Can the certificate of naturalisation be folded?

[silentray]

Hi

I am going to apply for the British passport using my Certificate of naturalisation.

The envelop IPS provide via Post Office is a half-A4 envelop. If I use that envelop I have to fold my Certificate of naturalisation. I can certainly put it in my own A4 envelop. But I cannot guarantee the certificate is returned in a A4 envelop as well.

Can anyone with experience let me know that:
1. Can the Certificate of naturalisation be folded?
2. If I send the certificate in a A4 envelop, will they return the document without fold it?

Many thanks.

[Greenie]

what is a certificate of neutralization I am quite sure you don't have one of these.

[silentray]

Sorry. Spell Mistake. I mean Certificate of Naturalisation.

It is the certificate people receive after they attend the Citizenship ceremony. It is a certificate of naturalisation as a British Citizen. It is required when applying for a British passport for naturalized British Citizen.

[Jambo]

No problem folding it to fit into the passport application envelope.

[kindred_1st]

You know, I had the exact same problem when I posted my application about 2 weeks ago.

I had a 30min argument with the woman at the Post Office because she wanted to fold my certificate and place it into a clear plastic bag as part of their Check and Send service.

My question to you'll is, if you hold a BA, Bsc, Msc or even Doctorate, would you ever fold that certificate? How much more important is your certificate of Naturalisation? That document basically states that you are a citizen of a country, with human rights and democracies. Handle with the utmost care is what I suggest; frame it once you get it back from IPS.

And may I also suggest, do not send it by Check and Send.
Obtain a 'Do Not Bend' A4 brown envolope, put your return address on it, put all your documents in that envelope, go to the post office and ask for their Special Delivery grey bag, which the 'Do Not Bend' envelope fits nicely into, pay for your documents to be returned to you on the brown envelope, slip it into the grey bag and send everything off to IPS. It might cost a little more, but for peace of mind, DO IT.

[bebe2011]

You know, I had the exact same problem when I posted my application about 2 weeks ago.

I had a 30min argument with the woman at the Post Office because she wanted to fold my certificate and place it into a clear plastic bag as part of their Check and Send service.

My question to you'll is, if you hold a BA, Bsc, Msc or even Doctorate, would you ever fold that certificate? How much more important is your certificate of Naturalisation? That document basically states that you are a citizen of a country, with human rights and democracies. Handle with the utmost care is what I suggest; frame it once you get it back from IPS.

And may I also suggest, do not send it by Check and Send.
Obtain a 'Do Not Bend' A4 brown envolope, put your return address on it, put all your documents in that envelope, go to the post office and ask for their Special Delivery grey bag, which the 'Do Not Bend' envelope fits nicely into, pay for your documents to be returned to you on the brown envelope, slip it into the grey bag and send everything off to IPS. It might cost a little more, but for peace of mind, DO IT.

Kindred 1st....this is invaluable advice! I will do exactly what u stated as i also decided not to send via NCS....in order not to bend my docs......thanks......

[Bluto]

I think once you get your passport, you'll not need this certificate anymore. after that passport will be the proof of your nationality.

[friendinneed]

It will be folded when its returned to you so no point in being precious when sending it off.

[kindred_1st]

It will be folded when its returned to you so no point in being precious when sending it off.

Stand by friendinneed, I am yet to have mine returned. I'll let you know if the IPS dared to fold it even though I provided a 'Do Not Bend' envelope.

[kindred_1st]

I think once you get your passport, you'll not need this certificate anymore. after that passport will be the proof of your nationality.

I guess that applies to your birth certificate as well?

[kindred_1st]

It will be folded when its returned to you so no point in being precious when sending it off.

Stand by friendinneed, I am yet to have mine returned. I'll let you know if the IPS dared to fold it even though I provided a 'Do Not Bend' envelope.

As promised to return with an update; my docs and cert were returned today, in the Do Not Bend envelope. The cert shows no signs of being folded.

[bebe2011]

It will be folded when its returned to you so no point in being precious when sending it off.

Stand by friendinneed, I am yet to have mine returned. I'll let you know if the IPS dared to fold it even though I provided a 'Do Not Bend' envelope.

As promised to return with an update; my docs and cert were returned today, in the Do Not Bend envelope. The cert shows no signs of being folded.

Glad to hear this! I included a self-addressed do not bend envelope with my documents too!

[girlpower19818]

It will be folded when its returned to you so no point in being precious when sending it off.

Stand by friendinneed, I am yet to have mine returned. I'll let you know if the IPS dared to fold it even though I provided a 'Do Not Bend' envelope.

As promised to return with an update; my docs and cert were returned today, in the Do Not Bend envelope. The cert shows no signs of being folded.

Glad to hear this! I included a self-addressed do not bend envelope with my documents too!

That is good to know. I will do the same when I apply for mine. Did you guys send your forms straight after the ceremony or did you wait a few days?

[kindred_1st]

Stand by friendinneed, I am yet to have mine returned. I'll let you know if the IPS dared to fold it even though I provided a 'Do Not Bend' envelope.

As promised to return with an update; my docs and cert were returned today, in the Do Not Bend envelope. The cert shows no signs of being folded.

Glad to hear this! I included a self-addressed do not bend envelope with my documents too!

That is good to know. I will do the same when I apply for mine. Did you guys send your forms straight after the ceremony or did you wait a few days?

My ceremony was on a Monday and the PPT application was sent on the Saturday same week.

[jms_uk]

If you search, you'll find posts of people coming out of their ceremony and walking straight to the post office

[mcovet]

u need ur naturalisation certif after u get ur passport as the certif is MORE important than passport, if u lose ur passport, or are abroad, u would need to proge ur nationality via naturalis certif.

also, do not bend the thing, any tampering/damage invalodates it. one of my clients had his certif returned in a folded envelope and when he opened it he tore it accidentally. he requested a free replacement/duplicate and i advised him to give them a bollocking for such treatment of important docs.

[bebe2011]

Stand by friendinneed, I am yet to have mine returned. I'll let you know if the IPS dared to fold it even though I provided a 'Do Not Bend' envelope.

As promised to return with an update; my docs and cert were returned today, in the Do Not Bend envelope. The cert shows no signs of being folded.

Glad to hear this! I included a self-addressed do not bend envelope with my documents too!

That is good to know. I will do the same when I apply for mine. Did you guys send your forms straight after the ceremony or did you wait a few days?

I walked straight to the post office less than half an hour after the ceremony to post my docs via sd.....y should i wait when the power to move things was in my hands........cant wait to complete the bc process

[mcovet]

As promised to return with an update; my docs and cert were returned today, in the Do Not Bend envelope. The cert shows no signs of being folded.

Glad to hear this! I included a self-addressed do not bend envelope with my documents too!

That is good to know. I will do the same when I apply for mine. Did you guys send your forms straight after the ceremony or did you wait a few days?

I walked straight to the post office less than half an hour after the ceremony to post my docs via sd.....y should i wait when the power to move things was in my hands........cant wait to complete the bc process

the "bc" process is complete once you get the certificate, passport is secondary and only allows you to travel in EU, otherwise your existing passport with ILR is as good so for everyone, the most important thing is the certificate, passport is secondary!

With the naturalisation certificate you are protected by the British govt everywhere you are in the world even without your passport (except your original country for which you hold current citizenship). so, in practice, unless you travel to europe 24/7, you wouldn't see much difference between ILR+ naturalisation certificate as opposed to having a passport.

But, yes sure if you intend to apply, why waste time, might as well get it out of the way

[jms_uk]

Not sure what passport you or OP have, but there are many places beside EU that allow visa-free travel for British passport holders. As oposed to many non-EEA passports (with ILR or not).

the "bc" process is complete once you get the certificate, passport is secondary and only allows you to travel in EU, otherwise your existing passport with ILR is as good so for everyone,

[AlexS]

...and if you do have an ILR stamp in your original passport. Since it's not mandatory, many of us don't have an ILR stamp, so the only way to prove we're British when we're entering back to the UK is with a British passport.

[bebe2011]

Update......my certificate came back folded together with my passport in spite of the pls do not bend envelope i included. Maybe i shd have asked them specifically in my cover letter to use the do not bend envelope.

On top of that there was a big stain....which looked like a coffee stain on the certificate! was none too pleased esp as i havent received my bc pp yet. anyways i have straightened it out and placed in a plastic folder and placed in a safe place.

I think docs like this should be handled with care.

[manyaonisland]

Here is an update..

With my passport application i sent the 'Do not bend' envelope and in the cover letter specifically requested the person working on the case to kindly return the documents in that envelope. I also included the 'next day secure Delivery' envelope making sure that the do not bend envelope fits into the secure delivery envelope and certificates actually fits in do not bend envelope.

Today when I got my documents back those were in the secure delivery envelope but without the do not bend envelope and the certificates have very obvious signs of being folded.

It is beyond me why, even after including the envelope and requesting in the nicest possible way, they did not use that envelope?

so sending 'Do not bend' envelope is waste of time and money!

[haider2026]

Hi

I just got back my documents back from the passport office today asking me to book an interview. I did that for next week and was only asked to bring the interview letter.

Here is the thing though... while opening my documents i accidentally tore the top and bottom half of the certificate (as it was folded into half in the envelope). Can i just tape it together? Will i ever need the certificate again?

Help please.