Updated form AN, dated 02/18--previous form okay?

[Lantenac06]

Hello there,

I am applying for citizenship. About three weeks ago I booked an appointment with a local Nationality Checking Service for next week and printed off the application (form AN). At this point, the application form was dated 02/17.

I have since completed the application and asked my referees to sign the appropriate page. My application is now ready to go, and I am nearly to my appointment. However, I have noticed there is now a new application form on the website, dated 02/18 instead of 02/17. I have looked through the new form and nothing substantive has changed, but it does bear the updated date 02/18.

Will it still be permissible to use the 02/17 application? I have already glued my passport photo to the box in the form, and of course my referees have already signed on the original application. I have seen intimation in earlier threads that it is acceptable to use the application up to 28 days from the introduction of the new form; however, my appointment is not until 20 March, and I do not know exactly when the 02/18 version was released.

I am panicking slightly and would really appreciate any help anyone could offer. Many thanks in advance.

[plabo]

Better to fill in the new form. The HO 'might' reject your application.

[Lantenac06]

Thank you for your reply. I thought I would compete the updated form just to be safe, but do you think it might be okay to keep the old form pages for my referees? This is the only part that would be slightly difficult to redo as I have already affixed my passport photo and asked my referees to complete and sign the pages. The page numbers are exactly the same as in the updated application; it's just that they say 'version 02/17' at the bottom.

Many thanks again for your help.

[plabo]

Thank you for your reply. I thought I would compete the updated form just to be safe, but do you think it might be okay to keep the old form pages for my referees? This is the only part that would be slightly difficult to redo as I have already affixed my passport photo and asked my referees to complete and sign the pages. The page numbers are exactly the same as in the updated application; it's just that they say 'version 02/17' at the bottom.

Many thanks again for your help.

Worth a try. I believe no one can answer this bit with surety.

[bazpop]

Lantenac06 Please let me know how the appointment with NCS went regarding the old version of the referees pages. I'm in the same situation and struggling to meet up with one of the referees (the professional one...) to sign the form again.... Thanks!

[Lantenac06]

Hi Bazpop. I called the Home Office and asked them. They informed me that the current guidance being issued is that the 02/18 version of the application is identical to the 02/17 application except for one or two small cosmetic changes in spacing, and so they are for now still accepting 02/17 application forms.

I have nonetheless completed an 02/18 application form--however, I have had the same trouble with referees. So I am going to submit the 02/18 application form with just the few referee pages from the 02/17 application form. I believe I can defend this, and if they really have a problem with it I can have the pages redone. But I find it hard to believe this will pose a problem given what I was told over the phone, and considering the sections are identical (down to the page numbers) and contain all the required information.

[bazpop]

Thanks for the info! I completed the new application, it's just the referees pages that are from 2017 version. I think I will take the risk... Good luck with your NCS appointment and application!

[Lantenac06]

Thanks very much! Same to you. I have my appointment this week and will post if it comes up as an issue.

[guacat]

Thanks very much! Same to you. I have my appointment this week and will post if it comes up as an issue.

Can you give us an update on what happened with your application please?

[Lantenac06]

Hello there, in the end I had the opportunity to get the signatures from my referees again so I redrafted the application on the updated form. It was an inconvenience but I felt better doing that than inviting any semblance of risk. I expect I probably would have been fine but felt it would be better to be safe than sorry.

The citizenship application was actually the easiest part of my (long) immigration process; I waited 9 months for my ILR, but my citizenship application took less than a month to come back as approved. It was a pleasant surprise.

If you are applying, best of luck!