Travelling after applying for naturalization

[piglet]

Hello,

I am about to apply for naturalization (through NCS) for which I fulfil all the criteria.

I intend to travel couple of times while my application is being processed (only short holiday trips up to three weeks in duration each).

Is it allowed or should I be in the country until my naturalization has (hopefully) been approved.

Thanks!

[SYH]

yes just have someone available to read your mail to let you know if a cermony is scheduled, you miss it, you lose it

[stedman]

Yes you can - as long as you're in the UK when the HO receive the application. I travelled when my application was being considered and my approval arrived when I was away. I also travelled uneventfully between being naturalized and getting my UK passport (i.e. I used my ILR stamp to return to the UK even though it was technically invalid).

[piglet]

Thank you kindly for your replies, much appreciated!

[piglet]

Sorry, just thought about one more semi-related question.

I may not receive my British Passport by the time I travel.

I will of course have my ILR in my existent passport, but it will have expired by the time I come back to UK. I will have my renewed passport with me, but it will have my new married name in it, and no ILR stamp (as it is in the expired passport).

Is it likely that the immigration will let me back in the country on the basis of showing them my freshly expired passport with my ILR in it and my marriage certificate, to show the proof of my new name in my renewed passport?
Perhaps this sounds slightly complicated, but essentially, I am renewing my passport and putting my married name in it (but my old, soon to expire passport, has my ILR and my maiden name in it).
Because of all of this I sincerely hope that I get my British passport by the time I go away, but my trip is only two months since my application for naturalization, so I will have to be extremely lucky for this to happen, even though my application is, I believe, very straigtforward (5 years ILR, 5 years ongoing marriage to a british citizen), no children yet. My current passport is Australian.
Thank you kindly!!!

[rogerroger]

is it possible for you to get your new australian passport with your maiden name in it. and when you get your british passport switch to your married name?

[VictoriaS]

Not a problem.

Carry old passport in maiden name, which carried visa, plus new passport in married name, plus marriage certificate to prove that both belong to you, and you will have no problems coming back.

Victoria

[piglet]

Thank you Rogerroger and Victoria,

RR : I haven't tought of that, I could do that, but to change the name later you have to apply for the new passport again, which is making it slightly more impractical.

Also,

I have just returned from my summer holiday and asked this same question to the immigration official at Heathrow (before I saw the replies here as I was away).

The official told me exactly the same thing that Victoria said :

Yes, I will be admited back to the country if I carry my old expired passport with the visa in it and my marriage certificate which prooves my change of name.
She also reassured me that this is the uniformed stance, and should not depend on my luck as to which immigration official I get. I hope to need to do it only for a short while until (hopefully) I get my British Passport. If I don't I will just transfer the visa to my new passport, but of course, British Passport would be more desirable.

Thank you both sincerely, you are GREAT help,

Piglet

Thank you both