Immigrationboards.com

Hello.

Ive just booked my ceremony for the 6th March. I only have a BRP card with my ILR on, no passport based paper visa.
This will be defunct on the 6th march once I get my citizenship certificate.

if I apply immediately for a passport will it come in time for my travel on the 6th April.
If not can I re-enter the UK with my naturalization certificate and South African passport as my BRP card needs to be cut up and returned within 5 days.

Im also not sure if they ask for me to send in my current South African passport in when applying for my British passport, leaving me with no passport to travel at all. This might not return in time for me travel either. I do have Turkey visa for my South African passport.

thanks in advance.

You will need to apply for your British passport before you travel. Standard processing time is 3 weeks and current average waiting times for first adult passports are 2 weeks, so you should be fine. Naturalisation certificate is not a travel document and they may not let you board a plane without a valid BRP. You can apply for your passport on the day you attend the ceremony, once you have your certificate. You will need to send in all your current passports, so you will be left with no travel documents for a while - if you application takes longer than 3 weeks you can call the passport helpline and explain you have to travel urgently.

Or reschedule your ceremony for when you have returned.

contorted_svy wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 28, 2024 11:08 am

You will need to apply for your British passport before you travel. Standard processing time is 3 weeks and current average waiting times for first adult passports are 2 weeks, so you should be fine. Naturalisation certificate is not a travel document and they may not let you board a plane without a valid BRP. You can apply for your passport on the day you attend the ceremony, once you have your certificate. You will need to send in all your current passports, so you will be left with no travel documents for a while - if you application takes longer than 3 weeks you can call the passport helpline and explain you have to travel urgently.

You have a lot of faith in the system. Op is cutting it very close with 1 month window. Once that passport is sent off, what happens happens.

I can only outline the procedure according to current guidance, no one can offer any guarantees on what HMPO will or won't do here.

Currently the passport office quotes 3 weeks. Mine took exactly 10 days (from application until I got it in hand).
It's probably a matter of luck.

Thanks everyone.