Invitation letter for citizenship ceremony

I know everybody says you got 20 days to book the ceremony but it's not mentioned in AN Guide or AN Booklet.

If your application is successful and you are living in the UK, you will be invited to attend a citizenship ceremony. You will receive an invitation letter from the Home Office and this will confirm the local authority you should contact to arrange your ceremony. We expect you to arrange to attend a ceremony within 3 months of receiving your invitation otherwise it will expire and you will have to reapply for naturalisation and pay a further processing fee.

So my application was approved on the 2nd of April but I still haven't received the invitation letter from the Home Office. Is it fair to say that the clock hasn't started yet? I've underlined: 3 months from receiving the invitation and not 3 month from the approval date. Even if it's 20 days - does the clock start after you've received the letter? Surely there's no way for them to track these letters so how do they establish when the deadline ends?? What I'm trying to say is it possible that they're not that strict about it these deadlines...

Fairly strict. Book within 21 days and attend ceremony with 90 days, counted from date of approval. Bear in mind the 4 day Easter weekend in between so perhaps you will get it by end of the week as it is only 12 days.

Alternatively contact your council. Pity you havn't received the combined approval/invitation single letter, so much easier.

Since it's been almost 2 weeks, If I don't receive it tomorrow I will contact the Home Office as advised on the approval letter just to play it save. I've heard Croydon Council categorically declines booking ceremonies without an invitation letter and ask for the poll and cover note numbers. Maybe I should give them a ring tomorrow before emailing the Home Office.

badratio wrote:Since it's been almost 2 weeks, If I don't receive it tomorrow I will contact the Home Office as advised on the approval letter just to play it save. I've heard Croydon Council categorically declines booking ceremonies without an invitation letter and ask for the poll and cover note numbers. Maybe I should give them a ring tomorrow before emailing the Home Office.

Did you try visiting your council's Registrar's office to check if your certificate is there?