UKM application experience and timeline

[Jeda]

Hi Mick

That's great! Thanks for letting me know.
I'll let you know when I hear more from the Home Office - sounds like times are in line with pre covid processing.
All the best
Jeda

[MickByNameAndNature]

Well, @Dave and @Ballet's friend are both ahead of us so hopefully they will post a positive update soon!

-- Mick

[Jeda]

Yes here's hoping - we get more info from each other here than the Home Office! I'm in no rush but it's just nice to know what's going on.

[MickByNameAndNature]

Yes, I'm not in a rush either, although I'm strangely uncomfortable with them holding both of my passports. I couldn't travel from the US due to Covid as I don't think anywhere would let me in at the moment. But at the same time, I'm in a hurry. I'm sure you know that feeling.

[Ballet]

You’re brave handing your passport in! I sent in a certified photocopy as I was still travelling weekly then (remember the days when we could travel...?). Still, you’ll get everything back again. Good luck; it seems that the processing times are back on track. Passports are taking longer than before, though.

[Jeda]

Hi Ballet

Yes I didn't want to send it in and I even phoned them prior to ask do I have to and won't a certified copy do but they said no, it may delay it and it's up to the case officer if they accept a copy or not. Shame they just can't say a straight yes or no. However, Australia is in total lockdown until next July (amazing how they can predict so far ahead) and no travel on the horizon so I don't care. I'll get the docs back via DHL when I get the go ahead from them.

Looking forward to hearing of your progress
Cheers
Jeda

[Ballet]

My process was completed last year. The waiting between each stage was so stressful but this forum made the process seem so much more manageable.

[Esy]

Country of Application;Nigeria
Country of Birth/Citizenship:Canada
Application Type:UKM
Date of submission vie Dhl:23th October 2019
Money Debited:24th October 2019
Application received:28th October 2019
Biometrics date:18th November 2019
Acknowledgement of biometrics:20th November 2019
Request for additional documents:5th December 2019
Approval and Decision made letter:30th January 2020
Ceremony for oath taking invite letter:15th September 2020
certificate received@British consular toronto:18th September 2020.
UK passport online payment:18th September 2020
UK passport application documents submitted:18th September 2020.
UK passport...?????
The covid affected the oath taking after approval for 8months.. Goodluck to those who are in the process.

[Esy]

Esy

The covid affected the oath taking after approval for 8months.. Goodluck to those who are in the process.

Eligibility criteria: UKM

Nationality: Canadian

Applying from: Nigeria

Method of application: Online

Date of application: 23/10/2019

Payment method: Credit card

Date of receipt by UKM: 28/10/2019

Date money gone off account: 24/10/2019

Date of acknowledgement: 28/10/2019(by email)

Date of letter requesting biometrics: 18/11/2019

Biometrics done: 19/11/2019

Biometrics acknowledged: 23/11/2019

Date of Decision Made: 30/01/2020

Date of oath invitation: 15/09/2020

Date of ceremony:18/09/2020

Date of certificate received at British embassy in Toronto:18/09/2020

Date applied for passports:18/09/2020

Date of Uk passport application documents submission sent ont vie Dhl:18/09/2020

Date passports received:?????

[Bodil]

Hi Jeda,

Only negative so far. No biometrics request. Nothing since the e-mail regarding covid-19 delays. Now going on 10 months.

Dave

[Bodil]

Hi all,

Am now getting nervous having read the other responses. Why has mine taking so long when it was submitted before others on the board? How do I go about following it up? Who can I contact?

Thanks

[Jeda]

Hi Bodi

Are you in Australia? I really have no idea why it's taking so long.

Try calling them on +44 300 123 2253. Call from 8am UK time - I can't remember what time they open - it may be 8:30am. When I have called in the past, they were very helpful.

Is your application straight forward ie Mum born in UK and never given up citzenship?

Call them and put your mind at rest.

All the best,
Jeda.

[Bodil]

Hi Jeda,

Thanks for the contact number. Yes, in Australia with Scottish mum still holding UK citizenship. All original documents including passport sent. Have receipt from Aus Post that documents were delivered. I saw online it was something like £1.37 per minute to phone them which is really off-putting as I could spend ages just in a queue while burning through money. They even charge to send an e-mail. Am flat broke at present with mortgage payments due this week but may have to consider a call next month if nothing has arrived.

Cheers

David

[Jeda]

Hi David

oh no... I've got free calls on my mobile so easy for me to call. Don't suppose you're in Perth in the northern suburbs by any chance??? If so, you could use my phone. Also, check that this number is the one that does charge you that amount. I called another number and they wanted my credit card to proceed but not this number.

Hope you get a reply very, very soon.

Cheers
Jeda.

[Bodil]

Hi Jeda,

Thanks for the offer but am based in Brisbane. Hopefully the number provided is the free one. The charge I mentioned is what UK Immigration was charging, not the Telco. I'm guessing that's the number they want your credit card for. Will let you know how it turns out.

Kind regards

David

[MickByNameAndNature]

It has now been 2 weeks since I received the request for biometrics enrolment. I was instructed not to book an appointment on my own but to contact an email address at the Home Office for assistance setting the appointment. I contacted them on the same day (2 weeks ago) and have yet to hear back. I am sending another email today. Hopefully I can get an appointment soon so that the rest of the process can start.

-- Mick

[Jeda]

Hi Mick

That's different - I was given a link to enrol in Biometrics - I guess it depends which country you're in. I'm in Oz so it was via VFS office in Perth.

Hope you get enrolled very soon.

I know this process is a patience tester.....

Cheerio
Jeda

[KZ720]

I have received my UK citizenship, and am interested in applying for my passport. One problem, I don't know how to have my identity verified. The requirements include that the person who verifies your identity live in the UK, have known you for 2 years, and not be related to you. Well, I've lived in the US most of my life, and the only people in the UK that I know are relatives.

I can't be the only person who has run into this. Curious how others have gotten around this. So far contacting officials (consulate, immigration) has turned up zero response, as all I have are email addresses.

[sunburn]

I have received my UK citizenship, and am interested in applying for my passport. One problem, I don't know how to have my identity verified. The requirements include that the person who verifies your identity live in the UK, have known you for 2 years, and not be related to you. Well, I've lived in the US most of my life, and the only people in the UK that I know are relatives

Your passport countersignatories do not have to be UK residents or nationals. Neither of my acquaintances were. One was a US Army officer, and the other a real estate agent and former business owner. That was fine - had the passport in hand a week after I sent in documents.

[KZ720]

I have received my UK citizenship, and am interested in applying for my passport. One problem, I don't know how to have my identity verified. The requirements include that the person who verifies your identity live in the UK, have known you for 2 years, and not be related to you. Well, I've lived in the US most of my life, and the only people in the UK that I know are relatives

Your passport countersignatories do not have to be UK residents or nationals. Neither of my acquaintances were. One was a US Army officer, and the other a real estate agent and former business owner. That was fine - had the passport in hand a week after I sent in documents.

Interesting, I was going off of this page: https://www.passport.service.gov.uk/hel ... g-identity

For the citizenship I was able to use two US-based attorneys I know, wasn't sure if I'd be able to do that for the passport.

Did you apply online? I was hoping to do that to speed things along and hopefully avoid sending documents through the mail.

[Jeda]

I was wondering the same re validating my ID for UK passport as I'm in Australia. I know lots of Brits here but most don't have the occupations listed to qualify to verify my ID. I was going to ask my cousin's lawyer in UK to do it but looks like I can use an Aussie with the appropriate occupation.
Thanks.
Jeda.

[sunburn]

Interesting, I was going off of this page: https://www.passport.service.gov.uk/hel ... g-identity

For the citizenship I was able to use two US-based attorneys I know, wasn't sure if I'd be able to do that for the passport.

Did you apply online? I was hoping to do that to speed things along and hopefully avoid sending documents through the mail.

Yes I've probably seen that, and took the liberty of ignoring it and just offering what I could offer, since I didn't know anyone suitable in the UK. There was no problem at all.

Are you referring to applying for the passport online ? As far as I'm aware, all overseas applications - at least US ones - are to be done online. There's no way around sending documentation - your UKM certificate of registration must be posted to them. The address will be given to you when you fill in the online application. However, you don't need to send your US passport. A color photocopy will do. That's what I did.

[KZ720]

Interesting, I was going off of this page: https://www.passport.service.gov.uk/hel ... g-identity

For the citizenship I was able to use two US-based attorneys I know, wasn't sure if I'd be able to do that for the passport.

Did you apply online? I was hoping to do that to speed things along and hopefully avoid sending documents through the mail.

Yes I've probably seen that, and took the liberty of ignoring it and just offering what I could offer, since I didn't know anyone suitable in the UK. There was no problem at all.

Are you referring to applying for the passport online ? As far as I'm aware, all overseas applications - at least US ones - are to be done online. There's no way around sending documentation - your UKM certificate of registration must be posted to them. The address will be given to you when you fill in the online application. However, you don't need to send your US passport. A color photocopy will do. That's what I did.

Right you are on sending documents in, I noticed that after I posted. I went ahead and paid online, believing you were correct, and once I picked the verify identity through document it specifies that my confirmer must be: 1) 18+; 2) working or retired from a recognized profession; and 3) since I'm outside the UK, they must hold a UK, Irish, EU, US or Commonwealth passport. Wish I'd found that info earlier in the process! So, my online portion is done, and now I just need to have my paper identity form completed and mailed off with my certificate of citizenship and a color copy of my US passport.

[sunburn]

Right you are on sending documents in, I noticed that after I posted. I went ahead and paid online, believing you were correct, and once I picked the verify identity through document it specifies that my confirmer must be: 1) 18+; 2) working or retired from a recognized profession; and 3) since I'm outside the UK, they must hold a UK, Irish, EU, US or Commonwealth passport. Wish I'd found that info earlier in the process! So, my online portion is done, and now I just need to have my paper identity form completed and mailed off with my certificate of citizenship and a color copy of my US passport.

Great! It took me about a week - I fedexed documents to HMPO Durham (where I was asked to send it - yours may differ) on I think a Wednesday and got the documents and passport on back to back days the following Thursday and Friday. The online status check lets you track document acceptance , passport printing and when they've dispatched it.

[MickByNameAndNature]

Received biometrics Appointment. Updated timeline:

Eligibility Criteria: UKM
Nationality: USA, Ireland
Applying from: USA
Method of application: Online with documents sent via post
Payment method: Credit card
Date of application: 09/07/2020
Date funds withdrawn: 09/07/2020
Date of UKVI acknowledgement email: 09/07/2020
Date documents sent: 09/07/2020
Date of receipt by UKVI (per tracking): 24/7/2020
Biometrics Requested: 14/9/2020
Email sent to HO requesting biometrics appointment: 14/9/2020
Follow up email sent to HO regarding biometrics appt: 28/9/2020
Biometrics appointment received: 12/10/2020
Biometrics appointment date: 16/11/2020