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Hello Readers - I am expecting a return on my naturalization application soon and hopefully positive. I have a very compelling reason to travel overseas for more than 6 months. Question is if i could ask council to omit ceremony and send my certificate to me? Does anyone know under what circumstances one could request to bypass ceremony? I will apply for passport overseas.

thank you

Mandatory (6.11.14).

As Vinny's link will confirm, you won't hold British Citizenship until you have attended the ceremony.

Yes it is mandatory. I had to take the day off work to attend - it was nice though to be honest!

usman81 wrote:Hello Readers - I am expecting a return on my naturalization application soon and hopefully positive. I have a very compelling reason to travel overseas for more than 6 months. Question is if i could ask council to omit ceremony and send my certificate to me? Does anyone know under what circumstances one could request to bypass ceremony? I will apply for passport overseas.

thank you

If an adult applicant does not attend a naturalisation ceremony (within time limit) they will not become naturalised as a UK citizen; it is their choice.

Thank you all for valued comments. A word of mouth rumored to me that if someone had a genuine and compelling reason, council could consider the case, for instance serious health issues to one's parents...

But reading all responses it seems there is no such clause...

You can have the ceremony at a British Embassy or High Commission abroad, but only if your spouse is already British.

Having the ceremony is a must. No ceremony, no certificate, no citizenship, no passport.

How about if recently naturalizatiinist travel abroad and have no British partner, can he/she be able to arrange its ceremony abroad and receive passport from local British high commission??

secret.simon wrote:You can have the ceremony at a British Embassy or High Commission abroad, but only if your spouse is already British.

Having the ceremony is a must. No ceremony, no certificate, no citizenship, no passport.

We both have applied for naturalization same time and she is waiting for approval too.

So i would then attend ceremony before leaving UK. Please suggest if there is any requirement of spouse being already British to apply for first British passport from overseas?

thanks

cool mind wrote:How about if recently naturalizatiinist travel abroad and have no British partner, can he/she be able to arrange its ceremony abroad and receive passport from local British high commission??

No, if you have been approved, you will need to attend the ceremony in the UK to receive your certificate. You are only British once you have attended the ceremony. You can apply for a British passport from abroad but it is processed in the UK and NOT at the High Commission. Some countries you can wait for longer than 6 months for the passport.

cool mind wrote:How about if recently naturalizatiinist travel abroad and have no British partner, can he/she be able to arrange its ceremony abroad and receive passport from local British high commission??

Just be clear, you do not receive a passport at a naturalisation ceremnoy;
the point of the ceremony is to swear or affirm allegiance to the crown (Queen).

A first British passport has to be applied for separately, after naturalisation.

Councils usually offer private citizenship ceremonies for a fee, so that's an option. They might even be able to fit you in sooner than when the group ceremony would be - obviously this depends on availability.