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Traveling before ceremony
Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2024 2:11 pm
by culka11
I just received an email from the local council inviting me to the citizenship ceremony - the earliest date they can offer is 1st August and the council does not do private ceremonies. I still haven't received the HO letter, but I suspect/presume it will show up today.
I'm a non-EU citizen with a EUSS BRP - which I will be required to send back once the HO letter arrives. I am meant to travel over the next couple of months and was wondering:
- am I right in saying that basically, I will not be allowed to leave the country once I send my BRP back (I am a visa-national, so need a visa to travel here)?
- if yes, is there a way around this? A way to postpone the handing over of the BRP for after the ceremony?
-one of my planned trips is to Ireland - and scheduled for after the ceremony but likely before I would get the new passport. Is this possible in any way given I would, after the ceremony, be a British citizen and traveling around the CTA?
Hoping beyond hope:)
Thank you all!
Bojana
Re: Traveling before ceremony
Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2024 2:30 pm
by alterhase58
culka11 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 08, 2024 2:11 pm
I just received an email from the local council inviting me to the citizenship ceremony - the earliest date they can offer is 1st August and the council does not do private ceremonies. I still haven't received the HO letter, but I suspect/presume it will show up today.
I'm a non-EU citizen with a EUSS BRP - which I will be required to send back once the HO letter arrives. I am meant to travel over the next couple of months and was wondering:
Don't send it back until you are British - which is after attending the ceremony!
- am I right in saying that basically, I will not be allowed to leave the country once I send my BRP back (I am a visa-national, so need a visa to travel here)?
Wrong - you can travel, you are not British yet!
- if yes, is there a way around this? A way to postpone the handing over of the BRP for after the ceremony?
No need for a way round you can return your BRP until after you got the passport. Don't be scared by the threat of a fine!
-one of my planned trips is to Ireland - and scheduled for after the ceremony but likely before I would get the new passport. Is this possible in any way given I would, after the ceremony, be a British citizen and traveling around the CTA?
Hoping beyond hope:)
Thank you all!
Bojana
Re: Traveling before ceremony
Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2024 2:31 pm
by AmazonianX
culka11 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 08, 2024 2:11 pm
I just received an email from the local council inviting me to the citizenship ceremony - the earliest date they can offer is 1st August and the council does not do private ceremonies. I still haven't received the HO letter, but I suspect/presume it will show up today.
I'm a non-EU citizen with a EUSS BRP - which I will be required to send back once the HO letter arrives. I am meant to travel over the next couple of months and was wondering:
- am I right in saying that basically, I will not be allowed to leave the country once I send my BRP back (I am a visa-national, so need a visa to travel here)?
- if yes, is there a way around this? A way to postpone the handing over of the BRP for after the ceremony?
-one of my planned trips is to Ireland - and scheduled for after the ceremony but likely before I would get the new passport. Is this possible in any way given I would, after the ceremony, be a British citizen and traveling around the CTA?
Hoping beyond hope:)
Thank you all!
Bojana
You do not have to send the BRP back, no confirmed report of getting fined for not doing so.
If the BRP is still in date it therefore means you can travel.
On the other hand naturalisation certificate can be used at PoE to UK however you need to get here first but as of now it appears only BRP/ILR vignette is what is accepted as evidence of right to be in UK by Stupid.
PS: If error(s) on above, knowledgeable person do correct.
Re: Traveling before ceremony
Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2024 2:32 pm
by AmazonianX
@alterhase58 done it.
Re: Traveling before ceremony
Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2024 3:26 pm
by culka11
Thank you both - just double checking: you would suggest not returning the BRP until after I get the UK passport (in other words, keep it even after the ceremony)?
Thanks again!
Re: Traveling before ceremony
Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2024 3:59 pm
by contorted_svy
You can travel, no need to worry about returning it at this stage. They threaten to fine you if you don't return it within 5 days after you attend the ceremony but I believe only one person has ever been fined for keeping it and reported that on the forum. You should apply for a British passport as soon as possible after the ceremony and only use that to travel in the future but you can keeo the BRP especially if you have children who rely on your ILR to claim British citizenship.
Re: Traveling before ceremony
Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2024 4:11 pm
by culka11
Thank for clarifying - and for mentioning about the children thing (registering is next on my to-do list!).
All makes sense now!