Is the Nationality Checking Service useful or not? [EEA route]

[marshmallowcat]

I am a EU passport holder who has been here since 2009 and recently the PR card was granted in July 2017. As I might be out of UK during the application to the British Citizenship, I am thinking if there is any use to go for the Nationality Checking Service NCS offered by the councils. Would they pre-ask you questions and "interview" you before naturalisation, would there be a higher rate of success? Or I should go straight and apply by post and save £90 and do not go for the NCS instead?

I have also one more question regarding the biometric details. Since I am not sure if I will in the UK once my application is sent in, would there be any way to go to the Post Office and have my photo / fingerprints taken before the sending in of the form AN?

Any experience in this would help! Thanks a lot!!

[Casa]

I am a EU passport holder who has been here since 2009 and recently the PR card was granted in July 2017. As I might be out of UK during the application to the British Citizenship, I am thinking if there is any use to go for the Nationality Checking Service NCS offered by the councils. Would they pre-ask you questions and "interview" you before naturalisation, would there be a higher rate of success? Or I should go straight and apply by post and save £90 and do not go for the NCS instead? There is no interview. The NCS staff simply check your application for validity, take copies of your documents (including your passport) and return the originals to you during the appointment. If you apply by post you will have to send your passport, without which you will be unable to travel. The NCS service doesn't speed up the application or have any influence on the decision.

I have also one more question regarding the biometric details. Since I am not sure if I will in the UK once my application is sent in, would there be any way to go to the Post Office and have my photo / fingerprints taken before the sending in of the form AN? .NO. You have to wait for the biometric letter from the HO and are given limited time to submit biometrics.


Any experience in this would help! Thanks a lot!!

[randomperson]

For me, NCS is/was totally and 100% worth it just to have avoided sending my passport and original documents.

[ai20s]

It is useful if you want to keep your passport but not of much use if you have EEA ID cards that you can send by post instead.

[ariskar]

It is usefull. They make sure of application caveats (5 years ago you were present), which proofs of residence (EEA) you need as your passport/ID is not stamped, etc. Always try to bring more residence supporting documents and they will help picking the right ones with your application. Also they check and ensure you filled the application fully and correctly (they may help you fill/correct a few gaps, but you should have the application already filled).

[earthshine]

totally! saved me a potentially negative outcome

[mulderpf]

It is 100% worth it, even if just for the fact that on the day you have your ceremony, they inform HO and you get your passport within days afterwards.

[alterhase58]

It is 100% worth it, even if just for the fact that on the day you have your ceremony, they inform HO and you get your passport within days afterwards.

Definitely worth using the service - saved me from an expensive mistake.

The beauty with NCS is that you can use them at any council you wish, in my case I used the one nearest my workplace (5 minute walk). However, if you use the NCS outside your home council they will not be involved with the ceremony and advise HO, this is only done by the council where you have the ceremony.

[hellothere19]

Another vote for using NCS if you can
I was wary about sending out my passport or my ID card, they selected exactly which documents to send, made copies ets.£90 well spend imo, no headaches and all received by HO the next day
I use the council close to where I work for both NCS and the ceremony early next year

[Chinho2k]

NCS totally wasted my time and money. Attended the appointment and they refused to submit my application for lack of residence proof yet I had covered all gaps with official government cover letters. I posted my application straight after my NCS appointment and it was approved, applied for my passport, and I didn’t have to attend a passport interview either.
I’m sure it’s worked very well for many others but my poor opinion of NCS is obviously biased for my experience.

[secret.simon]

While not an EEA citizen myself, I think that NCS would be quite useful to EEA citizens.

As they normally do not have to deal with Home Office applications (except for one DCPR application), EEA citizens are not used to the rigour and detail that the Home Office caseworker would go into when examining applications.

A non-EEA applicant will likely have been through at least three immigration applications (one entry clearance, one FLR and one ILR at the very least) and therefore will have learnt how to meet the HO's exacting standards, so they are unlikely to make basic mistakes such as this one, which likely would have been caught by NCS.