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Hello everyone,

My naturalisation ceremony will be in a couple of weeks. Ideally I would like to apply for a passport afterwards. I am Bulgarian and within Europe I travel with my ID card.

However my husband changed jobs and we just moved to Asia. I will be travelling to the UK for the ceremony and wanted to apply for a passport as well. The problem is if I send my passport to the Home Office , I won't be able to travel back to Asia.

My question is - can I submit my ID card instead of passport when applying for British passport after naturalisation, or is it too much risking it and what are the options?

Is your husband British?

I think that HMPO requires uncancelled passports.

If you apply within the UK you must send your uncancelled passport.

Alternatively, if you apply from abroad, they will accept colour photocopies of all pages.

However, from messages in this board, applying from abroad for a first passport after naturalisation may be tricky, as the Home Office may infer that you lied about your future intentions in your citizenship application.

Passports are usually sent very quickly. Mine took about 10 days or so, and my daughter's most recently just about one week.

AdInfernos wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 27, 2018 1:27 pm

However, from messages in this board, applying from abroad for a first passport after naturalisation may be tricky, as the Home Office may infer that you lied about your future intentions in your citizenship application.

british-citizenship/hmpo-questions-natu ... 42302.html

vinny wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 27, 2018 3:22 am

Is your husband British?

I think that HMPO requires uncancelled passports.

Yes, my husband is British.

I applied and got my application approved on my own right as exercising treaty rights for 5 years.

That being said I felt having British husband with a good job and a young child made things move quicker and easier. P60s, marriage certificate and birth certificate of the little one were added to the rest of the documentation when applying for permanent residency card and then with the naturalisation application. Used solicitors throughout the whole process.

AdInfernos wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 27, 2018 1:27 pm

If you apply within the UK you must send your uncancelled passport.

Alternatively, if you apply from abroad, they will accept colour photocopies of all pages.

However, from messages in this board, applying from abroad for a first passport after naturalisation may be tricky, as the Home Office may infer that you lied about your future intentions in your citizenship application.

Passports are usually sent very quickly. Mine took about 10 days or so, and my daughter's most recently just about one week.

Thank you for your response.

Applying from abroad is not an option as I don't know how long we're going to live abroad.

The fact that it doesn't take long for them to send the passport is a good news. Later on when we are back to UK to see the relatives, will apply for a passport.

I just thought it looks better if I do the passport immediately, rather than wait. I worry they question why I waited to get it done.

fairtoally wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 28, 2018 2:29 am

I just thought it looks better if I do the passport immediately, rather than wait. I worry they question why I waited to get it done.

I very much doubt HMPO or anyone else would question why you don't have a passport - it's not a legal requirement, unless you want to travel of course.