Naturalisation application processing timelines (only)

[nnn15]

Eligibility criteria: 5 years Tier 2 General + 1 year ILR.
Language/LIUK Criteria: Life in the UK test + Trinity College B1.
Nationality: Non EU.
Method of application: Online.
Date of application: 14 February 2020
Payment method: Online
Date of acknowledgement: 17 February 2020
Date Biometrics enrolled: 17 February 2020
Date on Approval letter: 16 March 2020
Date of receipt of approval: July 2020 (Nationality support team informed me in April that the decision had been made, received an approval letter after requesting the decision letter in pdf from NationalitySupportTeamFMT@homeoffice.gov.uk).
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: 13 January 2021 by post (dated 23 December 2020).
Date of Ceremony: 15 January 2021 (Virtual).
Naturalisation certificate arrived: 22 January 2021.

My application is an example that the Home Office does not always notify the applicants about the outcome of their application. Also my application was affected by a "technical error". If you don't hear anything from the Home Office for many months, do reach out for progress update (help line, email, SAR request if nothing else helps).

[Aghahowa]

Eligibility criteria: ILR+1 year (tier 1 entr route)
Nationality: Nigerian
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 19/12/2021
Payment method: Online
Date of acknowledgment: 21/12/2020
Date Biometrics enrolled: 20/01/2021 (Croydon)
Date on Approval letter: 21/01/2021
Date of receipt of approval: 21/01/2021
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: Not yet received

This is the fastest ever response timeliness for my applications. Decision made within 24 hours.

[zahmed78]

Eligibility criteria: ILR+1 year (tier 1 entr route)
Nationality: pakistan
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 01/10/2020
Payment method: Online
Date of acknowledgment: 01/10/2020
Date Biometrics enrolled: 15/10/2020 (Croydon)
Date on Approval letter: 07/12/2020
Date of receipt of approval: 07/12/2020
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: Not yet received
my partner
Eligibility criteria: ILR+1 year (tier 1 entr route)
Nationality: pakistan
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 01/10/2020
Payment method: Online
Date of acknowledgment: 01/10/2020
Date Biometrics enrolled: 15/10/2020 (Croydon)
Date on Approval letter: 29/10/2020
Date of receipt of approval: 29/10/2020
Date of ceremony letter: 22 dec2020
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: 13/01/2021
ceremony date 30/01/2021
Hounslow council

[Gooner72]

Eligibility criteria: ILR (17-year LR)
Language/LIUK Criteria: PGDIP from a UK University + LITUK pass
Nationality: non EU
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 24/11/2020
Date of acknowledgement: 25/11/2020
Date of debit of fees: 24/11/2020
Date Biometrics enrolled: 18/01/2021 Manchester (£69)
Date of receipt of approval: PENDING
Date on Approval letter: PENDING
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: PENDING
Date of Ceremony: PENDING

[xeesee]

Eligibility criteria: ILR+1 year (tier 1 entr route)
Nationality: Pakistan
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 22/01/2021
Payment method: Online
Date of acknowledgment:
Date Biometrics enrolled: 19/02/2021. (Free)
Date on Approval letter:
Date of receipt of approval:
Date of receipt of ceremony letter:

[aswadi]

Eligibility: EUSS + 1 year
Language/LIUK Criteria: LIUK
Nationality: EU
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 27 July 2020
Date of acknowledgement: 29 July 2020
Date of debit of fees: 27 July 2020
Date biometrics enrolled: 25 September 2020
Date of receipt of approval: 09 October 2020
Date on approval letter: 09 October 2020 via email
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: 14 Jan 2021 (dated 18 December 2020)
Date of ceremony: 22 Jan 2021 (Westminster Council via zoom)
Certificate received: 23 Jan 2021 (Royal Mail tracked & signed)

[Hansi89]

Eligibility criteria: 5 years + 1yr permanent residence
Nationality: Sri Lankan
Method of application: Online
Application sent & fee paid: 03/06/2020
Receipt of your application: 04/06/2020
Document Upload to UKVCAS: 28/08/2020
Biometrics Submitted: 28/08/2020 Via IDV app
Date of receipt of approval email: waiting
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: waiting
Date of Ceremony: waiting

Eligibility criteria: 5 years + 1yr permanent residence
Nationality: Sri Lankan
Method of application: Online
Application sent & fee paid: 03/06/2020
Receipt of your application: 04/06/2020
Document Upload to UKVCAS: 28/08/2020
Biometrics Submitted: 28/08/2020 Via IDV app
Date of receipt of approval email: 25-01-2021 via email
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: waiting
Date of Ceremony: waiting

[vahidfar]

Eligibility criteria: EU Settlement Scheme (ILR) (EU Family Member)
Language/LIUK Criteria: B1 SELT - GESE Grade 5 + Life In The UK test
Nationality: Iranian
Method of the application: Online
Date of the application: 19 Jul 2020
Date of the payment: 19 Jul 2020
Date of acknowledgement: 14 Aug 2020
Date of Biometrics enrolled: 03 September 2020 (Croydon)
Date of receipt of approval : 26 Jan 2021 via Email
Date on the Approval letter attached (Email) : 26 January 2021
Date on Approval letter: waiting
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: waiting
Date of Ceremony: waiting

[okigen68]

Eligibility criteria: 5 years Tier 2 + 1 year ILR
Language/LIUK Criteria: UK degree + Life In The UK test
Nationality: Vietnamese
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 13/9/20
Date of acknowledgement: 14/9/20
Documents and biometrics submitted via IDV app: 23/9/20
Date of approval letter: 5/11 via email. 9/11/20 by post
Date of ceremony invite: 14/1/21
Date of Ceremony: 28/1/21

[pistol242]

Eligibility criteria: 5yr + 1yr ILR
Method of application: Online
Date of receipt by UKVI: 01/09/2020
Date of debit of fees: 01/09/2020
Date of invitation to use the UKVCAS IDV app: 10/09/2020
Date of submission via the UKVCAS IDV app: 11/09/2020
Date of receipt of approval: 20/10/2020 (by email)
Date on the ceremony invitation letter: 24/12/2020
Date of receiving the ceremony invitation letter: 14/01/2021 (by post, 21 days after the date on the letter)
Date of citizenship certificate processed by local authority: 22/01/2021 (the Newham council)
Date of booking the ceremony: 22/01/2021
Date of receiving the ceremony cancellation notice: 26/01/2021

Five months have past, and I'm still waiting. I had booked my citizenship ceremony for 02/02/2021, but it was latter cancelled by the Newham council. Now I'm waiting for the council to resume the citizenship ceremonies.

[larrywithay]

Eligibility criteria: Permanent Residence Card + 1 year
Nationality: Non-EU
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 06/07/2020
Date of acknowledgement: 06/07/2020
Date Biometrics enrolled: 15/09/2020 (Using the app) (they didn't invitation to me hence 2 months delay....!!)
Date on Approval letter: Never arrived
Date of receipt of approval: Never arrived
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: 26/01/2021 (timestamp on the letter: 06/01/2021)
Date of Ceremony: 04/02/2021

They never notified me of the date of approval....

[timmo]

Eligibility criteria: 5 Years + 1 Year ILR
Language/LIUK Criteria: NARIC degree + LITUK Test
Nationality: Non-EU
Method of application: Online
Application sent & fee paid: 2nd/3rd September 2020
Receipt of your application: 3rd September 2020
Invitation to use UKVCAS App - 10th September 2020
Document Upload to UKVCAS: 11th September 2020
Documents submitted to UKVI: 11th September 2020
Invalid Reminder to enrol biometrics: 1st November 2020
Date of Approval letter: 16th January 2021
Date of receipt of approval: 27th January 2021
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: Pending
Date of Ceremony: Pending

My civil partner received his approval letter on the 25th January, with an approval date of 7th January 2021. Both applications were submitted together, wether or not this makes a difference in how the applications are treated (evidently not).

[rollsrox]

Hi All. I've found this forum very useful, so posting my timeline in case it helps others!

Eligibility criteria: 5 years (ancestry) + 1 year ILR
Nationality: Australian
Language/LIUK Criteria: Australian + LIUK Passed for ILR
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 18/01/2021
Date of acknowledgement: 18/01/2021
Date Biometrics enrolled: 26/01/2021 (Had to drive London -> Birmingham as only appt I could find![Free])
Waiting:
Date on approval letter:
Date of receipt of approval:
Date of receipt of ceremony letter:
Date of ceremony:

[adamdeswardt]

Eligibility criteria: 5 years + Spouse of British national
Language/LIUK Criteria: B1 test & Life in UK
Nationality: Non EU
Method of application: Online
Application sent & fee paid: 14/08/2020
Receipt of your application: 18/08/2020
Document Upload to UKVCAS: 14/08/2020
Documents submitted to UKVI: 14/08/2020
Biometric reuse email: Not received
In person Biomatrics UKVCAS : 21/09/2020
Date of Approval letter online : 10/11/2020
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: Received in post on 27/01/2021, letter was dated 16/01/2021
Date of Ceremony: Pending

[asifmahmood36]

Finally, I have received my ceremony invitation letter today by post. My timeline is:
Application online: 09 September 2020,
Documents upload online: 18 September 2020
Biometrics by IDV app: 28 September 2020
Approval letter by email: 27 OCT 2020
Ceremony letter issue date: 09 January 2021
Ceremony received by post: 28/01/2021
Ceremony date: Sent email to Wandsworth Council/waiting

[bsc2007]

Eligibility criteria: T2G -> ILR -> 1.9 yrs
English: UK MSc
Nationality: India
Date of application: 31 Dec 2020
Date biometrics enrolled: 28 Jan 2021

[recoba2020]

Eligibility criteria: EU settled status (+ 12 months)
Language/LIUK Criteria: UK Degree
Nationality : Non-EU
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 17 July 2020
Date of acknowledgement: 20 July 2020
Date of debit of fees: 17 July 2020
Date Biometrics submitted: 21 Aug (in person appointment)
Date of receipt of approval: 28 January 2021 Via email
Date on Approval letter: 28 January
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: Waiting
Date of Ceremony: Waiting

[Aendil]

Eligibility criteria: EU settled status (+12 months)
Language/LIUK Criteria: B1 test + LIUK test
Nationality : EU
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 11 January 2021
Date of acknowledgement: 13 January 2021
Date of debit of fees: 11 January 2021
Date Biometrics submitted: 29 January (in person appointment) - Enhanced as no available free
Date of receipt of approval: Waiting
Date on Approval letter: Waiting
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: Waiting
Date of Ceremony: Waiting

[engineer86]

Eligibility criteria: Permanent Residence Card + 1 year
Nationality: Non-EU
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 14/12/2020
Date of acknowledgement: 14/12/2020
Date Biometrics enrolled: 14/01/2021
Date on Approval letter: Awaiting
Date of receipt of approval: N/A
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: N/A
Date of Ceremony: N/A

[greko10]

Eligibility criteria: EU settled status + 1.5yr
Language/LIUK Criteria: UK Degree/ LIUK test
Nationality : EU
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 14th September 2020
Date of acknowledgement: 15 September 2020
Date of debit of fees: 15 September 2020
Date Biometrics submitted: 6th October 2020 (in person appointment)
Date of receipt of approval: 16th November 2020 (email)
Date on Approval letter:16th November 2020
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: 29th January 2020 (dated 25th)
Date of Ceremony: Waiting/not scheduled yet

[SWinSW]

Hi All, finally received my approval email today after months of waiting! Timeline below, my message to all of you still waiting is don't despair

Eligibility Criteria: ILR as Spouse / 5yrs resident in the UK
Date Applied: 16th Sept 2020
Application Acknowledged: 18th Sept 2020[/b]
Biometrics via App: 23rd Sept 2020
In-person Biometrics: 28th Sept 2020
Approval Letter via email: 1st February 2021(letter dated same date)

I will update once I hear of certificate despatch etc

[lhrflyer]

Eligibility criteria: ILR + British spouse
Language/LIUK Criteria: LIUK (passed for ILR)
Nationality : Non-EU
Method of application: online
Date of application: 09/09/2020
Date of acknowledgement: 10/09/2020
Date Biometrics enrolled: 23/09/2020
Date of receipt of approval: 13/11/2020 (Email)
Date on Approval letter: 13/11/2020
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: 01/02/2021 dated 25/01/2021
Date of Ceremony: 02/02/2021 (York council - Zoom)

[ar1234]

Eligibility criteria: 5 Years + 2 Year ILR
Language/LIUK Criteria: UK degree + Life in the UK Test
Nationality: Non-EU
Method of application: Online
Application sent & fee paid: 24 August 2020
Receipt of your application: 25 August 2020
Invitation to use UKVCAS IDV APP or Biometrics: 06 September 2020
Photo and document submitted using IDV APP or Biometrics: 09 September 2020
HO email reminder to enrol biometrics: 31 October 2020 (followed up with UKVCAS - told to ignore HO reminder)
Followed up with HO on application status (emails to FurtherNationalityEnquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk and nationalityfrontendtechnicalspecialists@homeoffice.gov.uk) - 13 January 2021 - only automated responses received
System generated email from HO that due to Covid it is taking longer to process applications: 28 January 2021
Date of the Approval letter (email): 29 January 2021
Date of receipt of approval (post): Pending
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: Pending
Date of Ceremony: Pending

[Lcs88]

Eligibility criteria: 5 Years
Language/LIUK Criteria: Irish, UK degree
Nationality : Irish
Method of application: online
Date of application: 05/12/2020
Date of acknowledgement: 08/12/2020
Date Biometrics enrolled: 04/01/2021
Date of receipt of approval: Pending
Date on Approval letter:
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: Pending
Date of Ceremony: Pending

[Mawi88]

Eligibility criteria: 5 Years T2 + 1 Year ILR
Language/LIUK Criteria: UK degree
Nationality : Non-EU
Method of application: online
Date of application: 05/10/2020
Date of acknowledgement: 06/10/2020
Date Biometrics enrolled: 16/10/2020
Date of receipt of approval: 02/02/2020
Date on Approval letter: 02/02/2020
Date of receipt of ceremony letter: Pending
Date of Ceremony: Pending