
Date of Ceremony : 03/03/2009 (public ceremony)
--- Name changed using deed poll (myself & daughter)
Date of appln. for passport : 10/03/2009
Date of Return of Naturalisation Certificate and passport by SMS: 17-03-2009
Date of Receipt of Invitation Letter for Interview: 17-03-2009
Date of Interview: 18-03-2009
Delivery of passport: 20-03-2009

:D :D

NCS or Postal: NCS
If NCS, which centre: Brent Town Hall
Date of submission: 12th Mar. 2009
Category: 5 year stay (0.5 WP dependent + 3 HSMP dependent + 1.5 ILR)
Date of debit of debit/credit card: 17th Mar. 2009
Date of receipt of acknowledgement: 20th Mar. 2009 (dated 17th Mar. 2009)
Date of receipt of approval:
Date of ceremony:
Date of passport application:
Method used:
Date of passport receipt:

NCS or Postal: NCS (Market Harborough)
Date of submission: 18th March 09
Category: 5 years residence as unmarried partner + 1 year ILR
Date of debit of debit/credit card: 23 March 09
Date of receipt of acknowledgement:
Date of receipt of approval:
Date of ceremony:
Date of passport application:
Method used:
Date of passport receipt:

Another few hundred pounds gone to Home Office.

NCS or Postal --Postal RM Special Delivery
Date of submission or posting 14/01/09
CRITERIA - 5 yr stay (4 + 1 yr ILR) HSMP, survived 4-to-5 (barely)
Date of debit of debit/credit card: cheque cashed 28/01/09
Date of receipt of acknowledgement 28/01/09
Date of receipt of approval: 13/02/09
Date of Ceremony 23/03/09
Date of appln. for passport [tried on 23/03 check and send: put wrong certificate number on pp application and had to tear up, referee is abroad so will be a while. but no worries, after all the grief and expense of the last few years! THANKS TO ALL FOR THEIR ADVICE AND COMFORT AND BEST OF LUCK TO THOSE STILL IN THE INFERNAL PIPELINE!]
Method used
Date of Receipt

shanc wrote:

Saloman wrote:Application sent throgh NCS : 10/02/09

Fee collected from my account on 18/02/09

Confirmation letter of receipt of application :20/02/09

Letter of citizenship approved dated 28/02/09 received on 04/03/09.

So it is going very very quick now.

that was extremely quick.
Just today (16-Mar-2009)I had my appoinemtn with NCS at croydon.
they took my original copy of Life in the UK and photocopies of passport...that's it.

They say as prices go up in April, it is a bit of rush - and could end up in 7 months. Hope it is not that long.

NCS or Postal: NCS
If NCS, which centre: Croydon
Date of submission: 16th Mar. 2009
Category: 5 year stay (5 yrs WP + 1 Yr ILR)
Date of debit of debit/credit card: 23th Mar. 2009
Date of receipt of acknowledgement:
Date of receipt of approval:
Date of ceremony:
Date of passport application:
Method used:
Date of passport receipt:

NCS or Postal: NCS (Market Harborough)
Date of submission: 18th March 09
Category: 5 years residence as unmarried partner + 1 year ILR
Date of debit of debit/credit card: 23 March 09
Date of receipt of acknowledgement: 25 March 09 (dated 22 March)
Date of receipt of approval:
Date of ceremony:
Date of passport application:
Method used:
Date of passport receipt:

NCS or Postal: NCS
If NCS, which centre: Croydon
Date of submission: 16th Mar. 2009
Category: 5 year stay (5 yrs WP + 1 Yr ILR)
Date of debit of debit/credit card: 23th Mar. 2009
Date of receipt of acknowledgement:25-Mar-2009
Date of receipt of approval:
Date of ceremony:
Date of passport application:
Method used:
Date of passport receipt:

NCS or Postal: Postal (via Immigration Solicitors)
Date of submission: 10th March 2009
Category: 3 years residence as spouse of British citizen + 7 months ILR
Date of debit of debit/credit card: Cheque - 20th March.

Date of receipt of acknowledgement: 23th March (dated: 15th March - a Sunday!) Took a little longer getting to me, because the letter was initially sent to our representative, who then forwarded it to me.

Date of receipt of approval:
Date of ceremony:
Date of passport application:
Method used:
Date of passport receipt:

NCS or Postal --Postal RM Special Delivery
Date of submission or posting 14/01/09
CRITERIA - 5 yr stay (4 + 1 yr ILR) HSMP, survived 4-to-5 (barely)
Date of debit of debit/credit card: cheque cashed 28/01/09
Date of receipt of acknowledgement 28/01/09
Date of receipt of approval: 13/02/09
Date of Ceremony 23/03/09
Date of appln. for passport [tried on 23/03 check and send: put wrong certificate number on pp application and had to tear up, referee is abroad so will be a while. but no worries, after all the grief and expense of the last few years! THANKS TO ALL FOR THEIR ADVICE AND COMFORT AND BEST OF LUCK TO THOSE STILL IN THE INFERNAL PIPELINE!]
OOPS: SECOND TRY AT POST OFFICE, REFEREE'S SIGNATURE ON PHOTO WAS OVER 1 MONTH OLD, REJECTED. ON THIRD TRY OK FOR WIFE BUT SON;S SIGNATURE HAD TOUCHED THE BEIGE BORDER OF THE SIGNATURE BOX. ALL OK ON 4TH TRY.Method used
Date of Receipt

I find post office guys are bit robotic styled! When they checked mine, they found several issues like pic has no proper white background, not even lights etc, the same hand writing is all over the form including referee's.

I've asked them to send anyway, they did the same commenting the mistakes (according to them) they found.

Finally I received the approval letter from the Home Office!
Next step: to book a citizenship ceremony at the Croydon register office.


NCS or Postal: NCS Croydon
Date of submission or posting: 17 Oct 2008
CRITERIA: 6 yr stay (5 yr WP + 1 yr ILR)
Date of receipt of App @ HO: 21 Oct 2008
Date of debit of debit/credit card: 4 Nov 2008 (paid by cheque at NCS office)
Date of receipt of acknowledgement: 8 Nov 2008
Date of receipt of approval: 27 Mar 2009 (dated 16 Mar)
Invitation Letter:
Date of Ceremony:
Date of appln. for passport:
Method used:

NCS or Postal: NCS Leeds Town Hall
Date of submission: 2nd March 2009
Category: Spouse visa three year residence
Date of debit of debit/credit card:
Date of receipt of acknowledgement:9th March 2009
Date of receipt of approval:23rd March 2009 (my baby's birthday)
Date of ceremony: 14 April 2009
Date of passport application:
Method used:
Date of passport receipt:

A turn around time of 21 days!!!! Woohoo!!!

NCS or Postal : NCS @ Peterborough
Date of submission or posting : 7 November 2008
CRITERIA : 5 yr stay (with 1 yr ILR)
Date of receipt of acknowledgment : Dated 20th November 2008
Date of Debit (via credit card ): Around 26th November 2008
Date of receipt of approval : 16th February 2009 (dated 7th February 2009)
Date of Ceremony : 10 March 2009
Date of appln. for passport : 13 March 2009
Date of return of documents; 20 March 2009
Interview letter; 21 March 2009
Date of interview ; 25 March 2009
Date of receipt of passport; 27 March 2009.

Had to try about four times at the post office before they accepted.. They are very picky at the Post Office.

That completes the long and treacherous journey. I am glad its all over now.

jamba wrote:NCS or Postal : NCS @ Peterborough
Date of submission or posting : 7 November 2008
CRITERIA : 5 yr stay (with 1 yr ILR)
Date of receipt of acknowledgment : Dated 20th November 2008
Date of Debit (via credit card ): Around 26th November 2008
Date of receipt of approval : 16th February 2009 (dated 7th February 2009)
Date of Ceremony : 10 March 2009
Date of appln. for passport : 13 March 2009
Date of return of documents; 20 March 2009
Interview letter; 21 March 2009
Date of interview ; 25 March 2009
Date of receipt of passport; 27 March 2009.

Had to try about four times at the post office before they accepted.. They are very picky at the Post Office.

That completes the long and treacherous journey. I am glad its all over now.

Jamba,
Pongezi

NCS or Postal : NCS @ Hamilton - Glasgow
Date of submission or posting : 15 October 2008
CRITERIA : 5 yr stay (with 1 yr ILR)
Date of receipt of acknowledgment : Dated 25th October 2008
Date of Debit (via credit card ): 21st October 2008
Date of receipt of approval : 28th March 2009 (dated 20th March 2009)
Date of Ceremony :
Date of appln. for passport :
Date of return of documents;
Interview letter;
Date of interview ;
Date of receipt of passport;

Sorry, Duplicate posting by error

Sorry, Duplicate posting by error

NCS or Postal: NCS
Date of submission: 2 March 2009
Category: 5 years WP + 1 year ILR
Date of debit of debit/credit card: 9 March 2009
Date of receipt of acknowledgement:12 March 2009
Date of receipt of approval: 28 March 2009 (Dated 21 March 2009)
Date of ceremony:
Date of passport application:
Method used:
Date of passport receipt:

Lightning quick!

Deleted. Multiple post caused by smtp.php error.

Deleted

NCS or Postal: NCS
If NCS, which centre: Brent Town Hall
Date of submission: 20th Oct. 2008
Category: 5 year stay (2 WP + 3 HSMP + 1 ILR = 6 years)
Date of debit of debit/credit card: 29th Oct. 2008
Date of receipt of acknowledgement: 3rd Nov. 2008 (dated 29th Oct. 2008)
Date of receipt of approval: 5th Mar. 2009 (dated 25th Feb. 2009)
Date of ceremony: 13th Mar. 2009
Date of passport application: 16th Mar. 2009
Method used: Special Delivery (Post Office did not accept for check and send as I didn't have my foreign passport at the time of application but I wanted to queue my application so sent anyway as adivsed by passport helpline)
Date of letter asking for current passport: 25th Mar. 2009 (had already sent it to them on the 24th as soon as I got it)
Date of receipt of original documents: 27th Mar. 2009
Date of receipt of interview letter: 28th Mar. 2009 (dated 26th Mar.) but I had already booked the interview on the 27th by phoning the adviceline and getting the reference number
Date of interview: 30th Mar. 2009
Interview office: Elephant & Castle, London
Date of passport receipt:

My passport application was slightly delayed and certainly not the benchmark because I didn't have my current passport to send. Still wanted to try and get the British passport if possible because I am travelling soon and wanted to make getting back in easier if possible. The helpline advised it might still be possible to get the passport without having to send the current passport (afterall they do it for people with lost/stolen passports and all the eligibility checks had already been done at naturalisation anyway). Took the chance and applied but eventually they asked for it and I sent it as soon as I could. Still got some benefit as they had done everything else and were just waiting to see the passport before inviting for interview.

Interview was very straightforward and lasted < 5mins. Some questions that I can remember:

• My full name
  How to spell the name
  Have I been known by any other names
  Date of birth
  Town of birth
  Parents' full names
  Parents' dates of birth
  Parents' towns of birth
  My Current and previous addresses
  How long have I been at the current address
  Who else lives with me
  Wife's name
  Whether I am registered to vote
  Method I used to apply for passport
  What documents I sent with the application
  Any letters I received as part of application processing
  Have I received the originals back
  Countersignatory's name
  How do I know the countrsignatory
  For how long have I known the countersignatory
  Countersignatory is a former and current colleague so the firms we have worked/currently work together at
  Countersignatory's age. I made it clear I didn't know exactly but a guess was good enough for her (and turns out quite accurate as well!)
  Who do I bank with
  What credit cards do I have
  Who is my mortgage with

At the end she took my signature on an electronic pad and said I should hear within 4 working days but if I don't get anything after 10 working days I should contact the helpline.

FKarim,

Thank you for the update. Could I ask how you received your supporting docs and passports back? 2nd class or SM?

Smit wrote:FKarim,

Thank you for the update. Could I ask how you received your supporting docs and passports back? 2nd class or SM?

Secure delivery as I had paid £3 extra for it with my application.

thanks FKarim

the questionnaire will be really useful for me later.