Traveling between Citizenship ceremony and passport

[amcjohnson]

Hi-
I am hoping someone can help me clarify my options. My situation:
I am Filipina, I have had my ILR for a few years and started the citizenship process in October. My ILR is in my BRP, there is not a visa in my Philippines passport.
January 30, 2016: Received my Citizenship Invitation
March 16, 2016: Scheduled to attend citizenship ceremony
March 19, 2016: Planned to travel for work to Spain
March 31, 2016: Planned to travel for work to USA

I had assumed that I could travel using my Philippines passport and BRP for the trips to Spain and to the USA, but I just saw the note stating I need to return my BRP within 5 days of the ceremony. I am trying to figure out what my options are as I really can't miss the work trips.

What I think my options are:
1) Postpone the citizenship ceremony until after I return from the USA, I just need to attend one before end of April (90 days from January 30).
2) Can I just take my citizenship letter with me? Would I be able to get back into the UK without much issue?

Has anyone been through something similar, what did you do?

[ohara]

The requirement to return ILR BRP after citizenship approval letter was only added in January 2016, so it won't apply to you (unless HO have specifically requested it back).

Technically, once you have done the ceremony, you are a British citizen and your ILR BRP immediately becomes invalid for travel purposes. You should apply for a British passport and use that, but as we know a first passport can take a few weeks.

The best thing you can do is postpone the ceremony until after your urgent travels. Then, when you are back in the UK for a month or so, you will have time to get a British passport.

It is unclear how likely you are to get into the UK with only your citizenship letter, although you should be afforded a serious chance to prove your right to enter the country. The main problem will be getting on the plane at the other end - the airline might not let you board a flight to the UK without a British (or EU/EEA) passport or a valid visa.