Naturalisation application is delayed for 2+ years
Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2021 7:05 am
Dear All,
Hope you are well.
Firstly, I apologise for the lengthy post but it is a 2+ years journey that is still ongoing.
My wife and I have applied for our British Citizenship on 25th October 2019 and have submitted our biometrics on 21st November 2019. We have contacted the Home Office via email asking for an update about our case on 10th August 2020 and received a general response on 27th August 2020 that informs us that there is a delay in the applications, and it might take longer than expected without giving any insights to the status of the application. However, we have received a further email on 5th November 2020 from the caseworker who asked us to resend the application to continue the application. This was due to the fact that the qualification period starts from exactly five years before the submission date of the application, and we were away at that time of the year. As a result, we have resent the application as requested and we have received an acknowledgement of the receipt of the application.
On 2nd December 2020, my wife has received her citizenship decision letter. However, I still have not received any letters about my case. My wife and I are part of the same application, which was submitted on around 18 months ago.
On 15th March 2021, I emailed the Home Office at furthernationalityenquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk asking for an update but did the same response as before.
On 20th April 2021, I contacted my MP to contact the HO and get an update on the case and they confirmed that they have contacted the HO on 21st April 2021. On 13th June 2021, my MP informed me that they have received an email from the HO informing them that “they will not be able to provide our office with a response within their target 20 working days and that they have requested for more time to look into our enquiry and respond.”
I chased my MP again on 8th July 2021 asking for an update and they resent a new request to the HO on 2nd August 2021 and advised me to file a formal complaint, which I did on 4th August 2021. I never received a HO response to my complaint!
On 13th October 2021, I contacted my MP again telling them that I filed a complaint and also never got an answer and, as a result, my MP contacted the HO again requesting an update.
On 16th November, the HO responded to my MP with a lengthy email mentioning that my wife’s case and mine were separated when we resent the applications back in November 2020. Therefore, my wife has received her citizenship decision and mine did not. They mentioned in their response that the cause of the delay is that they “have to ensure the statutory requirements of the Immigration Rules are met. This is achieved by conducting a series of mandatory checks and enquiries. It is right and fair that the Immigration Rules are applied consistently in all cases. Therefore no application will be granted until the mandatory checks are complete, even if this process takes longer than the published service standard for the application type. This a necessary part of the Secretary of State’s legal right to maintain effective immigration control.”
I don’t know what steps I could take to get them to give me more details on my case and what is exactly stopping them from proceeding with my application.
Could you advise me, please?
Many thanks,
Hope you are well.
Firstly, I apologise for the lengthy post but it is a 2+ years journey that is still ongoing.
My wife and I have applied for our British Citizenship on 25th October 2019 and have submitted our biometrics on 21st November 2019. We have contacted the Home Office via email asking for an update about our case on 10th August 2020 and received a general response on 27th August 2020 that informs us that there is a delay in the applications, and it might take longer than expected without giving any insights to the status of the application. However, we have received a further email on 5th November 2020 from the caseworker who asked us to resend the application to continue the application. This was due to the fact that the qualification period starts from exactly five years before the submission date of the application, and we were away at that time of the year. As a result, we have resent the application as requested and we have received an acknowledgement of the receipt of the application.
On 2nd December 2020, my wife has received her citizenship decision letter. However, I still have not received any letters about my case. My wife and I are part of the same application, which was submitted on around 18 months ago.
On 15th March 2021, I emailed the Home Office at furthernationalityenquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk asking for an update but did the same response as before.
On 20th April 2021, I contacted my MP to contact the HO and get an update on the case and they confirmed that they have contacted the HO on 21st April 2021. On 13th June 2021, my MP informed me that they have received an email from the HO informing them that “they will not be able to provide our office with a response within their target 20 working days and that they have requested for more time to look into our enquiry and respond.”
I chased my MP again on 8th July 2021 asking for an update and they resent a new request to the HO on 2nd August 2021 and advised me to file a formal complaint, which I did on 4th August 2021. I never received a HO response to my complaint!
On 13th October 2021, I contacted my MP again telling them that I filed a complaint and also never got an answer and, as a result, my MP contacted the HO again requesting an update.
On 16th November, the HO responded to my MP with a lengthy email mentioning that my wife’s case and mine were separated when we resent the applications back in November 2020. Therefore, my wife has received her citizenship decision and mine did not. They mentioned in their response that the cause of the delay is that they “have to ensure the statutory requirements of the Immigration Rules are met. This is achieved by conducting a series of mandatory checks and enquiries. It is right and fair that the Immigration Rules are applied consistently in all cases. Therefore no application will be granted until the mandatory checks are complete, even if this process takes longer than the published service standard for the application type. This a necessary part of the Secretary of State’s legal right to maintain effective immigration control.”
I don’t know what steps I could take to get them to give me more details on my case and what is exactly stopping them from proceeding with my application.
Could you advise me, please?
Many thanks,
checks and enquiries are withheld confidentially. The only path in your case is SAR if I got you right.