Border Force at airport said I was a British Citizen

[Arktisk_rev]

Here's a weird one... I think.

At the end of November the Home Office emailed me to say my citizenship application was accepted. My citizenship ceremony is for the middle of Jan.

Yesterday, I returned to the UK after a week abroad for Christmas. When coming back into the airport, the border agent sent me to sit in the section where people need to be questioned further. This isn't the first time this has happened to me due to Home Office/Border Agency miscommunication, so didn't think much of it except the normal annoyance.

After about 20 minutes he came back and said the issue was, that in the system I was already listed as a naturalised British citizen. We both surmised that the issue was that I was flagged since I didn't enter on a UK passport. I told him that was strange since my citizenship ceremony wasn't til the middle of Jan.

Well, I was invited to one on 8 Dec, but Royal Mail, due to all their issues, didn't give me the invite until after the ceremony took place! So, I'm wondering that the system still counted me as citizen from the date of the original ceremony? Weird stuff!

[alterhase58]

Good to know your application was approved - congrats!
Interesting that your name was matched to a naturalisation application. Presumably Border Force just let you go without further delay.

[Arktisk_rev]

Good to know your application was approved - congrats!
Interesting that your name was matched to a naturalisation application. Presumably Border Force just let you go without further delay.

Yes, he was a good natured Scot who was a joy to converse with! Wish every border agent was like that!

[secret.simon]

It would be interesting to know what the date of naturalisation is on your naturalisation certificate.

[Brazos]

A little bit of similarity in my case though I haven't received any approval yet. Applied on 07 June 2021 (as a spouse) and we went away for some months to visit friends and family, while travelling back on 21st of October the officer at the border control asked me if I have applied for citizenship? I said yes and asked why, he said that my biometrics are deleted so probably a decision has been made. At the time I felt good that I should be getting a positive decision pretty soon. Alas, still no decision except for an update that it will take longer then six months due to complex issues, for which apparently SIX months weren't enough. Pretty worn down... wonder anybody else faced a similar situation at the border control.