Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

[Frou01]

Just called the home office helpline and was informed that everyone who got approved before 7 August should receive their invitation letters by end of October or by first week of November

So August 7 was a Friday, I was approved just the next working day Monday 10 August.

What will this mean for me?

[baybars1]

The only concern if you look at the date the later was printed 02 September till receiving which was yesterday its almost 7weeks that's alarming.

Baybar1 what do you think?

My ranting above aside, your friend's letter was printed too soon compared to that of the other users approved around the same time. People approved between 15 and 18 June had their invites printed between 22 and 23 September. So if you assume that the letter was printed about three weeks sooner than usual, it must have been held back until the certificate had been printed. Be that as it may, your friend has their letter now.

Therefore, yes it can be concerning that the letter was delayed by seven weeks, but it seems like an exception and I wouldn't extend the typical projected wait time just yet.

[baybars1]

Just called the home office helpline and was informed that everyone who got approved before 7 August should receive their invitation letters by end of October or by first week of November

So August 7 was a Friday, I was approved just the next working day Monday 10 August.

What will this mean for me?

According to the model, your letter should arrive by 12 November 2020. Please do keep us posted on that.

[fbaig76]

I was approved on the 10th of July and received my invitation letter on the 14th October dated 6th of October. But Brent council have NOT yet received my certificate. They are saying last batch was received on the 1st of October, due to the lock down in Liverpool HO is short of staff and not printing / despatching certificates.

Not sure whom do I contact now?

Again it's just a wait now.

[Frou01]

Just called the home office helpline and was informed that everyone who got approved before 7 August should receive their invitation letters by end of October or by first week of November

So August 7 was a Friday, I was approved just the next working day Monday 10 August.

What will this mean for me?

According to the model, your letter should arrive by 12 November 2020. Please do keep us posted on that.

Thank you. Much appreciated. I will-post any updates.

I have just called the helpline too and was talking without much wait to a very friendly man.

I have mentioned my approval date 10 August and what was said about the date of 7 August and approvals before will receive their invitation at the end of October.

He said to me my date 10 August is included in that and I will also receive my invitation together with all others before as it’s very close to that date.

I will keep you updated.

[baybars1]

For those approved after Friday, 7 August, it might be worth mentioning that Friday, 30 October is exactly 12 weeks after Friday, 7 August.

What this means is that those approved after 7 August 2020 should be receiving their invitations within 12 weeks from the date of the approval, i.e. "the standard timeline", whereas those approved up until 7 August will have waited longer than 12 weeks.

However, if they continue working at the same pace as was necessary to reduce the wait time to 12 weeks for those approved after 7 August, they should be able to reduce the wait time further still. That is, unless they slacken again.

[londuk1]

Just called the home office helpline and was informed that everyone who got approved before 7 August should receive their invitation letters by end of October or by first week of November

So August 7 was a Friday, I was approved just the next working day Monday 10 August.

What will this mean for me?

According to the model, your letter should arrive by 12 November 2020. Please do keep us posted on that.

Thank you. Much appreciated. I will-post any updates.

I have just called the helpline too and was talking without much wait to a very friendly man.

I have mentioned my approval date 10 August and what was said about the date of 7 August and approvals before will receive their invitation at the end of October.

He said to me my date 10 August is included in that and I will also receive my invitation together with all others before as it’s very close to that date.

I will keep you updated.

Ohh amazing news! I was approved on 3/8, can’t wait to finally receive the letter. Does anyone here had a ceremony experience with Wandsworth council?

[Akskin]

I received an email about my application being successful on the 28th of may and finally I had my citizenship ceremony on the 30th of September.
Letter from the home office with invitation been dated the 8th of September and letter from my council (Essex) 22nd of September!!!

[baybars1]

I received an email about my application being successful on the 28th of may and finally I had my citizenship ceremony on the 30th of September.
Letter from the home office with invitation been dated the 8th of September and letter from my council (Essex) 22nd of September!!!

Congratulations and thanks for the update.

[Bebu2019]

I was approved at the beginning of June and am still waiting for my ceremony invite My council is Aberdeen...

[raij]

Lol
I am so sorry

This are the right details

Citizenship and nationality enquiries
nationalityenquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 123 2253
Monday to Thursday, 9am to 4:45pm
Friday, 9am to 4:30pm
Find out about call charges

it made me chuckle i think Sports Direct would handle the backlog much more efficient tho

[Chuga]

Hi everyone,

Am just curious- the invitation letter does it come wih brown envelope as usual, does it need a signature when received? Am always looking out for the postman daily, lol. It’s worse because am now wfh for the forceable future due to Covid-19.

Thanks in advance guys.

[baybars1]

Hi everyone,

Am just curious- the invitation letter does it come wih brown envelope as usual, does it need a signature when received? Am always looking out for the postman daily, lol. It’s worse because am now wfh for the forceable future due to Covid-19.

Thanks in advance guys.

I think you are right about the brown envelope, but the letter is normally sent by the cheapest postal service, so it is unlikely that you will need to sign upon receipt.

[James t]

This thing is really stressing

[James t]

Just after me being booked in with a nice lady to go for the ceremony on after my reaching they're asking for the invitation later at the reception then the lady tells me they were stopped to take in people without invitations all councils from yesterday now what I'm going to do will wait for the invitation after doing all this ceremony thing I will go back visit my family but the way these people are treating us is stressful approved in July the 14th still waiting but I know God will help me :cry

[TheTraveller]

Just after me being booked in with a nice lady to go for the ceremony on after my reaching they're asking for the invitation later at the reception then the lady tells me they were stopped to take in people without invitations all councils from yesterday now what I'm going to do will wait for the invitation after doing all this ceremony thing I will go back visit my family but the way these people are treating us is stressful approved in July the 14th still waiting but I know God will help me :cry

James t - Have you been approved in July? How did you know your council has your citizenship certificate ?

[IrobotZ]

Update on Barnet council

approved 29/06/20

Invitation letter received 15/10/20 dated 28/09/20

Called the council on the 15th and they told me they did not get my certificate and ask me to call back today, Just called them and they still did not have my certificate, the lady informed me that a lots of people are in the same satiation in Barnet and told me to try my luck next week.

[baybars1]

Update on Barnet council

approved 29/06/20

Invitation letter received 15/10/20 dated 28/09/20

Called the council on the 15th and they told me they did not get my certificate and ask me to call back today, Just called them and they still did not have my certificate, the lady informed me that a lots of people are in the same satiation in Barnet and told me to try my luck next week.

Thanks for sharing the invite details and sorry to hear your certificate has been delayed. Maybe you can ask your council when they normally receive certificates. If there has been any regularity to it, they might be able to tell you if there has been a delay.

What I am getting at is whether Tier 3 restrictions in Liverpool have left the Home Office short-staffed with respect to the printing of certificates, which may be separate from the sub-team, or whatever they call themselves, who are in charge of issuing the invitation letters.

[baybars1]

Called the Home Office helpline myself to get more clarity on the assumptions behind the model.

They did say that the printing of certificates was unaffected by the Tier 3 restrictions in Liverpool, whether you believe it or not.

[IrobotZ]

Update on Barnet council

approved 29/06/20

Invitation letter received 15/10/20 dated 28/09/20

Called the council on the 15th and they told me they did not get my certificate and ask me to call back today, Just called them and they still did not have my certificate, the lady informed me that a lots of people are in the same satiation in Barnet and told me to try my luck next week.

Thanks for sharing the invite details and sorry to hear your certificate has been delayed. Maybe you can ask your council when they normally receive certificates. If there has been any regularity to it, they might be able to tell you if there has been a delay.

What I am getting at is whether Tier 3 restrictions in Liverpool have left the Home Office short-staffed with respect to the printing of certificates, which may be separate from the sub-team, or whatever they call themselves, who are in charge of issuing the invitation letters.

The Barnet council staff told me that they would normally get new delivery on Monday and it would take 1-2 days for them to put new info into their system.

Looks like the new lockdown have indeed caused further delays, hope the home office could arrange alternative means to print certificates on time.

Again, Thanks very much for providing a lot of insights to helps members on this forum, we all owe you a pint for what you done for us stay safe and have a great day.

[baybars1]

Again, Thanks very much for providing a lot of insights to helps members on this forum, we all owe you a pint for what you done for us stay safe and have a great day.

Many thanks for your kind note. Have a great day you too.

[Waitingagain]

Just spoke to my council, not the greatest of news...
The very friendly lady said that even though they were receiving a weekly batch, they are now receiving them less often and have not had one for a couple of weeks.
Baybars1, your model was spot on for a long time, but I have a feeling this is going to slip. I was approved end of August, but not expecting an invite in 2020 anymore.
I still don’t understand why we can’t sign a declaration online instead of the ceremony. Tradition is great, but surely we need to be slightly flexible...

[asmo]

This is becoming ridiculous, there is been a whole summer to sort out guidelines and work processes in case of a very likely second wave, knowing how efficient is this country for any other thing it seams to me that it is just not a priority to welcome new citizens, I can see the point since we are in the middle of a pandemic, but let us pay at the end of the process if this is the case.

There are better ways to sort this ceremony out, virtual ceremonies was a good compromise for both speed and safety but given the fact that a certificate is still needed and HO delays should still be taken into account I see it like a sweetener and not a real solution, I am starting to lose hope.

anyway best of luck to everyone, I am happy for whom has got already its ceremony done

[Tirinti]

Just spoke to my council, not the greatest of news...
The very friendly lady said that even though they were receiving a weekly batch, they are now receiving them less often and have not had one for a couple of weeks.
Baybars1, your model was spot on for a long time, but I have a feeling this is going to slip. I was approved end of August, but not expecting an invite in 2020 anymore.
I still don’t understand why we can’t sign a declaration online instead of the ceremony. Tradition is great, but surely we need to be slightly flexible...

I don't think it is a tradition. Ceremonies were introduced in 2004. Before people were signing with Solicitors.

[baybars1]

This is becoming ridiculous, there is been a whole summer to sort out guidelines and work processes in case of a very likely second wave, knowing how efficient is this country for any other thing it seams to me that it is just not a priority to welcome new citizens, I can see the point since we are in the middle of a pandemic, but let us pay at the end of the process if this is the case.

There are better ways to sort this ceremony out, virtual ceremonies was a good compromise for both speed and safety but given the fact that a certificate is still needed and HO delays should still be taken into account I see it like a sweetener and not a real solution, I am starting to lose hope.

anyway best of luck to everyone, I am happy for whom has got already its ceremony done

It is quite possible that the model will prove outdated very soon. I'll try and update the projections once I know more.