Check the status of your application online - New service

[Mo182]

I applied on 13june 2017 biometrics done in 13july but non of my ref numbers work on the status check web site it’s bn over 5 months

[baddy]

lack of consistency

Something that is bound to occur when the input (the applications and documentation) itself is inconsistent. One application may be that of a non-EEA applicant who has been salaried and goes through smoothly, another may be that of a non-EEA citizen married to a British citizen, but who has had issues in the past with working when he did not have the right to do so, yet another is that of the dependent adult child of an EEA citizen who has only acquired PR. If the cases are varied, one can hardly require consistency in their time-scales.

If anyone from Home Office would like to challenge my viewpoint, prove me wrong by getting industry standards about quality management and ISO9000 and ISO20000 certification where the nationality team and what they do is in scope.

I would be very cautious about asking for this. I have worked in a few organisations which are ISO certified for processes (don't ask me which ISO certification) and the one thing that it did do was make the processes in the organisation tickbox exercises. If the user met all specific requirements, pass, else fail.

That approach is fine in the EEA Route, indeed that is how it works in the main. But the citizenship process (and non-EEA immigration) has many aspects where appropriate discretion can and ought to be exercised by the caseworkers. Getting them ISO certified may speed up the process, but it will almost certainly lead to a tick-box approach which will cause more applications to fail.

I would rather a slower approach that analyses individual cases in detail, than a quicker system that is more error-prone and/or more demanding and exacting.

They can take as much time as they want but just let us know that they are doing xxxxx now and it will take some more time

That of course may just slow the system down further if they have to keep updating the public facing system as well.

Besides, assume that they have requested for data from the HMRC and ACPO and they are waiting for that. Would it improve your mood any knowing that your case is stuck waiting for other government departments to respond? What if it kicks off a chain (HMRC data shows inconsistencies that requires contacting DWP and Companies House)?

There are so many variables and imponderables in the naturalisation process that expecting consistency is, in my option, foolish.

For the record, I do not work for the Home Office.

As an aside, MAS99, delighted to see that you have decided to continue to help out on these forums.

Sorry Simon, I don't agree with your explanation as it sounds like nothing more than excuses for HO incompetence. The naturalisation process and associated checks is relatively simple. I do process design and optimisation for living, believe you me what is being done here is simple.
This process is repeated tens of thousands times per month!
And a couple of additional points: the input is fairly consistent, there is probably about 30-50 main variations of applicants, out of which 80% of cases fall into main 10 variations. And the output is really just 2 variations.
When you describe the process as tickbox excercises you clearly don't understand what process design, optimisation or management is.
What you partially described is automatic decision making - this can, but does not have to be part of the process. I.e. if the particular application is a straight case, where all checks "check out" with positive outcome - the "approved" decision could be made by the computer in a split second without any human interaction. Loads of checks can be done in an automatic way - like checking the residency (council tax, border agency), work history and tax contributions (HMRC), CCJ/criminal history, etc.
I'm just gobsmacked something more complex like government security clearance (SC level) can take about 2-4 weeks, while less complex checks (naturalisation/registration) take about 5 months...

I will advise everyone waiting for decisions on British Naturalisation to take their minds off it and focus on positive things to do. If it comes then it's fine, and if it doesn't life goes on. Afterall, you can do virtually everything with the ILR. Anyone who has used the Premium one day service will fully understand HO out-of-fashion process. and IT equipment. To register a case sometimes takes a whole two hours and the waiting is frustrating from registering the case to biometric and to the decision.

The whole thing works like a ticketing system/Incident Management. Senior case worker assigns cases to case workers. Case workers work through their queue and choose the case they want to deal with as it pleases them. For every case, each of HMRC/Criminal/Residency and other checks are being handled by different departments, and the result sent back to to case worker. So basically, it is a checklist for the Case worker. He/SHe checks it each department responsible for each check has submitted their findings on the case before he/she finally decides if it is a granted or refusal based on the checklists, if a check is outstanding, the process wont be complete and the case will be hanging. After the decision has been made, the case worker update the case and the other department picks it up for letter issuance. After that, another team prepares the ceremony process / ceremony letter.

HO is backward really. I believe they can plug into all relevant government departments for basic information to verify applicants and the whole checks can be done withing hours. Just like applying for a Credit, the credit check is done withing minutes by the banks because they have access to Equifax/Credit Expert.

So guys, take your minds off it. You have ILR and that is it.

[shinebright]

Can I ask if this is just your own assumption/theory? I work for a government department and how we deal with cases are everyday we print cases out on A4 papers and cut them into sections and pass them to staff, now one person could get 10 or more or less just depending on how much there is, the staff member then works on the case, if the cases has been concluded and just waiting to get back to customer then we contact the customer with update, if it still needs to be worked on, we work on them and resolve them, contact customer and close case, if we need further info, we ask the customer to send them, if it is complex, we send it back to the validators to continue their investigation, I believe this aligns with why some people who apply much later get decision faster than others who applied earlier, as cases could be assigned daily and ref numbers randomly.

[CR001]

Secondly does the decision letter arrive by 'Signed for' post as I am not at my home address for the week and next week too, as I am away for work and only back on the weekends, so a bit worried i wont be there to sign for it (no one else is at home either).

Second class mail in a standard A5 size envelope.

[trsiam88]

Secondly does the decision letter arrive by 'Signed for' post as I am not at my home address for the week and next week too, as I am away for work and only back on the weekends, so a bit worried i wont be there to sign for it (no one else is at home either).

Second class mail in a standard A5 size envelope.

Oh ok, thats great then, hopefully when I get back home end of this week there will be a letter in the post box. Thank you

[amr2]

Hi guys

Do you know roughly how long it takes before you can track your application online?

I applied at the beginning of November but none of the reference numbers I was given work (Case ID, Royal Mail Tracking Number and UKVI Reference)

Many thanks in advance!

[baccus99]

Hi guys

Do you know roughly how long it takes before you can track your application online?

I applied at the beginning of November but none of the reference numbers I was given work (Case ID, Royal Mail Tracking Number and UKVI Reference)

Many thanks in advance!

It looks like new applications from this month seem to be affected. You cannot track yours. However, having said that many of us still waiting for months cannot rely on status updates on the online checker. I would just sit back if I were you and don't get into hysterics. It's a long process unless you are one of the few lucky ones who get accepted in a matter of a few weeks. Not many are that lucky though (me included!)

[Ciaocico]

Please Any one knows the nationality requests last month why can’t see onlain ? When to show onlain ?

[HarryC]

Right
Tomorrow is my 10th day. And if i dont get a letter by 2 pm, i will call them.
Can anyone let me know what is it that home office do if you dont receive letter in 10 working days?
Do they re-issue another letter or send an email instead.

Thanks

[coltam82]

Hi guys

Do you know roughly how long it takes before you can track your application online?

I applied at the beginning of November but none of the reference numbers I was given work (Case ID, Royal Mail Tracking Number and UKVI Reference)

Many thanks in advance!

Spoke to home office today and was advised that not all cases are uploaded to the checking service. Its only in Beta

[CR001]

Spoke to home office today and was advised that not all cases are uploaded to the checking service. Its only in Beta

Exactly what we have been trying to tell members for months!!!

[cristiano1988]

Hi, i would like to say thank you . especially cr001, simon.secret and anothers few guys, today i received the approval letter, tomorrow i will give them a call to book the ceremony. god bless this forum. and bless this amazing people . my journey it came with a happy end. thank you.

[baccus99]

Hi guys

Do you know roughly how long it takes before you can track your application online?

I applied at the beginning of November but none of the reference numbers I was given work (Case ID, Royal Mail Tracking Number and UKVI Reference)

Many thanks in advance!

Spoke to home office today and was advised that not all cases are uploaded to the checking service. Its only in Beta

Hi coltam82,

did they say to you if since the system is in Beta they mean that only a subset of existing cases are posted and if this also means it is not "real time" data? Did they also say how often they upload refreshed data? Is it a daily job or a weekly one?

Cheers, I am awaiting still and like many others a bit frustrated...

[baccus99]

Hi, i would like to say thank you . especially cr001, simon.secret and anothers few guys, today i received the approval letter, tomorrow i will give them a call to book the ceremony. god bless this forum. and bless this amazing people . my journey it came with a happy end. thank you.

Well doe Cristiano...I hope mine comes to an happy ending too soon! You must be well relaxed now. I am still tense..

[MAS99]

I emailed them yesterday and got a reply.. My case is still in Queue.............

Most case-workers will be off in December....

[coltam82]

Hi guys

Do you know roughly how long it takes before you can track your application online?

I applied at the beginning of November but none of the reference numbers I was given work (Case ID, Royal Mail Tracking Number and UKVI Reference)

Many thanks in advance!

Spoke to home office today and was advised that not all cases are uploaded to the checking service. Its only in Beta

Hi coltam82,

did they say to you if since the system is in Beta they mean that only a subset of existing cases are posted and if this also means it is not "real time" data? Did they also say how often they upload refreshed data? Is it a daily job or a weekly one?

Cheers, I am awaiting still and like many others a bit frustrated...

I won't be able to answer that, all i was told is that they don't always update the checking service and must NOT rely on it. If you would like to find out, best call them and see if they will answer you questions.

[kirkerj]

Hi guys

Do you know roughly how long it takes before you can track your application online?

I applied at the beginning of November but none of the reference numbers I was given work (Case ID, Royal Mail Tracking Number and UKVI Reference)

Many thanks in advance!

Spoke to home office today and was advised that not all cases are uploaded to the checking service. Its only in Beta

Hi coltam82,

did they say to you if since the system is in Beta they mean that only a subset of existing cases are posted and if this also means it is not "real time" data? Did they also say how often they upload refreshed data? Is it a daily job or a weekly one?

Cheers, I am awaiting still and like many others a bit frustrated...

Def don't rely on online service, I got accepted on the 7th of November and I am still awaiting decision online....

I won't be able to answer that, all i was told is that they don't always update the checking service and must NOT rely on it. If you would like to find out, best call them and see if they will answer you questions.

[baccus99]

Spoke to home office today and was advised that not all cases are uploaded to the checking service. Its only in Beta

Hi coltam82,

did they say to you if since the system is in Beta they mean that only a subset of existing cases are posted and if this also means it is not "real time" data? Did they also say how often they upload refreshed data? Is it a daily job or a weekly one?

Cheers, I am awaiting still and like many others a bit frustrated...

Def don't rely on online service, I got accepted on the 7th of November and I am still awaiting decision online....

I won't be able to answer that, all i was told is that they don't always update the checking service and must NOT rely on it. If you would like to find out, best call them and see if they will answer you questions.

ok guys thanks for your input here. It's a waiting game...

[Redrider]

Friends, I applied on 23rd August 2017.
Received letter from HO on 29th August 2017 and today
21st November 2017 the online status changed to decided

[CR001]

Did anybody got reference 216xxxxx or 31xxxxxxx or like that or some one got refusal in flr f p in September or anybody's know how much time of reconsideration in flr fp refusal thanks

This topic is for British Citizenship applications ONLY and not for FLR(FP)!!

[Ciaocico]

Hi I Confounded now apply 6/11/2017 I do biumetrc 17/11/2017 I cant see anything onlain is Negative and positive

[Ciaocico]

Hi I Confounded now apply 6/11/2017 I do biumetrc 17/11/2017 I cant see anything onlain is Negative or positive ????

[mrgs1]

Hi I Confounded now apply 6/11/2017 I do biumetrc 17/11/2017 I cant see anything onlain is Negative or positive ????

Too early really it may not appear at all on status checker, remember it's just a trial, you may have to wait up to six months for decision.

[Ciaocico]

Hi I Confounded now apply 6/11/2017 I do biumetrc 17/11/2017 I cant see anything onlain is Negative or positive ????

Too early really it may not appear at all on status checker, remember it's just a trial, you may have to wait up to six months for decision.

thanks Think of the difference you can see onlain or no

[HarryC]

So for me 10 working days are over. And still no post.
Its soo annoying that caseworkers arent logical headed person. Postman been and dropped all letters and it didnt had any letter from homeoffice. I called at 3:30 pm today and yet they said, call next day as your 10 working days arent over yet.
Now i have to call tomorrow.
They said it will be referred and escalated. God knows when will I receive my letter