Travelling on ILR before receiving British passport

bjnortier · Post by **bjnortier** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 7:30 am

Hi Everyone

I obtained Citizenship last week but I need to travel to a conference at the end of the month. I doubt that I will obtain my new British passport in time, so I am planning on travelling with my previous one and my biometric residence card (Indefinite Leave to Remain).

Is that allowed? I.e. can I travel with my current (South African) passport and my ILR card, even though I'm now a citizen?

Any advice would be much appreciated.
Ben
P.S. I'm going to apply via check and send today if I can, since it looks like I'll receive the originals back within time according to the other forum posts.

Post by **Amber** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 9:01 am

For South Africa, is it not customary to enter and leave South Africa with the South African Passport regardless? British Passport applications should take around a week/week and a half at the moment.

bjnortier · Post by **bjnortier** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 9:15 am

I'm actually going to France, for which I have a Schengen visa in my SA passport.

I'm worried about coming back into the UK with my existing ILR card and SA passport.

Post by **Amber** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 9:16 am

Sorry, I wrongly assumed, you should be fine, take the Nationalisation certificate as well.

bjnortier · Post by **bjnortier** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 9:37 am

Thanks. I was thinking I would take the certificate as well.
I'm just so close that I don't want to mess it up at the last hurdle by doing something illegal

Post by **Jambo** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 10:37 am

bjnortier wrote:I'm just so close that I don't want to mess it up at the last hurdle by doing something illegal

So close to what? France?

You are a British citizen. The fact that you don't have a passport doesn't mean you are less British than someone who has a passport.

There is no legal requirement for British citizens to enter and exit the UK using a British passport. Technically the ILR BRP is irrelevant now but you have a right to enter your new home country.

bjnortier · Post by **bjnortier** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 10:45 am

So close to having a British Passport.
Thanks for the info - I'm a bit paranoid about these things.

oncewas · Post by **oncewas** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 3:56 pm

it does not matter at all as long as you have a valid passport with a shegen visa you will travel to France and as long you have indefinite leave to remain in UK you will travel back either way you are eligible. it juss like you have dual citizenship and deciding to travel on the other one. do not worry at all.

RatMonkey · Post by **RatMonkey** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 5:23 pm

Hi I'm also South African and had my ceremony today. I will be traveling 29 November to South Africa. I would like to apply for my British passport before if possible. If I apply before, will I receive my SA passport back in time? It is mentioned above that it should currently take 1 - 1.5 weeks. I thought I would need a interview for first passport and was expecting longer processing time. Is it safe to apply before 29 November? Thanks

oncewas · Post by **oncewas** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 5:55 pm

RatMonkey wrote:Hi I'm also South African and had my ceremony today. I will be traveling 29 November to South Africa. I would like to apply for my British passport before if possible. If I apply before, will I receive my SA passport back in time? It is mentioned above that it should currently take 1 - 1.5 weeks. I thought I would need a interview for first passport and was expecting longer processing time. Is it safe to apply before 29 November? Thanks

IF you use the NCS you wont need to send your passport to ukba so you have an option to travel with the SA passport if the British passport fails to come in time

RatMonkey · Post by **RatMonkey** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 6:08 pm

oncewas wrote:
RatMonkey wrote:Hi I'm also South African and had my ceremony today. I will be traveling 29 November to South Africa. I would like to apply for my British passport before if possible. If I apply before, will I receive my SA passport back in time? It is mentioned above that it should currently take 1 - 1.5 weeks. I thought I would need a interview for first passport and was expecting longer processing time. Is it safe to apply before 29 November? Thanks
IF you use the NCS you wont need to send your passport to ukba so you have an option to travel with the SA passport if the British passport fails to come in time

I thought NCS was only for applying for citizenship and not a British passport. The post office check and send service do post the original documents I believe.

bjnortier · Post by **bjnortier** » Wed Nov 06, 2013 5:22 pm

@RatMonkey If you look at the thread about passport application times:

http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewto ... start=1060

most people get their original documents back in 1-2 weeks, so you should get your SA passport back in time. That thread made me decide to apply today. I'm also travelling on the 29th.

The post office check & send does post the originals. I used them today and it was quite quick & painless. The only thing I had missing yesterday was the original passport when I first arrived in the UK, as you need the current one and the one you came in on (if it's not the same one).

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Travelling on ILR before receiving British passport

Travelling on ILR before receiving British passport