Naturalisation application processing timelines (only)

[dadageer]

As council registrar office is 5 min drive from my home I thought to go and see them in person regarding ceremony dates instead of calling them. When I showed the lady my Home office invitation she asked if I have received any letter from council and I said no I have not. She then checked in her records and confirmed that they indeed have received my certificate from Home office and they were about to dispatch me the letter for invitation. This means my assumptions earlier was wrong that people who apply though NCS only get one letter. Regardless how you applied you will need to have a council invitation and a Home office invitation.

Anyways, she said now that you are here we will not dispatch any letter and confirmed that the next available date for Public ceremony is 24th April. That was like more than three weeks and I have to make some travel arrangements as well in May so I asked her if she can look for a private ceremony date which she confirmed is next week Wednesday. I asked if that one is the earliest they have got and she started looking at their database again and to my amazement confirmed that there is actually one slot left for a Public ceremony tomorrow ...She asked if I am ok with that and obviously I gave a resounding yes. So yes I am having my ceremony on April's fool day i.e. 01-04-2014

I think me going to the council and seeing them in person helped

My timeline

Eligibility criteria: 1yr HSMP+ 4 yrs Tier-1 + 1yr ILR
Language criteria met :IELTS 8.0
Method of application: NCS
Council name if NCS used: Wokingham
Date of application: 29.01.2014
Payment method CC/DC: Direct Debit
Date of receipt by UKBA: 03.02.2014 (Royal mail Proof of Delivery)
Date of acknowledgement: Dated 07.02.2014 (Received 11.02.2014)
Date of debit or clearance of fees: 06.02.2014
Date approval received: 29.03.2014 (Letter dated 20.03.2014)
Date of ceremony: 01.04.2014

[farrukhnizam]

Eligibility criteria : 5yrs HSMP + 1 Yr ILR
Council : Hatfield Council on 08-01-2014
* Method of application: NCS
* Received application at Home office: 09-01-2014 - thedx.co.uk
* Date of debit of fees: 26-01-2014 (Sunday)
* Date of acknowledgement of fees: 29-01-2014 (dated on 26-01-2014)
* Date of approval: Waiting
* Date of Ceremony: Waiting

Hi,
HO took the decision on 6th of March and they dispatched the letter on 11th March but still not received yet.

I called them again they said please wait for 1 more week.

Thanks
FN

[dadageer]

Hello guys, it seems like my wait for that all important brown envelope is finally over and I have received approval letter from Home office this afternoon

My timeline is below..looking at it seems like it took 32 working days for them to make a decision on my application.

Eligibility criteria: 1yr HSMP+ 4 yrs Tier-1 + 1yr ILR
Language criteria met :IELTS 8.0
Method of application: NCS
Council name if NCS used: Wokingham
Date of application: 29.01.2014
Payment method CC/DC: Direct Debit
Date of receipt by UKBA: 03.02.2014 (Royal mail Proof of Delivery)
Date of acknowledgement: Dated 07.02.2014 (Received 11.02.2014)
Date of debit or clearance of fees: 06.02.2014
Date approval received: 29.03.2014 (Letter dated 20.03.2014)
Date of ceremony: will do on Monday and update

As someone rightly pointed out this letter is from Home office and it just says that application is approved and just contact council for ceremony. As I applied through NCS I don't think I will receive any letter from council. However, those who applied directly may have to wait for two letters..

Well well..soon be posting my updates in passport thread ...thanks to all of you for your help and keeping this forum so informative and helpful..I am sure all you guys who are waiting will soon receive your approval..

[britishAlex]

Eligibility Criteria: EU 5yrs + 1year PR (though I have not provided the PR card)
Method of Application: NCS
Date of Application: 11/02/2014
Date of receipt by UKBA : 12/02/2014
Date of Debit of Fees: 18/02/2014 / acknowledgement letter issued 17/02/2014
Date of Approval: not known, approval letter from HO not received yet
Letter from County Council with ceremony invitation: 28/03/2014
Date of Ceremony: 1st May 2014

[milan69]

You might just have time to do both tests.

[Hayati]

Eligibility Criteria: 3 Years ILR
Method of Application: Myself
Date of Application: 22/02/2014
Date of receipt by UKBA : 24/02/2014
Date of payment: 27/02/2014
Date of Receipt of Acknowledgement: 01/03/2014
Date of Receipt of Approval : Waiting
Date of Ceremony : Waiting

I have seen some people put like case holder receive file or still waiting to case holder to get file etc. how do you get this information?
Also somebody told me i can ask home office to return my file without canceling my application. Can somebody help me about it please.
I bought my flight ticket to visit my mum before my application for june and i want to go is there any way to find progress of my application an get my passport and ilr card back ? Thanks Hayati.

[Katra]

I thought i would share my experience since my application was in October.

Eligibility Criteria: 12 Years ILR
Method of Application: Myself
Date of Application: 24/10/2013
Date of receipt by UKBA : 24/10/2013
Declined payment: 30/12/2013
Date of Receipt of Acknowledgement/New payment slip: 06/01/2014
Date of Debit of Fees: 16/01/2014
Date of Receipt of Approval : 22/03/2014 (letter issued on 20/03/2014)
Date of Ceremony : Still waiting for invitation letter.


Thank you and good luck to those still waiting.

[sogy]

Mine is complicated since I don't have any ID, been here for a long time. I need ID to sit for life in the UK test.

Sorry to hear that... Then I don't know what you can do.

[jahzie]

hey everyone, I applied on 26 oct, the HO got it on 28 oct. They wrote to me requesting life in the UK and B1 by 16 April. I don't know what to do orwhere to start, really disappointed and depressed.

Did you take the tests at all? Do you have the certs?

If you have not, you still have time. Go online, search Life in the UK, register, and order the book. This takes a few days to prepare.

For the spoke one, you need to book ASAP, but no need to prepare - you either speak/understand, or you don't.

Mine is complicated since I don't have any ID, been here for a long time. I need ID to sit for life in the UK test.

[Castro32]

Eligibility criteria: 3 Years as a Spouse of a British Citizen + 1 year indefinite leave
Language eligibility: UK Masters Degree and Life in the UK test with Citizenship.
Method of application: Post office
Date of application in Sheffield: 28/03/2014 (Special delivery method)
Application received on:
Date of debit or clearance of fees:
Date approval received: ??


Wish me Luck.....

[Castro32]

I think if they have told you that it is approved, it means that it is approved but I will still wait for the letter to arrive before contacting the council regarding a ceremony.

[collipu]

I've just received an email (reply for 23rd Feb mail query after 5 days) as below

Dear Mr Ahmed,

Your application has been approved, you will hear from the team in due course.

Admin Officer 07, North West Responder Hub
Customer Service Improvement Directorate
Home Office, UK Visas and Immigration

I'm being little excited but more skeptical because I was under the impression they only tell weather decision has been made or not and never reveal it before hand, Should I count it as approved?

My time line is as following:

Eligibility criteria: HSMP + Tier 1 + 1yr ILR
Method of application: NCS Ealing
Date of application: 08/02/2014
Date of debit or clearance of fees: 13/02/14
Date approval received: ??

What should I do now? I'm still uncertain is it 100% approval? Should I go-ahead and speak with my Ealing council for ceremony or simply wait for the letter??

(Email addresses I used together: nationalityhelpdesk@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk & furthernationalityenquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk)

If they are saying it is approved, then it is approved.

[sogy]

hey everyone, I applied on 26 oct, the HO got it on 28 oct. They wrote to me requesting life in the UK and B1 by 16 April. I don't know what to do orwhere to start, really disappointed and depressed.

Did you take the tests at all? Do you have the certs?

If you have not, you still have time. Go online, search Life in the UK, register, and order the book. This takes a few days to prepare.

For the spoke one, you need to book ASAP, but no need to prepare - you either speak/understand, or you don't.

[jahzie]

hey everyone, I applied on 26 oct, the HO got it on 28 oct. They wrote to me requesting life in the UK and B1 by 16 April. I don't know what to do orwhere to start, really disappointed and depressed.

[eea_noneu]

Eligibility Criteria : 5 Years on (HSMP + Tier1) + 1 Year ILR
Method of Application : Barking and Degenham NCS
Date of Application : 06 - Feb - 2014
Date of Debit of Fees : 12 - Feb - 2014
Date of Receipt of Acknowledgement : 17 - Feb - 2014
Date of Receipt of Approval : 28 - Feb - 2014 ( Letter Date : 22 - Feb - 2014)
Date of Ceremony : TBC


All the best to those in the waiting..

[ijaz.ahmed]

I've just received an email (reply for 23rd Feb mail query after 5 days) as below

Dear Mr Ahmed,

Your application has been approved, you will hear from the team in due course.

Admin Officer 07, North West Responder Hub
Customer Service Improvement Directorate
Home Office, UK Visas and Immigration

I'm being little excited but more skeptical because I was under the impression they only tell weather decision has been made or not and never reveal it before hand, Should I count it as approved?

My time line is as following:

Eligibility criteria: HSMP + Tier 1 + 1yr ILR
Method of application: NCS Ealing
Date of application: 08/02/2014
Date of debit or clearance of fees: 13/02/14
Date approval received: ??

What should I do now? I'm still uncertain is it 100% approval? Should I go-ahead and speak with my Ealing council for ceremony or simply wait for the letter??

(Email addresses I used together: nationalityhelpdesk@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk & furthernationalityenquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk)

[arajkumar82]

Eligibility Criteria : 5 Years on (HSMP + Tier1) + 1 Year ILR
Method of Application : Through Cardiff NCS
Date of Application : 27 - March - 2014
Date of Debit of Fees :
Date of Receipt of Acknowledgement :
Date of Receipt of Approval :
Date of Ceremony :

[belkhir]

Hi Christianoronaldo
are you still waiting to get approval ? or did u get approval ?
its almost a year since you ahve applied !!! do you know any other person in similar case ?

Applied on 29/04/2013
Still waiting

Anybody waiting that long?

Are you Fackiiiiiing serious. What's taking them so long. Have you phoned and emailed them?

I contacted them so many times personally and through MP as well. Everytime I get a usual answer that application is still under process and there is no maximum time limit to make the decision.

[vv129]

Eligibility criteria: 5yr + 1yr ILR
Method of application: NCS Kingston Upon Thames 13/01/2014
Date of receipt by UKBA: 14/01/2014
Date of debit of fees: 28/01/2014
Date of receipt of acknowledgement: 30/01/2014
Date of receipt of approval: 17/03/2014 Dated 09/03/2014
Date of Ceremony: 16/04/2014

A big Thank you to this forum and All the best to the ones waiting.

[Christianoronaldo]

October and November Applicants!

I guess all the October and November applicants should come forward and do a hunger strike till their application is decided or everybody should withdraw their applications. That will be a good lesson for the UKBA.

[masjam]

Please I will request all the applicant from Oct and November who are still waiting for decision to come forward and update their time line so at least we can find out how many in this forum still waiting for decision!!!!!!!!!!!
Its almost more than 5 months since I have been waiting and my case is straight forward ..I am really really puzzled as well..

[belkhir]

Hi Masjam
I think there are still plenty of Oct, Nov Applicant who havent received their approval. I'm one of them......
can anyone explain what does "No Casworker has been affected to your case"
what does the normal people understand from this ? does it mean they havent started at all with your application, or does it mean they are waiting for more information to be gathered prior the casework can make a decision ? I'm realluu puzzled with this !!!!

has anyone who submitted an application on the 24th of October 2013 and still waiting for approval?

[masjam]

has anyone who submitted an application on the 24th of October 2013 and still waiting for approval?

[farrukhnizam]

Home Office nationality Help Desk no: 03001232253

[ukcitzen]

Eligibility criteria: (HSMP + Tier 1 + 1yr ILR)
Method of application: NCS Lewisham
Date of Application : 17/03/2014
Date of receipt by UKBA: 18/03/2014
Date of debit of fees: 21/03/2014
Date of receipt of acknowledgement: 26/03/2014 (Dated: 21/03/2014)
Date of receipt of approval:
Date of Ceremony: