Naturalisation application processing timelines (only)

[fajr]

I didn't call for an update, I am sure they won't give an one before the six months guideline :

Quite right, I email them and they didn't give me any update because of less than six month. so waiting...

[desi_parrot]

hg

[BigSam]

Quite right, I email them and they didn't give me any update because of less than six month. so waiting...

Did you actually receive a response saying something along the lines of "your application is still under consideration"? Or when you said they didn't give you any update as in you received no response?

desi_parrot, me you and fajr applied within days of each other. I expect many people to still be on their Christmas holidays until today so hopefully next week all of us get some good news

[patel_ilford]

Eligibility criteria:1 year work permit + 4 years Tier 1 + 1 year ILR
Method of application: NCS
Date of NCS Appointment: 03-Jan-13
Date of Application Received (thedx.co.uk tracking) : 04-Jan-13
Date of debit of fees: 10-Jan-13
Date of receipt of acknowledgement:16-Jan-13 dtd 10-Jan-13
Date of receipt of approval: 01-Feb-13 dtd 24-Jan-13
Date of Ceremony: 06-Mar-13

[ah_kassem]

Hi, In many of the posts I have seen people mentioning

Date of Application Received (Royal mail tracking)

. I wonder how you get the trackinh number if you apply through NCS. Do you have to call the council and take the tracking number from them.
many thanks in advance.

When you submit your application through NCS, you get a a letter stating your name, date of application and on the bottom of that page the Royalmail tracking number is mentioned. This tracking number is same for a bunch of applications which go together in 1 day or whatever way NCS decide to send it through. You can put that tracking number in Royalmail website in the tracking section to check the status of the application. Once the application is reached and it's signed then the date when the application was received and signatures appear on the website.

the letter is given to you by NCS on the same day you give them all the papers, i.e. at the end of the meeting

[SONAKSHI]

Many thanks. I did receive a letter with my name and the fees, but it does not have the royal mail tracking number. However it does state that if youwish to confirm delivery of your application you should contact the local authority and obtain the special delivery reference number. Will do so on Monday.
Nomally i should hav received the acknowledgement within 2 weeks but it appers to be delayed because of the vaction.

[oye_rg]

Application Timeline

Eligibility criteria: 5yr + 1yr ILR
Method of application: NCS (hounslow)
Date of receipt by UKBA: 14 Sep 2012
Date of debit of fees: 27 Sep 2012
Date of receipt of acknowledgement: 21 Sep 2012
Date of receipt of approval: 03 Nov 2012
Date of Ceremony: 09 Jan 2013 (earliest group ceremony available in Hounslow due to holidays and usual rush)

[Roney]

I have also heard people saying that when case workers go on holiday the work gets stopped on that case. Can you just imagine that...imagine you going to a hospital and someone tells you the doctor is on holiday and therefore you can't be seen before that...
some of the procedures and systems HO has are absolutely Pre-hisotrical..How much does it cost to develope a tracking system where all applicants can see the status of the applications..it would save them cost of replying over email and taken calls over the phone , will reduce applicant's frustration too. It Surprises me how such a high turnover organisation can get away with 1970's systems.

[dr_raihan29]

i second the above comment! and what abt paying a shi*load of money and getting docs/approval in a 2nd class post??? even the ppl sending out junk adverts(virgin for example) sends it first class.......after charging so much should atleast have the decency to use 1st class/if not special delivery post!

[fajr]

the thing is they get way doing that crap customer service because there is no shortage of customers. Whether they send letters in 1st or 2nd class woouldnt stop anyone applying citizenship.

[ejore]

Application Timeline

Eligibility criteria: 5yrs work permit + 1 yr ILR
Method of application: NCS (York)
Date of Application : 14 Dec 2012
Date of receipt by UKBA: 17 Dec 2012
Date of debit of fees: 04 Jan 2013
Date of receipt of acknowledgement: 08 Jan 2013
Date of receipt of approval: 08 Feb 2013 ( Dated 29 January 2013)
Date of Ceremony: TBA

Update :
04 Jan 2013 : ( application fee declined ) Got a call from Home Office about fees error. ( Paid over the phone )

Have really appreciated being able to check updates here to ascertain current time frames! Thanks to all who have posted and good luck to those still waiting.

[seanjoe]

Application: Joint
Eligibility criteria: 5 Years, 1 YR WP + 4 YRS HSMP/Tier 1
Method of application: NCS
Date of application: 19 November 2012
Date of receipt by UKBA: 22 November 2012
Date of debit of fees: 03 December 2012
Date of receipt of acknowledgement: 04 December 2012 (Letter dated 03 December 2012)
Date of receipt of approval: 05 January 2013
Date of Ceremony: 28 February 2013

Total time for receipt of approval: 47 days (approx. 1.5 months)
Happy Bunny!!!

[BigSam]

Congratulations Sean.. If anybody else heard any news, please update us

Hope this leads to a good week ahead!!

[andyzauk]

Thought I'd also post here since I've found the board very helpful during my application process.

Eligibility criteria: 5 Years HSMP + Tier 1, 1 YR ILR
Method of application: NCS (Wandsworth)
Date of application: 26 November 2012
Date of receipt by UKBA: 28 November 2012
Date of debit of fees: 04 December 2012
Date of receipt of acknowledgement: 05 December 2012 (Letter dated 04 December 2012)
Date of receipt of approval: 05 January 2013 (dated 4 January from council)
Date of Ceremony: Private

My approval letter from Home Office has not yet arrived, but I have received the letter from my council (1st class) inviting me to a ceremony (which I cant make due to travelling). So the Xmas postal backlog must be holding back some 2nd class mail, or it got lost. Either way less than a month from debit of fees to approval!

So hang in there, your letter might be in the post! Good luck to all.

[rod_p]

So the Xmas postal backlog must be holding back some 2nd class mail, or it got lost.

Your council receives your certificate via special delivery.

UKBA mails your approval 2nd delivery which can take 3 to 14 days to arrive.

Not necessarily a Christmas backlog.

[Akky2000us]

Application Timeline

Eligibility criteria: 5yrs
Method of application: NCS (York)
Date of Application : 14 Dec 2012
Date of receipt by UKBA: 17 Dec 2012
Date of debit of fees: 04 Jan 2013
Date of receipt of acknowledgement:
Date of receipt of approval:
Date of Ceremony:

Update :
04 Jan 2013 : Got a call from HO about fees error. ( Paid over the phone )

Could you Please tell me your type of status you have ? It seems you do not show One year req. After ILR or PR (5 yrs) only .
Thanks

[chicona]

Eligibility criteria: 5years family EEA + 1years PR
Method of application: post myself
Date of application: 19.10.2012
Received by UKBA: 22.10.2012 (Delivered from Royal Mail )
Date of debit of fees: 27.10.2012
Date of receipt of acknowledgement: 30.10.2012
Date of approval: 28.03.2013
Date of receipt of approval: 03.04.2013 (special delivery)
Date of Ceremony : 11.04.2013

21.03.2013 home office ask additional documents for comfirmation residence because no passport or travel document from 2007 to 2010 I was sending some document bank statement, council tax record, job centre letter, tax credit letter....
so happy after 5 months 13 days approval home , thank you everybody for help!

[bunty4ILR]

Dear Friends

I am so so much delighted to share my good news that this morning I received the naturalisation approval letter from HO. It was so frustrating seeing other fellow members receiving the approvals before me who applied even a month after me but all is GOOOD now. End of my 11 years and 4 months long immigration journey. My best wishes to everyone.

Whoa-oa-oa! I feel good, I knew that I would, now
I feel good, I knew that I would, now
So good, so good, I got you

Whoa! I feel nice, like sugar and spice
I feel nice, like sugar and spice
So nice, so nice, I got you

Application Timeline
Eligibility criteria: 10yr + 1yr ILR and 5 days
Method of application: NCS (Stockport)
Date of application: 26th October 2012
Date of receipt by UKBA: 29th October 2012
Date of debit of fees: 31st October 2012
Date of receipt of acknowledgement: 5th November 2012 (dated 31st October 2012)
Date of approval: 21st December 2012
Date of receipt of approval: 8th January 2013
Date of ceremony: 17th January 2013

Approved in approx 7.5 weeks from the date fee debited.

Total time from start till finish is approx 10.5 weeks

[BigSam]

Fantastic news bunty... Congratulations!!

I applied 4 days after you and still waiting. There's still a few of us waiting from October

When you rang to book your ceremony today, did the council say they already have your certificate?

[bunty4ILR]

Fantastic news bunty... Congratulations!!

I applied 4 days after you and still waiting. There's still a few of us waiting from October

When you rang to book your ceremony today, did the council say they already have your certificate?

Thanks BigSam, dont worry mate you'll get your approval very soon just hang on a bit.
Yes I rang my council this morning, first they asked my name, dob, address and HO Ref no. Then the person told me that they have my citizenship certificate which they received before Christmas, I am guessing that HO sends citizenship certificates to councils via RM Special Delivery service as I was approved on 21st Dec (Friday) and the certificate was received by council before Christmas (let's suppose on Monday 24th Dec). The approval letter comes through 2nd class service.
The council person will send me the ceremony invitation letter via first class today. He also told me to bring my HO approval letter, without it they wont let me attend the ceremony.
Good Luck

[BigSam]

Thanks for the information bunty. This is what I thought as well so I just rang my council to check and they said they don't have a certificate for me meaning I shouldn't expect a letter from the Home Office any time soon (at least not within ten or so days)

oh well, hopefully the end of next week maybe. I'll have to sit tight in the meantime.

Congratulations again lad, you enjoy the end of your journey!!

[vinitmanu]

Thanks for the information bunty. This is what I thought as well so I just rang my council to check and they said they don't have a certificate for me meaning I shouldn't expect a letter from the Home Office any time soon (at least not within ten or so days)

oh well, hopefully the end of next week maybe. I'll have to sit tight in the meantime.

Congratulations again lad, you enjoy the end of your journey!!

I wouldn't lose hope. Council probably can't find any information on you because it is likely that they haven't inserted your certificate details on to their system. For all you know, Council's probably received the certificates but just haven't gone through the pile. You might receive your approval sooner than you think.

[fajr]

I'll have to sit tight in the meantime.

I wouldn't lose hope.

yeah there is nothing much we do except waiting. HO 6 months service standard is frustrating

[BigSam]

I wouldn't lose hope. Council probably can't find any information on you because it is likely that they haven't inserted your certificate details on to their system. For all you know, Council's probably received the certificates but just haven't gone through the pile. You might receive your approval sooner than you think.

I really hope so... If this turns out to be the case, I should get you a drink

fajr, did you manage to speak to someone when you asked for an updated? Hope you get yours this week!

[Sidwho2000]

Application sent 22/11/12 fees deducted 4/12/12 approval received 5/01/13 letter dated 04/01/13. Now waiting for invitation letter.....hope u guys get urs soon.....