Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

[woabgh]

Applied on 20 April 2020
Due to lockdown, could't complete the biometrics until end of August.
Received my approval letter via email on 21st of September (which had the up to 12-weeks wording for the invite due to covid)
Nothing received yet.
They are still within the timeline, but I'm afraid the new lockdown will again slow the issuance of invitations/certificate...

[myukqueries]

I quite don't get it. Late August and September approvals got their invitations but June July early August still waiting. It doesn't make any sense at all.

No, it doesn’t. And I find it upsetting and will include this into my formal complaint I’m doing the next days with or without invitation anyway.

That recent approvals now have a preference to people waiting a long time shows we waiting for no reason that long.

The wait was always justified with the fact they’re working off the backlog in STRICT order - what they clearly don’t.

And these September approvals are genuine September approvals as their biometrics were shortly before.

I’m happy for everyone to get their journey to an end - but what happens here is not right!

I think you are missing a point here.
Yes it is Home office who are suppose to issue the certificate and invitation letter.

However, this varies council by council.

So if lets say Home office knows the Brighton council (for example) has capacity to arrange new ceremonies, they will issue the certificate for them rather than issue a certificate for a Birmingham council where there is not enough spaces for a ceremony to take place even though people have already got the decision in Birmingham. It would be pointless to print the Birmingham (for example) certificate when they know the applicant wont be able to attend the ceremony anytime soon.

Although this is me try to guess the process than knowing exactly what happens...

I'm waiting for a ceremony letter as well...

[Frou01]

I quite don't get it. Late August and September approvals got their invitations but June July early August still waiting. It doesn't make any sense at all.

No, it doesn’t. And I find it upsetting and will include this into my formal complaint I’m doing the next days with or without invitation anyway.

That recent approvals now have a preference to people waiting a long time shows we waiting for no reason that long.

The wait was always justified with the fact they’re working off the backlog in STRICT order - what they clearly don’t.

And these September approvals are genuine September approvals as their biometrics were shortly before.

I’m happy for everyone to get their journey to an end - but what happens here is not right!

I think you are missing a point here.
Yes it is Home office who are suppose to issue the certificate and invitation letter.

However, this varies council by council.

So if lets say Home office knows the Brighton council (for example) has capacity to arrange new ceremonies, they will issue the certificate for them rather than issue a certificate for a Birmingham council where there is not enough spaces for a ceremony to take place even though people have already got the decision in Birmingham. It would be pointless to print the Birmingham (for example) certificate when they know the applicant wont be able to attend the ceremony anytime soon.

Although this is me try to guess the process than knowing exactly what happens...

I'm waiting for a ceremony letter as well...

I’m referring to the letters send by Home Office and of course it’s them being responsible they are send in order.

These letters are send from HO straight to our address!
They don’t go over the individual councils first!

[Mo6193]

Hello everyone.
I was wondering if anyone had dealt with Glasgow City Council at all?

I'm from Glasgow. Got approved early Aug still no sign of invitation letter. Contacted ho but no response. Council is not giving any info until I receive invitation letter. Its so confusing.

From Glasgow too - approval date was 20th July. Glasgow City Council just refuses to provide any information without an invitation letter.

Can you share, which number are you calling to ask about certificate?

Has anyone from Glasgow received invitation for early August approval. Glasgow City Council is worst for giving any info. Have called them many times but no luck.

[baybars1]

@baybars

Please brother can you give me the ccst email address.. so I can inquire about my letter.

Thanks

I don't have it and I don't know if they have one for the customer queries, but if you find it, please share here.

[MannyWarrior]

Manchester has finally confirmed they have received my certificates. However, I haven't received nor my solicitor received anything by post.

Is the one from council usually sent when appointment booked?

[standrews]

I'm from Glasgow. Got approved early Aug still no sign of invitation letter. Contacted ho but no response. Council is not giving any info until I receive invitation letter. Its so confusing.

From Glasgow too - approval date was 20th July. Glasgow City Council just refuses to provide any information without an invitation letter.

Can you share, which number are you calling to ask about certificate?

Has anyone from Glasgow received invitation for early August approval. Glasgow City Council is worst for giving any info. Have called them many times but no luck.

Not yet, my approval is from 01/July/2020, so still awaiting invitation letter.

[Nadiyajamil]

Is there anyone here for Harrow council in London?

I got my approval email on 10th of July but still waiting for the invitation letter.

Nadia

[triiishiii]

Hi,

Good news - I received my citizenship invitation letter today (approval was in July). The letter says call council to book ceremony, but council's website says email council to book.

I guess it's a waiting game - my letter says it was dispatched in the 1st week of october, so technically have already lost a month.

I am with Kingston County council, I have emailed them - just checking if that is the correct process ?

Thanks for replies.

[adekunbi]

My council West Lothian confirm that they received my certificate yestetday. I hope I would receive invitation letter before the end of the week.
Approval date 29 July 2020

Invitation letter received today 5th November. Ceremony on next week Monday

[TheTraveller]

Hi,

Good news - I received my citizenship invitation letter today (approval was in July). The letter says call council to book ceremony, but council's website says email council to book.

I guess it's a waiting game - my letter says it was dispatched in the 1st week of october, so technically have already lost a month.

I am with Kingston County council, I have emailed them - just checking if that is the correct process ?

Thanks for replies.

Hi Triiishiii - My local council is Kingston too! I emailed them and they said they have not received my certificate .. Have you heard back from them?

[Asazi]

I went to my original post and found it locked. It shows how long my journey has been. I hope this gives someone hope:

UPDATE

Eligibility criteria: 5 years refugee settlement+ 18 months ILR
Date of application: 12th February 2016
Rejected: May 2017 (10 Year rule)
Re-Applied: 01 August 2019
Date of approval: 30 June 2020 (letter received by post on 4 July)
28 October 2020: Council called to say they have my certificate and to book ceremony (I still have not received my invitation letter)
Date of ceremony: 03 November 2020 (Virtual)
Date applied for passports: When my certificate arrives tomorrow
Date passports received: With Covid plus a ban on international travel I am in no hurry. Just relieved that I am now a Brit.

4 long years but the journey is over.

God bless this site and all the helpful people on it. Good luck to you all.

Good morning, did you have your virtual ceremony on Microsoft zoom. Did your council send you logging details? I've downloaded zoom. I am just not sure if the process. Do you mind explaining pls. My ceremony is tomorrow in the AM

Hi there,

They sent a link the day they booked it.

All I did was download Teams on my laptop and mobile. I used the mobile phone on the day. It took less than 10 minutes and was a very good ceremony.

It starts with you showing your ID and letter (if you have no invitation letter, I advise you have your approval letter to hand because I think they just need to see an HO letter).

Enjoy yourself.

[triiishiii]

Hi,

Good news - I received my citizenship invitation letter today (approval was in July). The letter says call council to book ceremony, but council's website says email council to book.

I guess it's a waiting game - my letter says it was dispatched in the 1st week of october, so technically have already lost a month.

I am with Kingston County council, I have emailed them - just checking if that is the correct process ?

Thanks for replies.

Hi Triiishiii - My local council is Kingston too! I emailed them and they said they have not received my certificate .. Have you heard back from them?

Heya, thanks for replying. I have emailed Kingston today. When did you get in touch with Kingston CC ? Is there a number to call and speak to them, do you know?

[triiishiii]

Hi,

Good news - I received my citizenship invitation letter today (approval was in July). The letter says call council to book ceremony, but council's website says email council to book.

I guess it's a waiting game - my letter says it was dispatched in the 1st week of october, so technically have already lost a month.

I am with Kingston County council, I have emailed them - just checking if that is the correct process ?

Thanks for replies.

Hi Triiishiii - My local council is Kingston too! I emailed them and they said they have not received my certificate .. Have you heard back from them?

Heya, thanks for replying. I have emailed Kingston today. When did you get in touch with Kingston CC ? Is there a number to call and speak to them, do you know?

[triiishiii]

Now that we have reached mid-July approvals with ceremony invites, let's take stock of the timeline projections. Better-than expected performance with respect to letter-sending timeline for some recent approvals has prompted me to the previous scrap point estimate for the arrival date of the invite and replace it with an empirically established range. The idea is to give a greater weight to more recent information.

Approved on -- Letter date - - - Letter arrival, date range------------
22/06/2020 - - - 28/09/2020 - - - from 05/10/2020 - - - to 19/10/2020
29/06/2020 - - - 01/10/2020 - - - from 08/10/2020 - - - to 22/10/2020
01/07/2020 - - - 02/10/2020 - - - from 09/10/2020 - - - to 23/10/2020
09/07/2020 - - - 07/10/2020 - - - from 14/10/2020 - - - to 28/10/2020
15/07/2020 - - - 09/10/2020 - - - from 16/10/2020 - - - to 30/10/2020
22/07/2020 - - - 14/10/2020 - - - from 21/10/2020 - - - to 04/11/2020
29/07/2020 - - - 16/10/2020 - - - from 23/10/2020 - - - to 06/11/2020
01/08/2020 - - - 19/10/2020 - - - from 26/10/2020 - - - to 09/11/2020
08/08/2020 - - - 22/10/2020 - - - from 29/10/2020 - - - to 12/11/2020
15/08/2020 - - - 27/10/2020 - - - from 03/11/2020 - - - to 17/11/2020
19/08/2020 - - - 28/10/2020 - - - from 04/11/2020 - - - to 18/11/2020
29/08/2020 - - - 03/11/2020 - - - from 10/11/2020 - - - to 24/11/2020
01/09/2020 - - - 04/11/2020 - - - from 11/11/2020 - - - to 25/11/2020
08/09/2020 - - - 06/11/2020 - - - from 13/11/2020 - - - to 27/11/2020
15/09/2020 - - - 11/11/2020 - - - from 18/11/2020 - - - to 02/12/2020
22/09/2020 - - - 16/11/2020 - - - from 23/11/2020 - - - to 07/12/2020
29/09/2020 - - - 18/11/2020 - - - from 25/11/2020 - - - to 09/12/2020
01/10/2020 - - - 19/11/2020 - - - from 26/11/2020 - - - to 10/12/2020
08/10/2020 - - - 24/11/2020 - - - from 01/12/2020 - - - to 15/12/2020
15/10/2020 - - - 27/11/2020 - - - from 04/12/2020 - - - to 18/12/2020
22/10/2020 - - - 01/12/2020 - - - from 08/12/2020 - - - to 22/12/2020
29/10/2020 - - - 04/12/2020 - - - from 11/12/2020 - - - to 25/12/2020
01/11/2020 - - - 04/12/2020 - - - from 11/12/2020 - - - to 25/12/2020
08/11/2020 - - - 09/12/2020 - - - from 16/12/2020 - - - to 30/12/2020
15/11/2020 - - - 14/12/2020 - - - from 21/12/2020 - - - to 04/01/2021
22/11/2020 - - - 16/12/2020 - - - from 23/12/2020 - - - to 06/01/2021
29/11/2020 - - - 21/12/2020 - - - from 28/12/2020 - - - to 11/01/2021
01/12/2020 - - - 22/12/2020 - - - from 29/12/2020 - - - to 12/01/2021
08/12/2020 - - - 25/12/2020 - - - from 01/01/2021 - - - to 15/01/2021
15/12/2020 - - - 29/12/2020 - - - from 05/01/2021 - - - to 19/01/2021
22/12/2020 - - - 01/01/2021 - - - from 08/01/2021 - - - to 22/01/2021
29/12/2020 - - - 05/01/2021 - - - from 12/01/2021 - - - to 26/01/2021
02/01/2021 - - - 07/01/2021 - - - from 14/01/2021 - - - to 28/01/2021
08/01/2021 - - - 12/01/2021 - - - from 19/01/2021 - - - to 02/02/2021
15/01/2021 - - - 15/01/2021 - - - from 22/01/2021 - - - to 05/02/2021

spot on with this data for me - july approval, invitation letter

[Fendi]

Hello all,
Have been following patiently..
Approval Sep 30th.. no invitation letter yet.
Surrey council and they don’t book ceremonies unless you’ve received your invitation letter. I don’t even know if they are still doing ceremonies.

Can only keep waiting..

[Frou01]

Now that we have reached mid-July approvals with ceremony invites, let's take stock of the timeline projections. Better-than expected performance with respect to letter-sending timeline for some recent approvals has prompted me to the previous scrap point estimate for the arrival date of the invite and replace it with an empirically established range. The idea is to give a greater weight to more recent information.

Approved on -- Letter date - - - Letter arrival, date range------------
22/06/2020 - - - 28/09/2020 - - - from 05/10/2020 - - - to 19/10/2020
29/06/2020 - - - 01/10/2020 - - - from 08/10/2020 - - - to 22/10/2020
01/07/2020 - - - 02/10/2020 - - - from 09/10/2020 - - - to 23/10/2020
09/07/2020 - - - 07/10/2020 - - - from 14/10/2020 - - - to 28/10/2020
15/07/2020 - - - 09/10/2020 - - - from 16/10/2020 - - - to 30/10/2020
22/07/2020 - - - 14/10/2020 - - - from 21/10/2020 - - - to 04/11/2020
29/07/2020 - - - 16/10/2020 - - - from 23/10/2020 - - - to 06/11/2020
01/08/2020 - - - 19/10/2020 - - - from 26/10/2020 - - - to 09/11/2020
08/08/2020 - - - 22/10/2020 - - - from 29/10/2020 - - - to 12/11/2020
15/08/2020 - - - 27/10/2020 - - - from 03/11/2020 - - - to 17/11/2020
19/08/2020 - - - 28/10/2020 - - - from 04/11/2020 - - - to 18/11/2020
29/08/2020 - - - 03/11/2020 - - - from 10/11/2020 - - - to 24/11/2020
01/09/2020 - - - 04/11/2020 - - - from 11/11/2020 - - - to 25/11/2020
08/09/2020 - - - 06/11/2020 - - - from 13/11/2020 - - - to 27/11/2020
15/09/2020 - - - 11/11/2020 - - - from 18/11/2020 - - - to 02/12/2020
22/09/2020 - - - 16/11/2020 - - - from 23/11/2020 - - - to 07/12/2020
29/09/2020 - - - 18/11/2020 - - - from 25/11/2020 - - - to 09/12/2020
01/10/2020 - - - 19/11/2020 - - - from 26/11/2020 - - - to 10/12/2020
08/10/2020 - - - 24/11/2020 - - - from 01/12/2020 - - - to 15/12/2020
15/10/2020 - - - 27/11/2020 - - - from 04/12/2020 - - - to 18/12/2020
22/10/2020 - - - 01/12/2020 - - - from 08/12/2020 - - - to 22/12/2020
29/10/2020 - - - 04/12/2020 - - - from 11/12/2020 - - - to 25/12/2020
01/11/2020 - - - 04/12/2020 - - - from 11/12/2020 - - - to 25/12/2020
08/11/2020 - - - 09/12/2020 - - - from 16/12/2020 - - - to 30/12/2020
15/11/2020 - - - 14/12/2020 - - - from 21/12/2020 - - - to 04/01/2021
22/11/2020 - - - 16/12/2020 - - - from 23/12/2020 - - - to 06/01/2021
29/11/2020 - - - 21/12/2020 - - - from 28/12/2020 - - - to 11/01/2021
01/12/2020 - - - 22/12/2020 - - - from 29/12/2020 - - - to 12/01/2021
08/12/2020 - - - 25/12/2020 - - - from 01/01/2021 - - - to 15/01/2021
15/12/2020 - - - 29/12/2020 - - - from 05/01/2021 - - - to 19/01/2021
22/12/2020 - - - 01/01/2021 - - - from 08/01/2021 - - - to 22/01/2021
29/12/2020 - - - 05/01/2021 - - - from 12/01/2021 - - - to 26/01/2021
02/01/2021 - - - 07/01/2021 - - - from 14/01/2021 - - - to 28/01/2021
08/01/2021 - - - 12/01/2021 - - - from 19/01/2021 - - - to 02/02/2021
15/01/2021 - - - 15/01/2021 - - - from 22/01/2021 - - - to 05/02/2021

spot on with this data for me - july approval, invitation letter

I really appreaciate your amazing work and support.

But since I’ve seen dozens of September approvals just today over the places having booked their ceremony I don’t believe in an HO system anymore.
Maybe some at HO working after a model, but obviously enough don’t when I look at that chaos.

[tauqeer81]

Hi,
I have just registered to the website to post my timeline if it helps for future models.

Applied online on 25 Jun 2020
Biometrics 19 Aug 2020
Approval email 28 August 2020
Invitation letter received 5 nov 2020
Date on the letter 28 October 2020

Ceremony pending - Council Coventry has not yet update the webpage for the new lockdown

First of all congratulations for some development on your application. I am also in Coventry and got the approval on 9 Sept, so I am expecting my letter soon. Did you contact the Coventry council if they will do Online ceremony and if they have your certificate? Thank you!!

Hi tauqeer8,
I have sent an email this morning to ceremonyco-ordinator@coventry.gov.uk asking when it would be possible to book a ceremony but I do not have a reply at the moment.

Thank you for your response. Would appreciate if you could share the reply from the council.

[en_ilegna]

anyone here who is approved early June who has not received anything yet?

[minikube]

anyone here who is approved early June who has not received anything yet?

Still waiting inv. letter from May approval

[axeman85]

Good news for me. Just got a call from Manchester council. My certificate arrived yesterday and they wanted to book me for a ceremony 17th November. I asked if they had any ones sooner or private one for today or next week. THey confirmed they have a booking for Tuesday at 10am private one @ £100

Applied June 28 2020, approved 31st July 2020 ceremony booked for Tuesday and they said i should just come with the approval letter.. very nice lady i spoke to.

[justaquery]

I have some good news to share. I called Bristol council and they have received my certificate. My online application was submitted on 17 Aug and the approval date on my letter was 23 Sep. I checked last Friday and my certificate hadn’t arrived. So it looks like Bristol council got my certificate between 2nd to 5th November.

The lady said although ceremonies are suspended at the moment, they won’t be suspended till 3 Dec and they are looking to restart soon. Most likely no group ceremonies or virtual ceremonies, only private ceremonies are likely till 3 December. She’s taken my no and will call me when they restart.

I haven’t received my invitation letter from the HO yet.

[Kam2020]

I got my approval 26/08 by email, date on approval letter 21/08, still not invite, (London, Redbridge)

[iwich]

Good news for me. Just got a call from Manchester council. My certificate arrived yesterday and they wanted to book me for a ceremony 17th November. I asked if they had any ones sooner or private one for today or next week. THey confirmed they have a booking for Tuesday at 10am private one @ £100

Applied June 28 2020, approved 31st July 2020 ceremony booked for Tuesday and they said i should just come with the approval letter.. very nice lady i spoke to.

I am wondering why some councils (or maybe it depends on a case person) say approval letters are ok in case you don't have the HO invite and some say HO invite is mandatory - or it's one of the "official" by the book guidance but the approval letter is also acceptable.

[MannyWarrior]

Good news for me. Just got a call from Manchester council. My certificate arrived yesterday and they wanted to book me for a ceremony 17th November. I asked if they had any ones sooner or private one for today or next week. THey confirmed they have a booking for Tuesday at 10am private one @ £100

Applied June 28 2020, approved 31st July 2020 ceremony booked for Tuesday and they said i should just come with the approval letter.. very nice lady i spoke to.

They actually called you? I never had any calls from them sadly. You left number in email?

You had letter from them or HO?

Let me know please.