Page 1 of 1
Ceremony question
Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2016 5:42 pm
by Mrykhami
Sorry about the double post! I made a mistake and realized I posted it on the Ireland forum as I searched on the web for 'invitation letter' and and it was too late to delete it..

but here is my problem..
Hey guys
I didn't know if this is the right place to ask this but since my application was approved and I got the 'approved' letter last Friday and I rang my local authority to book my ceremony but they said that I should wait for the invitation letter from them but it's been a week now and I still haven't got it. I'm worried that the time to book a ceremony will ran out because it says I have 21 days to do so, or I am wrong? I'm confused. If I don't get a letter tomorrow or Monday should I book a private ceremony or wait until they get back to me? My local authority is Walhamstow Forest.. has anyone got a ceremony awaiting with them too? if so how long I have ti wait..

I need help please! thank you.
Re: Ceremony question
Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2016 7:28 pm
by 1kiril
Exactly! It's only been 7 days and you've got 21 days to book it. Just chill out.
Re: Ceremony question
Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2016 2:56 am
by Mrykhami
1kiril wrote:Exactly! It's only been 7 days and you've got 21 days to book it. Just chill out.
It's been 21 days to this date actually. The letter from the HO says to book a ceremony within 21 days of this letter which it was issued on 22nd of January. I have contacted the council but they said that I need to wait for a invitation letter from them but my approval letter says otherwise so I'm confused.
Re: Ceremony question
Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2016 7:56 am
by WR1
Get your Ceremony booked ASAP.
The decision letter is also the invitation letter combined in one:
http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... 02580.html
Re: Ceremony question
Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2016 8:17 am
by Bukola1
Walthamforest is really rubb borough if I know I should have use another borough as
They ask in the form that if the application approve did I have special borough as I just ignor it
My application have approve on 5/02/16 and received the letter on week end to expect invitation
Letter from my local authority and if I don't ear from them between two week I should Email them up till to day make one week I have not received anything expect if it will come to to day finger cross but if I did not receive it by next weekend I will call home office and send Email to and I call
Them they say I should expect the letter and I don't things it take them anything to send the letter
Out but just because of lasiness.
Re: Ceremony question
Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2016 10:28 am
by CR001
It is not always a combined letter. Many people receive two separate letters. Only some seem to received the combined letter.
So unless the Poster says what his letter contains, it would be only a guess that it is a combined letter.
Re: Ceremony question
Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2016 10:36 am
by noajthan
Bukola1 wrote:Walthamforest is really rubb borough if I know I should have use another borough as
They ask in the form that if the application approve did I have special borough as I just ignor it
My application have approve on 5/02/16 and received the letter on week end to expect invitation
Letter from my local authority and if I don't ear from them between two week I should Email them up till to day make one week I have not received anything expect if it will come to to day finger cross but if I did not receive it by next weekend I will call home office and send Email to and I call
Them they say I should expect the letter and I don't things it take them anything to send the letter
Out but just because of lasiness.
Sometimes you just have to let it go.
This is a faceless bureaucracy.
The civil servants (probably under-paid & overworked) are not waging a vendetta against you & delaying your letter.
The letter will be in the system somewhere, amongst hundreds of others - and slowly making its way to you.
If someone wants special treatment then that can be paid for - as a private ceremony. But the initial letters will come when they come.
.
Re: Ceremony question
Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2016 10:57 am
by scorpion123
I also have received the combined (Approval + Invitation) letter recently.
Titled as "Citizenship Invitation, Application for British Citizenship By.... "
Re: Ceremony question
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 10:10 am
by Mrykhami
scorpion123 wrote:I also have received the combined (Approval + Invitation) letter recently.
Titled as "Citizenship Invitation, Application for British Citizenship By.... "
That's exactly what I got too. Just called the council about it and they said that's the first letter you got and the second one(supposedly the invitation for the ceremony) should get to you in 10 working days. So all I have to do it wait.. I'll get back to you guys when I got the letter thanks for your help all!
Re: Ceremony question
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 10:23 am
by cs95tdg
Mrykhami wrote:scorpion123 wrote:I also have received the combined (Approval + Invitation) letter recently.
Titled as "Citizenship Invitation, Application for British Citizenship By.... "
That's exactly what I got too. Just called the council about it and they said that's the first letter you got and the second one(supposedly the invitation for the ceremony) should get to you in 10 working days. So all I have to do it wait.. I'll get back to you guys when I got the letter thanks for your help all!
Interesting that different councils have different procedures even when the HO send out a combined invitation and decision letter to the applicant.
I received the above combined (decision & invitation) letter, which also stated that I should contact the council within 21 days of the date of the letter to book my ceremony. In my case they checked my details, booked the ceremony and sent me a letter confirming ceremony date, time & venue for information purposes only. On the date of the ceremony they only requested to see the HO invitation letter & Photo ID. This was last month.
Re: Ceremony question
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 10:29 am
by Mrykhami
cs95tdg wrote:Mrykhami wrote:scorpion123 wrote:I also have received the combined (Approval + Invitation) letter recently.
Titled as "Citizenship Invitation, Application for British Citizenship By.... "
That's exactly what I got too. Just called the council about it and they said that's the first letter you got and the second one(supposedly the invitation for the ceremony) should get to you in 10 working days. So all I have to do it wait.. I'll get back to you guys when I got the letter thanks for your help all!
Interesting that different councils have different procedures even when the HO send out a combined invitation and decision letter to the applicant.
I received the above combined (decision & invitation) letter, which also stated that I should contact the council within 21 days of the date of the letter to book my ceremony. In my case they checked my details, booked the ceremony and sent me a letter confirming ceremony date, time & venue for information purposes only. On the date of the ceremony they only requested to see the HO invitation letter & Photo ID. This was last month.
That's what is worrying me. They didn't even checked my details when I called I'm guessing the HO sent my certificate along with my address etc. Unprofessional? I now wished I went for another council.

lol
Re: Ceremony question
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 11:14 am
by cs95tdg
It's unclear to me, what other invitation letter you can expect to receive from the HO, as you apparently already have their invitation letter with you. If it was just a decision letter that you had received, then I'd say that possibly your council had a different process whereby they directly communicate with the HO & book your ceremony and you receive that invitation with the pre-arranged ceremony date in it.
I'd give it a couple of days to see. I notice you were looking to book a private ceremony, but wouldn't you still need the separate HO invitation letter that the council apparently think you need before you'd be able to do that as well?
Re: Ceremony question
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 11:26 am
by scorpion123
Mrykhami wrote:scorpion123 wrote:I also have received the combined (Approval + Invitation) letter recently.
Titled as "Citizenship Invitation, Application for British Citizenship By.... "
That's exactly what I got too. Just called the council about it and they said that's the first letter you got and the second one(supposedly the invitation for the ceremony) should get to you in 10 working days. So all I have to do it wait.. I'll get back to you guys when I got the letter thanks for your help all!
My letter also has the printed name of council to book the Citizenship ceremony and that I should do so within 21 days from the date on approval+invitation letter which I just have.
Re: Ceremony question
Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 1:05 pm
by scorpion123
scorpion123 wrote:Mrykhami wrote:scorpion123 wrote:I also have received the combined (Approval + Invitation) letter recently.
Titled as "Citizenship Invitation, Application for British Citizenship By.... "
That's exactly what I got too. Just called the council about it and they said that's the first letter you got and the second one(supposedly the invitation for the ceremony) should get to you in 10 working days. So all I have to do it wait.. I'll get back to you guys when I got the letter thanks for your help all!
I emailed a copy of my combined (Inv+approval) letter to Local council and they've confirmed that it is indeed the Invitation letter which I'd need to bring for my Citizenship Ceremony.
Re: Ceremony question
Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2016 12:07 pm
by Mrykhami
scorpion123 wrote:
I emailed a copy of my combined (Inv+approval) letter to Local council and they've confirmed that it is indeed the Invitation letter which I'd need to bring for my Citizenship Ceremony.
Thank you for your response. I'm still waiting for the letter from my council. Trouble is I can't even book a private ceremony without it so I have to wait. Have you got your ceremony sorted yet?
Re: Ceremony question
Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2016 12:40 pm
by scorpion123
Mrykhami wrote:scorpion123 wrote:
I emailed a copy of my combined (Inv+approval) letter to Local council and they've confirmed that it is indeed the Invitation letter which I'd need to bring for my Citizenship Ceremony.
Thank you for your response. I'm still waiting for the letter from my council. Trouble is I can't even book a private ceremony without it so I have to wait. Have you got your ceremony sorted yet?
Yes, all done.
I never received any letter from council either but called them up to book my private ceremony.