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British Naturalization VS British Passport
Posted: Thu May 29, 2014 10:38 pm
by bipsan
Dear Experts...
Could anyone guide me that After getting British citizenship by Naturalization how Long max I can wait for applying British passport.
Once I received British citizenship, is that compulsory to have British passport Immediately? or how long we can Max wait?
Can I travel without any Hassle once I have British citizenship with Indian passport.
Looking forward
BS
Re: British Naturalization VS British Passport
Posted: Fri May 30, 2014 9:39 am
by go2khurram
Passport is a travel document, if you are planning to go abroad for the rest of your life or you have a dual nationality and don't want to use British passport for your travel... you don't need to apply for it

Re: British Naturalization VS British Passport
Posted: Fri May 30, 2014 10:11 am
by bipsan
Thanks for info.
My current nationality is Indian and India don't offer dual citizenship.
Can I keep british citizenship as Naturalisation and keep my Indian passport instead of British passport for travel purpose.
Regds
BS
Re: British Naturalization VS British Passport
Posted: Fri May 30, 2014 11:25 am
by newbie_t
bipsan wrote:Thanks for info.
My current nationality is Indian and India don't offer dual citizenship.
Can I keep british citizenship as Naturalisation and keep my Indian passport instead of British passport for travel purpose.
Regds
BS
The answer is in your question itself. How do you intend to keep Indian passport if you are not an Indian citizen?
There is a grace period of 90 days from the date of British Citizenship ceremony to use Indian passport. After this period, you
should surrender Indian passport (or attract penalties per usage).
Let me google it for you
http://in.vfsglobal.co.uk/surenderind_pass.html
Re: British Naturalization VS British Passport
Posted: Fri May 30, 2014 11:32 am
by go2khurram
newbie_t wrote:bipsan wrote:Thanks for info.
My current nationality is Indian and India don't offer dual citizenship.
Can I keep british citizenship as Naturalisation and keep my Indian passport instead of British passport for travel purpose.
Regds
BS
The answer is in your question itself. How do you intend to keep Indian passport if you are not an Indian citizen?
There is a grace period of 90 days from the date of British Citizenship ceremony to use Indian passport. After this period, you
should surrender Indian passport (or attract penalties per usage).
Let me google it for you
http://in.vfsglobal.co.uk/surenderind_pass.html
Please Note: The date on the Naturalisation Certificate will be treated as date of acquiring foreign nationality and not from the date the British Passport was issued.
You can get the details
here related to applications for surrender of Indian Passports and delivery of Certificates
Re: British Naturalization VS British Passport
Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2014 12:21 am
by bipsan
Thanks for info.
I was under impression that once you got approval for Citizenship ceremony you have 90 days to book it and once you received the British citizen certificate you can apply for British passport with no time limit and in between you can keep ceremony certificate as proof of British citizen and other had keep your Indian passport for regular travels.
And don't need to apply for British passport.
Regds
Bs
Re: British Naturalization VS British Passport
Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2014 12:08 pm
by CR001
You are only British once you have attended the ceremony and receive the naturalisation certificate and the 90 days to surrender your Indian passport starts from the date on your naturalisation certificate, not when you eventually apply for a British passport.
Re: British Naturalization VS British Passport
Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2014 5:25 pm
by secret.simon
bipsan wrote:Thanks for info.
I was under impression that once you got approval for Citizenship ceremony you have 90 days to book it and once you received the British citizen certificate you can apply for British passport with no time limit and in between you can keep ceremony certificate as proof of British citizen and other had keep your Indian passport for regular travels.
And don't need to apply for British passport.
Regds
Bs
You are quite correct about
British law as it stands. After you get the letter, you have 21 days in which to contact the council and 90 days within which to attend the ceremony. There is no time limit within which to get a British passport. So, for instance, if you had a country that allowed dual citizenship, such as Pakistan or Nigeria, you could travel around using that passport without a hitch.
Where you run into trouble is
Indian law. Indian law states that you cease to be an Indian citizen when you take citizenship of any other country. With regards to the UK, that means getting the naturalisation certificate. An Indian passport is a travel document for Indian citizens only and hence your entitlement to the Indian passsport as a travel document lapses when you become British. Indian law does give you a grace period of 90 days within which to travel on your Indian passport while you get the passport appertaining to your new citizenship. But any further travel on such a document is a criminal offense in
India and may cause issues when you travel to India. If you are Indian, you may be aware of the rigour with which Indian authorities would pursue the matter of a foreigner breaking the law.
It will be
Indian law that you are breaking, not
British law.
Re: British Naturalization VS British Passport
Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2014 5:54 pm
by adkh2_1
Hi Guys,
I have a Passport questions as well.. i am going to attend the ceremony in coming days, but i am planning to travel abroad on my current passport(Pakistani) to go and see my family... can i apply for british passport by submitting the right documents (as i would do here to UK passport office), to UK embassy in Pakistan....
Re: British Naturalization VS British Passport
Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2014 9:45 pm
by SouthWest1
adkh2_1 wrote:Hi Guys,
I have a Passport questions as well.. i am going to attend the ceremony in coming days, but i am planning to travel abroad on my current passport(Pakistani) to go and see my family... can i apply for british passport by submitting the right documents (as i would do here to UK passport office), to UK embassy in Pakistan....
I came few posts suggesting it might take up to 3 months as it is the first adult passport.
Either apply before you travel or when you are back. unless of course you are planning to stay there for good few months.
Re: British Naturalization VS British Passport
Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2014 10:02 pm
by adkh2_1
SouthWest1 wrote:adkh2_1 wrote:Hi Guys,
I have a Passport questions as well.. i am going to attend the ceremony in coming days, but i am planning to travel abroad on my current passport(Pakistani) to go and see my family... can i apply for british passport by submitting the right documents (as i would do here to UK passport office), to UK embassy in Pakistan....
I came few posts suggesting it might take up to 3 months as it is the first adult passport.
Either apply before you travel or when you are back. unless of course you are planning to stay there for good few months.
Yeah i am planning to stay there for good few months, but i am not sure, since its first passport i can apply to UK embassy in another country ?
Re: British Naturalization VS British Passport
Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 5:16 pm
by krishcrawley
Dear Experts,
Reading the topic below and the answers i come to the following conclusion.
After i get the british naturalization certificate there is not time limit or a deadline to get a British passport.
Is that right ?
Regards
Re: British Naturalization VS British Passport
Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 6:02 pm
by CR001
After i get the british naturalization certificate there is not time limit or a deadline to get a British passport.
Correct, unless you are from a country that does not allow dual citizenship as then you will not have a travel document/passport.
Re: British Naturalization VS British Passport
Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 6:18 pm
by secret.simon
The UK does not put any limit on getting a UK passport. You can enter the UK with a non-UK passport that has been appropriately endorsed.
However, other countries may have rules on when you can use their passport. India allows for travel on an Indian passport for only three months after the citizenship ceremony. After that, you are breaking Indian law (not UK law) and are liable to a fine.
So, know the rules on both sides (that of the UK and of the country whose passport you plan to travel on).