Travelling after naturalisation

[nitinkumar]

My wife recently got her approval and has citizenship ceremony booked for 19th Feb(private ceremony). We are due to travel to India on 15th March. There is no way that we would get her British Passport with a Indian Visa back by 15th March. My question is could she travel on her Indian passport after the naturalisation and we apply for her british passport after coming back from India around1st week of April. She is currently on ILR. Is the 3months grace period rule actually been used by anyone. Has anyone travelled like this and what has been the experience?

[sidhujazz]

Hi Nitin,

Your wife can travel on Indian passport without a problem as long as she comes back within the grace period.

Apply for a British passport now, takes around 3 to 4 weeks...then follow the following steps...

Use Indian passport while going out of the UK, the airline will check the BRP card and give you the boarding pass.

Land in India, use Indian passport fill in the customs card only (Landing card is no longer required by Indian citizens now)

On return, use the Indian passport again to exit, again airline will check BRP card and Indian passport before printing the boarding pass.

Upon UK entry, use British passport (if you didn't get the British passport in time, then use the nationalisation certificate to prove that you are British.

Golden rule - Hide British Passport until you get back to the UK, as if Indian immigration sees it you may have to explain grace period etc...so just avoid showing your red passport in India.