Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

[ILR1980]

according to guidelines

A number of public services will also stay open and you will be able to leave home to visit them. These include:
the NHS and medical services like GPs. We are supporting the NHS to safely carry out urgent and non-urgent services and it is vital anyone who thinks they need any kind of medical care comes forward and seeks help.
Jobcentre Plus sites ,Courts, Civil Registrations Offices


Weddings, civil partnership ceremonies will not be permitted to take place except in exceptional circumstances.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-nationa ... 5-november

[Frou01]

according to guidelines

A number of public services will also stay open and you will be able to leave home to visit them. These include:
the NHS and medical services like GPs. We are supporting the NHS to safely carry out urgent and non-urgent services and it is vital anyone who thinks they need any kind of medical care comes forward and seeks help.
Jobcentre Plus sites ,Courts, Civil Registrations Offices


Weddings, civil partnership ceremonies will not be permitted to take place except in exceptional circumstances.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-nationa ... 5-november

Citizenship ceremonies (which are mandatory to become British) aren’t even worth mentioned.

[daisy1122]

My approval email was 21st July, No invitation letter until now.
I sent email to Cambridge Council and received the automatic reply
below:
Thank you for your email.
If you have contacted us about your citizenship ceremony then we will keep your contact details on file and will contact you when your certificate has arrived in the despatch from The Home Office.
At present we are waiting for certificates for 100 new citizens who have contacted us to that say that they have received their invitation to a ceremony from The Home Office.
Despatches are spaced a fortnight apart and, while we are assured that The Home Office are working their way through the backlog methodically and sequentially, there does still appear to be a two month delay so please do be patient.
Yours sincerely,
Cambridgeshire Citizenship Ceremonies

I guess the only way is wait, and wait for lockdown ended.

[daisy1122]

My approval email was 21st July, No invitation letter until now.
I sent email to Cambridge Council and received the automatic reply
below:
Thank you for your email.
If you have contacted us about your citizenship ceremony then we will keep your contact details on file and will contact you when your certificate has arrived in the despatch from The Home Office.
At present we are waiting for certificates for 100 new citizens who have contacted us to that say that they have received their invitation to a ceremony from The Home Office.
Despatches are spaced a fortnight apart and, while we are assured that The Home Office are working their way through the backlog methodically and sequentially, there does still appear to be a two month delay so please do be patient.
Yours sincerely,
Cambridgeshire Citizenship Ceremonies

I guess the only way is wait, and wait for lockdown ended.

[ILR1980]

according to guidelines

A number of public services will also stay open and you will be able to leave home to visit them. These include:
the NHS and medical services like GPs. We are supporting the NHS to safely carry out urgent and non-urgent services and it is vital anyone who thinks they need any kind of medical care comes forward and seeks help.
Jobcentre Plus sites ,Courts, Civil Registrations Offices


Weddings, civil partnership ceremonies will not be permitted to take place except in exceptional circumstances.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-nationa ... 5-november

Citizenship ceremonies (which are mandatory to become British) aren’t even worth mentioned.

Yes its bit vague about Citizenship ceremonies and even council websites have not updated their webpages as per latest guidelines but i assume Civil registration offices deal with Citizenship ceremonies and if they are allowed to open then i don't see why private or online ceremonies should not be permitted ..actual concern is lazy guys working at home office who will use this excuse of COVID/lockdown to delay issuing certificate even further

[Frou01]

according to guidelines

A number of public services will also stay open and you will be able to leave home to visit them. These include:
the NHS and medical services like GPs. We are supporting the NHS to safely carry out urgent and non-urgent services and it is vital anyone who thinks they need any kind of medical care comes forward and seeks help.
Jobcentre Plus sites ,Courts, Civil Registrations Offices


Weddings, civil partnership ceremonies will not be permitted to take place except in exceptional circumstances.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-nationa ... 5-november

Citizenship ceremonies (which are mandatory to become British) aren’t even worth mentioned.

Yes its bit vague about Citizenship ceremonies and even council websites have not updated their webpages as per latest guidelines but i assume Civil registration offices deal with Citizenship ceremonies and if they are allowed to open then i don't see why private or online ceremonies should not be permitted ..actual concern is lazy guys working at home office who will use this excuse of COVID/lockdown to delay issuing certificate even further

My council Birmingham has no interest in offering online ceremonies - while it would make sense as they have the biggest backlog.
Their private ceremonies are £206 and they will insist on that money.
Therefore we in Birmingham are extremely unlucky.

[MannyWarrior]

Hi all

Million dollar question will ceremonies be put on hold I think they will for a month or the lockdown maybe beyond 2 December . weddings and civil partnerships are put on hold so most likely citizenship ceremonies aswell

I've checked Cardiff Register and they have ceremonies. I don't think English lockdown will be stricter then Welsh. But on the other hand I think HO will work from home and they cannot print certificates from home. I don't think the lockdown will be over on 2nd December. Johnson didn't want to enrage people telling Christmas will be digital. I expect on 1st of December he will extend the lockdown by two weeks and after two week till the end of the year or further.
I was approved on 14th August and I hope they will manage to send my certificate before the lockdown. Otherwise my circumstances will change in January when Brexit transition period will be over and my Permanent Residency not valid anymore. I will have to apply for the settled status and apply for the citizenship a year after.

Yes cardiff is open but I believe Swansea is closed last time I checked.

So I think it's council dependent at the end of the day. But I really hope the councils have taken the initiative to make their ceremonies and work of place COVID secure. For our sake anyways. I believe my council has received my letter and I will be calling them Monday afternoon to confirm, but, no invitation letter yet from HO.

Brother how do you call mcr council ?. I call but no answer so I only send email. It looks like council got certificates on Friday. Please let me know what they say when you contact them

I email them as well. They usually reply same day IF I email in the morning.

Their reply was:

"Your friend is correct, we have been informed (yesterday) that there will be dispatch of certificates, likely to arrive beginning of next week.

However, these will be for decisions that were approved in July."

[axeman85]

I've checked Cardiff Register and they have ceremonies. I don't think English lockdown will be stricter then Welsh. But on the other hand I think HO will work from home and they cannot print certificates from home. I don't think the lockdown will be over on 2nd December. Johnson didn't want to enrage people telling Christmas will be digital. I expect on 1st of December he will extend the lockdown by two weeks and after two week till the end of the year or further.
I was approved on 14th August and I hope they will manage to send my certificate before the lockdown. Otherwise my circumstances will change in January when Brexit transition period will be over and my Permanent Residency not valid anymore. I will have to apply for the settled status and apply for the citizenship a year after.

Yes cardiff is open but I believe Swansea is closed last time I checked.

So I think it's council dependent at the end of the day. But I really hope the councils have taken the initiative to make their ceremonies and work of place COVID secure. For our sake anyways. I believe my council has received my letter and I will be calling them Monday afternoon to confirm, but, no invitation letter yet from HO.

Brother how do you call mcr council ?. I call but no answer so I only send email. It looks like council got certificates on Friday. Please let me know what they say when you contact them

I email them as well. They usually reply same day IF I email in the morning.

Their reply was:

"Your friend is correct, we have been informed (yesterday) that there will be dispatch of certificates, likely to arrive beginning of next week.

However, these will be for decisions that were approved in July."

Yes same thing in email they sent to me on Thursday or Friday I think. They said they are expecting over 150 certificates by Monday or Tuesday and its takes them 1 day to put them on the system.

So I guess by Tuesday I can email them to confirm ... am 31st July approval date...

[024601]

according to guidelines

A number of public services will also stay open and you will be able to leave home to visit them. These include:
the NHS and medical services like GPs. We are supporting the NHS to safely carry out urgent and non-urgent services and it is vital anyone who thinks they need any kind of medical care comes forward and seeks help.
Jobcentre Plus sites ,Courts, Civil Registrations Offices


Weddings, civil partnership ceremonies will not be permitted to take place except in exceptional circumstances.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-nationa ... 5-november

Citizenship ceremonies (which are mandatory to become British) aren’t even worth mentioned.

Yes its bit vague about Citizenship ceremonies and even council websites have not updated their webpages as per latest guidelines but i assume Civil registration offices deal with Citizenship ceremonies and if they are allowed to open then i don't see why private or online ceremonies should not be permitted ..actual concern is lazy guys working at home office who will use this excuse of COVID/lockdown to delay issuing certificate even further

My council Birmingham has no interest in offering online ceremonies - while it would make sense as they have the biggest backlog.
Their private ceremonies are £206 and they will insist on that money.
Therefore we in Birmingham are extremely unlucky.

I feel your pain. Southampton has not updated their ceremony page since before THE FIRST lockdown which shows how dis-interested they are about the future citizens. I was told by them they don't have the facilities for online ceremonies which is strange! All you need is a laptop with good wi-fi! Also, the ceremonies are between £99 and £150 so of course they would rather have the money.

Wait and see how the HO now starts blaming the second lockdown for their delay. I blame the refusal to temporary abolish the ceremonies and just send people their certificates directly.

[Soo123]

The lockdown is only imposed In England ukba will remain open as it was during the first lockdown I am assuming ceremonies will take place in Scotland and Wales .

[Tirinti]

The lockdown is only imposed In England ukba will remain open as it was during the first lockdown I am assuming ceremonies will take place in Scotland and Wales .

There is already lockdown in Wales and Northern Ireland. I think Scotland will follow soon.

[Soo123]

Anyone whose ceremonies are taking place from 2-4 should consider them very lucky I was approved on the 4th August and hoping to get my certificate before the lockdown

[Frou01]

Citizenship ceremonies (which are mandatory to become British) aren’t even worth mentioned.

Yes its bit vague about Citizenship ceremonies and even council websites have not updated their webpages as per latest guidelines but i assume Civil registration offices deal with Citizenship ceremonies and if they are allowed to open then i don't see why private or online ceremonies should not be permitted ..actual concern is lazy guys working at home office who will use this excuse of COVID/lockdown to delay issuing certificate even further

My council Birmingham has no interest in offering online ceremonies - while it would make sense as they have the biggest backlog.
Their private ceremonies are £206 and they will insist on that money.
Therefore we in Birmingham are extremely unlucky.

I feel your pain. Southampton has not updated their ceremony page since before THE FIRST lockdown which shows how dis-interested they are about the future citizens. I was told by them they don't have the facilities for online ceremonies which is strange! All you need is a laptop with good wi-fi! Also, the ceremonies are between £99 and £150 so of course they would rather have the money.

Wait and see how the HO now starts blaming the second lockdown for their delay. I blame the refusal to temporary abolish the ceremonies and just send people their certificates directly.

Totally agree. They just don’t care!
They had 5 months to clear the backlog.

[Tirinti]

Totally agree. They just don’t care!
They had 5 months to clear the backlog.

In the 2nd half of June and the whole July, when pandemic was on its lowest HO was working from home and haven't printed a single certificate. If they had started printing in mid June they would have cleared the backlog by now. Now they have 3 month backlog and it will grow to half a year before they will start again.

[baybars1]

Totally agree. They just don’t care!
They had 5 months to clear the backlog.

In the 2nd half of June and the whole July, when pandemic was on its lowest HO was working from home and haven't printed a single certificate. If they had started printing in mid June they would have cleared the backlog by now. Now they have 3 month backlog and it will grow to half a year before they will start again.

The scale of the backlog at the end of the second lockdown will depend on the length of the hiatus, the pace of new approvals and how much they will have cleared by COB Wednesday. While we can perhaps anticipate daily approvals to be at about 140-150 and hopefully we can get the sense of how far they will have gone in clearing the backlog by Wednesday by way of people sharing the info on this forum (fat chance that the Home Office pull their finger and provide transparency), the duration of the lockdown and whether it will be watered down gradually or abruptly are the big unknowns.

[IrobotZ]

this is the third week waiting for the certificate to arrive after getting my invitation letter... guess No certificate for me until the lockdown is over, Would councils in London continue citizenship ceremonies during the second lockdown?

[Soo123]

Hi All

Reply from the Hillingdon council

Good morning

Unfortunately we will not be conducting citizenship ceremonies during the 4 week lockdown.

Regards

[Frou01]

Hi All

Reply from the Hillingdon council

Good morning

Unfortunately we will not be conducting citizenship ceremonies during the 4 week lockdown.

Regards

So it will be for any council in England then.
Thanks for sharing.

I’ve sent Birmingham an email too so likely the response will be the same.

[lmannova]

Just a quick update.

I just spoke to a Greenwich council who told me group ceremonies won't take place during another lockdown but private will continue as normal. Unfortunately they still don't have my certificate [approved 20th July] but they will be getting another 150 today so helpfully mine will be there. They won't be able to book it for me until I have the invitation letter.

[baybars1]

Now that we know that some councils at least are conducting some types of citizenship ceremonies, it would be interesting to find out if the CCST will be taking yet another fully-paid lockdown holiday - unless they are printing certificates and invitation letters from home, I can't imagine that they will be doing very much otherwise.

[Small]

Hello anyone had their online ceremony without invitation letter from HO? Or anyone got their invitation letter from HO before or after ceremony please

[Frou01]

Now that we know that some councils at least are conducting some types of citizenship ceremonies, it would be interesting to find out if the CCST will be taking yet another fully-paid lockdown holiday - unless they are printing certificates and invitation letters from home, I can't imagine that they will be doing very much otherwise.

Haha, they’re already on holiday I bet.

[Frou01]

I will wait for further people sharing their responses from their individual councils and my own to get confirmation in general ceremonies are suspended.

Different to the first lockdown we might be the only ones being effected as UKVCAS and test centres will keep providing their services this time.

I have specifically ask my council if they plan for the case of another suspension 1. to introduce online ceremonies 2. if they suspend the £200+ charge for a private ceremony for the case there won’t be alternatives.

[lmannova]

Btw don't even bother calling the HO.

I just waited 25 mins to get to a really rude guy who denied whatever I was told before [July approvals will receive invitations by the end of October]. "I am just gonna have to wait until I receive it, no further updates." HO is a joke.

[Tirinti]

I will wait for further people sharing their responses from their individual councils and my own to get confirmation in general ceremonies are suspended.

Different to the first lockdown we might be the only ones being effected as UKVCAS and test centres will keep providing their services this time.

I have specifically ask my council if they plan for the case of another suspension 1. to introduce online ceremonies 2. if they suspend the £200+ charge for a private ceremony for the case there won’t be alternatives.

I think councils may continue private ceremonies until they will run out of certificates. I'm not expecting HO printing new certificates before spring as I don't expect the lockdown will be over before spring. Schools are opened so the virus is spreading. One infected child sitting for a few hours in a classroom with others, will pass the infection, and then infected children will pass to their families. If you clos the schools, then at least one parent need to stay at home and not everyone can work from home.

I think we should wait a week or two and if there is no solution from HO we should contact our MPs.