Expedite Child Naturalisation Certificate

[MrZulUK]

Hello,

We (myself, wife and daughter) have just received a letter approving our citizenship application, along with our original documents.

We applied on 30/03/16 for naturalisation after coming here from South Africa in 2004 on UK Ancestry visas and obtaining ILR in 2013.
* Biometrics registered on 20/04/16.
* Approval letter dated 12/06/16.
* Approval letter arrived 14/06/16.

Now, my question is this:
My understanding is that our daughter does not need to attend a citizenship ceremony as she is 14. However the letter from the Home Office indicates that she will be invited to the same citizenship ceremony as my wife and I attend, and be presented with her naturalisation certificate there.

I do not want to wait weeks for the ceremony to get her certificate, as she has an opportunity to go to Europe on tour with her school choir early in July and I want to apply for a Fast Track First Child Passport for her - for which I need her naturalisation certificate.

Does anyone here know whether it is possible to expedite or get an express issue of her naturalisation certificate so that we can get it as soon as possible? Any advice from people with similar experience or knowledge of the process to speed up issuing of a child's naturalisation certificate would be greatly appreciated!

Many Thanks

[noajthan]

Minors receive a Registration Certificate as they will have been registered not naturalised.

It may confuse HO if you follow up on this and mention "Naturalisation Certificate" (which is for adults).

[MrZulUK]

I re-read my email to them and I have mentioned both - my mistake. I sincerely hope that they are not that easily confused given that I have mentioned that she is a minor, and if they call up our records they should see by what process she has been granted citizenship.

In any case, I will remember to be specific in any further interaction with them.

Do you have any idea if it is possible to expedite receiving her registration certificate, even though I have used the wrong nomenclature?

[noajthan]

Do you have any idea if it is possible to expedite receiving her registration certificate, even though I have used the wrong nomenclature?

Should be possible, its a reasonable request and there is no need for daughter to attend the ceremony (although it will no doubt be a memorable day).

[MrZulUK]

Thank you, your reply is helpful. I am hopeful that the Home Office will be able to help - I certainly have no complaints about their speed and efficiency with our applications.

It will certainly be a memorable day, and I want her to go to the ceremony - I just also want her to go to Europe! With any luck we can manage both!

[secret.simon]

I am not sure that the Home Office is going to jump to short-circuit its processes so that your daughter can go to Europe for the summer. HO caseworkers are known for their dispassionate and unemotional approach (thankfully).

I think the way the Home Office has worked it out is that the child's registration is based on your (the parent's) naturalisation. Your naturalisation only takes effect when you undergo the ceremony and hence, your child's registration certificate is also presented at the same time.

Have you looked at getting a private naturalisation ceremony done?

I presume that the daughter will still have to apply for a first British passport, which may also take a while.