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naturalisation certificate queries

Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 10:06 am
by xyz123
hi

about to apply for citizenship in couple of weeks. have got two queries:

1-once naturalisation certificate is received, is there a time limit for booking the ceremony.
2- once all is done and british passport is obtained, does the naturalisation cert of any importance. a friend needs to change his name (needs to remove word "kumar" from the end of his name) from what is on current indian passport. might be easier to get it done in british passport rather than indian one!

thanks

Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 10:33 am
by John
Using your numbering :-
  1. You need to appreciate that the applicant does not get their Certificate of Naturalisation until it is handed to them at their Citizenship Ceremony. It is at that moment, when the certificate is handed to them, that they become British.
  2. Even after a British passport is obtained the Certificate of Naturalisation remains an important legal document. It should be retained safely. If the person subsequently changes their name their Certificate of Naturalisation will not be altered, but the new name will be reflected on their passport, once the change is reported to the Passport Office.

Re: naturalisation certificate queries

Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 6:20 pm
by ILR_Applicant_UK
xyz123 wrote:hi

about to apply for citizenship in couple of weeks. have got two queries:

1-once naturalisation certificate is received, is there a time limit for booking the ceremony.
2- once all is done and british passport is obtained, does the naturalisation cert of any importance. a friend needs to change his name (needs to remove word "kumar" from the end of his name) from what is on current indian passport. might be easier to get it done in british passport rather than indian one!

thanks
1 - I suppose you mean to say once a decision letter has been received from the HO confirming you've been approved. I believe you have 90 days to attend the oath ceremony; unless you have a valid reason to delay it which would need to be disucssed with the local council and possible HO.

2. I guess getting it changed on the Indian passport would be kind of useless as legally, he should give up his Indian nationality on taking up British citizenship, at which point, the Indian passport would be invalid as well.