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Can I travel on Certificate of Naturalisation

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2021 1:41 pm
by BlueCat86
Hi

I'm just very confused on if I can travel from Pakistan to England if I have a certificate of Naturalisation and a Pakistani Passport only.

I have been told if I apply for British Passport from Pakistan it can take upto six months for passport office to issue a British passport, however within UK the timeline are 3 weeks.

I'm unable to find any information if I can travel back to England on my current Pakistani passport without any BRP as dont have any ILR card since I had my Certificate of Naturalisation.

Would appreciate if anyone had similar experience or any guidance for help. My return flight is through British Airways but I'm unable obtain any information from from UKBA if I can get the entry..

Re: Can I travel on Certificate of Naturalisation

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2021 1:45 pm
by CR001
A certificate of naturalisation is not a travel document.

Highly unlikely an airline will accept that as proof to board a plane, as it is not a visa or a British passport.

Re: Can I travel on Certificate of Naturalisation

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2021 2:34 pm
by BlueCat86
What about if I get the boarding that I can confirm from British Airways, will the immigration officer at the airport will allow the entry based on Naturalisation certificate and passport office?

Re: Can I travel on Certificate of Naturalisation

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2021 3:46 pm
by Zerubbabel
Hello

If you are at Heathrow with a naturalisation certificate, immigration officers won't refuse you entry. You may spend time at the border as they make their checks but they will let you in.

However, no company would allow you to board with that document. Even if they issue a boarding card online on self-check in basis, once at the airport they won't let you board.

Re: Can I travel on Certificate of Naturalisation

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2021 3:48 pm
by secret.simon
If you can get to the UK border, then you will be allowed in, likely after a long delay as checks are carried out.

The difficulty will be getting onto the aircraft, as generally neither the airport staff nor the airline staff will accept a naturalisation certificate as a valid travel document. Airlines have strict global guidelines on what are considered permissible documentation and a naturalisation certificate is not one of them.

Is there any reason you can't wait for a British passport? Have you surrendered your ILR BRP?