TIMELINE AFTER NATURALISATION APPLICATION SUBMISSION

Bonzoman

Looks like 2 week turnarounds are the norm nowadays - I am sure you will get your acceptance soon.

I only got back the acceptance letter which was combined with a citizenship ceremony invitation - the life in the UK certificate was not returned. I had only sent the minimum documents as specified on the IND forms -i.e passports or copies made by NCS. I don't think these are returned.

My passport arrived today. A total of 8 working days from application to delivery.

My heartfelt thanks to all who helped with advice and by documenting your own experiences here, it's made this whole citizenship thing both an easy and enjoyable experience for me.

I'll continue to hang around and add my 2p worth where I can

Kim

Congrats Jaduu and also to Tekaweni (on getting the maroon marvel ) By the name I asume you are SAF, did you get your SA S6 exemption? I am also still waiting for mine (I was a bit cheeky and sent the S6 exemption request of on the same day as NCS appointment). The timeline on the SA House website says 15 working days, I have been waiting a lot longer than that, and as usual no one answers the phone there. Patience I guess!

Bonzoman500 we are both in the same boat, still waiting, checking the mail every day to see if there is anything. Was your application straight forward or was there anything exceptional? Mine was an individual application but with multiple entries and exits to / from UK but well under the limits set.

Keep fingers crossed and will let you know if I hear anything.

Hi eeckard, yeah the wheels at South Africa House do turn very slowly. My S6 took over a month to sort out, but I believe if you make an appointment and go in personally you can get it quite quickly.

They'll want a letter from the UK Home Office stating that you havent received, or applied for, UK citizenship - so if you havent already got that I'd start by requesting it before the NCS submits your application.

Good luck!

Tekaweni, I have submited all the documents to SA house already by post a few days before my NCS appointment (in hindsight should have gone in person!). Just need to hear back from them now. I am not too fussed because if I lose my SA Citizenship then I will reapply if needs be. Birthright is something they cannot take away!

eeckard, that is true - right of abode is a constitutional birthright, so you cant lose it by failing to apply for a stupid S6. In fact I myself only found out about the requirement by chance, they dont exactly advertise it do they?!

I'm sure you'll be alright in any event; S6 applications are zero-risk and simply issued on request - unlike say, passport applications which have to go thru all sorts of checks.

After all my ranting yesterday about waiting for approval, it is amazing "what a difference a day makes" (you all know the lyrics!?).

Finally got approval today.

Here is the updated timeline:
Here is the timeline:
NCS or Postal : NCS Walthamstow
Date of submission or posting : April 7, 2006
CRITERIA - 5 years (4 Work Permit and 1 ILR)
Date of debit of debit/credit card : April 12 2006
Date of receipt of acknowledgement : April 21 2006 (letter dated April 12 2006)
Date of receipt of approval: 5 May 2006 (letter dated 26 April 2006)
Date of Ceremony
Date of appln. for passport
Method used
Date of Receipt

The letter says I MUST contact my Local Authority (some people have said that the letter tells them not to. More specifically mine says within 14 days. I will do so next week and let you know if there is progress.

Bonzoman500 have you heard anything?

eeckard - congrats! Plain sailing from here on...

Btw can anyone tell me when your supporting documents for the passport application get returned? My British passport arrived on Wed (yay!) but no sign of my original SA passport and naturalisation cert yet. I took the 'secure delivery' option when applying.

eeckard wrote:Congrats Jaduu and also to Tekaweni (on getting the maroon marvel ) By the name I asume you are SAF, did you get your SA S6 exemption? I am also still waiting for mine (I was a bit cheeky and sent the S6 exemption request of on the same day as NCS appointment). The timeline on the SA House website says 15 working days, I have been waiting a lot longer than that, and as usual no one answers the phone there. Patience I guess!

Bonzoman500 we are both in the same boat, still waiting, checking the mail every day to see if there is anything. Was your application straight forward or was there anything exceptional? Mine was an individual application but with multiple entries and exits to / from UK but well under the limits set.

Keep fingers crossed and will let you know if I hear anything.

Congrats eekard!!, no i havent heard anything yet, hoping for next week but ill keep you posted:-)

What difference a day makes:-) as uoted by many on this post. Got in a few mins ago and got my approval letter. 3 weeks turnaround. thanks to all on this post and ill be updating my timeline after booking my ceremony.

Well done Bonzoman500!!

I managed to get a private ceremony for £80 in Kingston this Wednesday and will apply for my passport the same day. Will update my timeline then!

Looks like the turnaround time through NCS is about 4 - 5 weeks now (some even quicker!)

eeckard wrote:Well done Bonzoman500!!

I managed to get a private ceremony for £80 in Kingston this Wednesday and will apply for my passport the same day. Will update my timeline then!

Looks like the turnaround time through NCS is about 4 - 5 weeks now (some even quicker!)

eekard, lets know how ur ceremoney went today; i have a private one booked as well for next Monday...

I have now crossed the line and became a BC today. I had a private ceremony that lasted about 10 minutes. Formal welcome, read the oath, receive certificate, take photos, play national anthem and that was it! Short and sweet. I also went to the Post Office to apply for my passport today.

TEKAWENI: Have you received your documents back since applying for your passport?

Here is the updated timeline:
NCS or Postal : NCS Walthamstow
Date of submission or posting : April 7, 2006
CRITERIA - 5 years (4 Work Permit and 1 ILR)
Date of debit of debit/credit card : April 12 2006
Date of receipt of acknowledgement : April 21 2006 (letter dated April 12 2006)
Date of receipt of approval: 5 May 2006 (letter dated 26 April 2006)
Date of Ceremony: 10 May 2006
Date of appln. for passport: 10 May 2006
Method used: Post Office check and send
Date of Receipt:

eeckard wrote:I have now crossed the line and became a BC today. I had a private ceremony that lasted about 10 minutes. Formal welcome, read the oath, receive certificate, take photos, play national anthem and that was it! Short and sweet. I also went to the Post Office to apply for my passport today.

TEKAWENI: Have you received your documents back since applying for your passport?

Here is the updated timeline:
NCS or Postal : NCS Walthamstow
Date of submission or posting : April 7, 2006
CRITERIA - 5 years (4 Work Permit and 1 ILR)
Date of debit of debit/credit card : April 12 2006
Date of receipt of acknowledgement : April 21 2006 (letter dated April 12 2006)
Date of receipt of approval: 5 May 2006 (letter dated 26 April 2006)
Date of Ceremony: 10 May 2006
Date of appln. for passport: 10 May 2006
Method used: Post Office check and send
Date of Receipt:

congrats eekard, did u countersign ur application form after the ceremony or u can do it before? I intend to apply for mine straight after the ceremony on Monday but im seeing the guy who is signing the form for me this weekend as he is not available during the week.

Do you know if this is allowed? I can't tell him to postdate as he is a Church Minister

Bonzoman500.

I got an application form a few days before the ceremony and pre-completed it, save for the countersignatory. The countersignatory signed for me after the ceremony, only because that was the only time I would see her this week. I guess you can get someone to pre-sign as countersignatory, all they are confirming is that you are who who say you are and the photo represents you.

Applied - 06/02/06
Acknowledgment - 10/02/06
10/05/06 Still waiting...

Submitted Joint Application at Brent NCS on 10th April
Approved: 28th April
Approval received: 11th May

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Details such as the following could be provided:
NCS or Postal : NCS
If NCS, which centre :BARNET
Date of submission or posting :17. 02. 2006
CRITERIA - 5 yr stay (4 + 1 yr ILR) :5 yr stay
Date of debit of debit/credit card :21. 02. 2006
Date of receipt of acknowledgement :23. 02. 2006
Date of receipt of approval: 02. 03. 2006 (letter dated 01. 03. 06)
Date of Ceremony: 06.05.2006
Date of appln. for passport :25.04.06
Method used SPECIAL DELIVERY
Date of Receipt 10.05.06
I am glad the process is complete within a few weeks. It would have been sooner if i didnt wait to book for my ceremony. I had to wait for my half term holidays to attend the ceremony. Also wasted some time to apply for PP. Anyways Thanks to all the members and the moderators for their contributions to this board.
GOD BLESS!

bonzoman500 - thanks, my supporting documentation did finally turn up about a week and a half after my UK passport arrived. It had been mis-addressed, returned and finally sent to my correct address.

The deliverer hadnt made anyone sign for it, simply pushed it through the letterbox. A sig would have thrown up the problem right at the beginning!

I hope this situation is relatively rare..

eeckard wrote:Bonzoman500.

I got an application form a few days before the ceremony and pre-completed it, save for the countersignatory. The countersignatory signed for me after the ceremony, only because that was the only time I would see her this week. I guess you can get someone to pre-sign as countersignatory, all they are confirming is that you are who who say you are and the photo represents you.

Hi eekard, u must have ur passport by now:-) had my private ceremony on Monday and submitted my application the same day. Going away on the 26th and just hoping i might receive it by then..

Cheers

Bonzoman, I have not received the "maroon marvel" yet. I applied on the 10th using check and send. The person at the post office said they are very busy so it could take up to 3 weeks (despite the official time for check and send being 2 weeks).

Still waiting...

eeckard wrote:Bonzoman, I have not received the "maroon marvel" yet. I applied on the 10th using check and send. The person at the post office said they are very busy so it could take up to 3 weeks (despite the official time for check and send being 2 weeks).

Still waiting...

So no hope of me getting mine by next friday then.. how soon do they return the docs cos i sent my old passport and naturalisation certificate with the form?

Bonzoman 500, not sure how long it takes to get the documents back. I do recall last year aplying for my daughter's passport and her supporting documentation arrived back within a day of the passport.

Tekaweni had some problems getting his documents back but that was caused by a postal worker.

If you want to upgrade your passport application after submission (to speed it up), see here: http://www.passport.gov.uk/general_howl ... rading.asp

Bonzoman - my girlfriend used check and send and got her original passport back 3 days before her new one.

They mis-posted mine so had to be resent, but that was just bad luck.

eeckard wrote:Bonzoman 500, not sure how long it takes to get the documents back. I do recall last year aplying for my daughter's passport and her supporting documentation arrived back within a day of the passport.

Tekaweni had some problems getting his documents back but that was caused by a postal worker.

If you want to upgrade your passport application after submission (to speed it up), see here: http://www.passport.gov.uk/general_howl ... rading.asp

thanx eekard, i dont think this service is available for first time applicants though.. Ill have to wait or cancel the trip if i dont get my old doc before nxt fri.. Cheers