Wife’s British Citizenship application

[CULLINAN]

I applied as a refugee, with no passport and two travel documents. They were accepted just fine.

You wife's sound fine too as they have all the stamps.

Just make sure there aren't any gaps between the different travel documents and if there are, provide other evidence such as letters from GPs/hospitals, university letter, child benefits and other types of government letters.

Dear Springie,

Thank you for your reassurance and valuable help.
First travel document dates 2013-Oct 2017
Second travel document date Jul 2018- July 2028

So there is a gap of Oct 2017 - July 2018

But my wife applied for ILR in Oct 2017 and approved in Feb 2018 so we have that home office reference letter which covers it.

Daughter was born in UK who is British Citizen now in Dec 2017. We can back up the other period from Feb 2018 - July 2018 with Child Birth Certifice, Childs MN1 BC application HO reference letter, Childs British Passport, NHS/hospital letters both child and wifes.

You think it will be okay?

Thank you for your response once again.

[Springie]

But my wife applied for ILR in Oct 2017 and approved in Feb 2018 so we have that home office reference letter which covers it.

Daughter was born in UK who is British Citizen now in Dec 2017. We can back up the other period from Feb 2018 - July 2018 with Child Birth Certifice, Childs MN1 BC application HO reference letter, Childs British Passport, NHS/hospital letters both child and wifes.

You think it will be okay?

It sounds good to me. It might be worth including a cover letter stating that you're covering the gap with these documents, just so they don't miss it.

[CULLINAN]

But my wife applied for ILR in Oct 2017 and approved in Feb 2018 so we have that home office reference letter which covers it.

Daughter was born in UK who is British Citizen now in Dec 2017. We can back up the other period from Feb 2018 - July 2018 with Child Birth Certifice, Childs MN1 BC application HO reference letter, Childs British Passport, NHS/hospital letters both child and wifes.

You think it will be okay?

It sounds good to me. It might be worth including a cover letter stating that you're covering the gap with these documents, just so they don't miss it.

Thank you again.
Will provide the 5 year time line on the cover letter. Thank you for your response.

Since you are in the same position as refugee status please can you comment on my previous post above where I have requested for an advice to travel to home country for wife after British passport?

You can find my post 5/6 posts behind this one.

Will appreciate.

Thank you

[Springie]

Since you are in the same position as refugee status please can you comment on my previous post above where I have requested for an advice to travel to home country for wife after British passport?

You can find my post 5/6 posts behind this one.

Will appreciate.

Thank you

I have no idea about the actual state of things, I'm afraid.

The main issue, as I understand it, would be whether deception was used to obtain either asylum or ILR, as it's now seemingly 'safe' to travel to country of origin. But then time passes, people's circumstances change, countries change; so if such a change was evident, then it shouldn't theoretically be a problem. But then again, the HO and its SRU team might decide to be unreasonable.

I've seen a few answers of 'you'll definitely have your passport taken away and be deprived of citizenship' to similar questions, but I've yet to see an actual source for this claim. If anyone could provide links, cases, sources, that would certainly help.

[CULLINAN]

Since you are in the same position as refugee status please can you comment on my previous post above where I have requested for an advice to travel to home country for wife after British passport?

You can find my post 5/6 posts behind this one.

Will appreciate.

Thank you

I have no idea about the actual state of things, I'm afraid.

The main issue, as I understand it, would be whether deception was used to obtain either asylum or ILR, as it's now seemingly 'safe' to travel to country of origin. But then time passes, people's circumstances change, countries change; so if such a change was evident, then it shouldn't theoretically be a problem. But then again, the HO and its SRU team might decide to be unreasonable.

I've seen a few answers of 'you'll definitely have your passport taken away and be deprived of citizenship' to similar questions, but I've yet to see an actual source for this claim. If anyone could provide links, cases, sources, that would certainly help.

Thank you for your valuable response. Much appreciated.
My wife was a minor when she came to UK when she was 14. Her father seeked refuge in UK due to some issues back home 8 years ago. Now she is married to me and no longer dependent on her father.
So I would assume in her case, going back home country should not be a problem? Given, we will have two british citizen kids also to go meet my parents back home, as I have strong ties back home myself and my immigration history is not linked to her in anyway.
If someone can please shed some light onto the immigration policies would really help. Thank you

[CULLINAN]

Dear members,

Please can someone confirm that a translation of the birth certificate can be done and attested by a minister of religion or solicitor?

or we need to get it done by a professional company?

Thanks

[CR001]

Dear members,

Please can someone confirm that a translation of the birth certificate can be done and attested by a minister of religion or solicitor?

or we need to get it done by a professional company?

Thanks

It must be by an official translator who has official credentials if HO wants to check or from the embassy.

[CULLINAN]

Dear members,

Please can someone confirm that a translation of the birth certificate can be done and attested by a minister of religion or solicitor?

or we need to get it done by a professional company?

Thanks

It must be by an official translator who has official credentials if HO wants to check or from the embassy.

Thank you for your reply. We have got it done from the minister of religion as he is British by naturalisation and has good command over both languages with an official minister of religion stamp.
Do you think this could be a reason for refusal or we can just go ahead with it as my wife is applying in a couple of days?

Note: This is required for my wife’s younger sister who is a child.
Thanks

[CR001]

Dear members,

Please can someone confirm that a translation of the birth certificate can be done and attested by a minister of religion or solicitor?

or we need to get it done by a professional company?

Thanks

It must be by an official translator who has official credentials if HO wants to check or from the embassy.

Thank you for your reply. We have got it done from the minister of religion as he is British by naturalisation and has good command over both languages with an official minister of religion stamp.
Do you think this could be a reason for refusal or we can just go ahead with it as my wife is applying in a couple of days?

Thanks

HO guidance notes and websites very clearly states that if you are translating non English documents into English, they must be done by an official translator or the issuing authority (embassy for example).

A minister of religion is not an official translator, regardless of whether he is British or not or has a good command of both languages or not.

Whose birth certificate is this that you are submitting??

[CULLINAN]

Dear members,

Please can someone confirm that a translation of the birth certificate can be done and attested by a minister of religion or solicitor?

or we need to get it done by a professional company?

Thanks

It must be by an official translator who has official credentials if HO wants to check or from the embassy.

Thank you for your reply. We have got it done from the minister of religion as he is British by naturalisation and has good command over both languages with an official minister of religion stamp.
Do you think this could be a reason for refusal or we can just go ahead with it as my wife is applying in a couple of days?

Thanks

HO guidance notes and websites very clearly states that if you are translating non English documents into English, they must be done by an official translator or the issuing authority (embassy for example).

A minister of religion is not an official translator, regardless of whether he is British or not or has a good command of both languages or not.

Whose birth certificate is this that you are submitting??

Thank you.

My wife’s sister who is a child.

[CR001]

Thank you.

My wife’s sister who is a child.

What has the child got to do with your wife's citizenship application???

[CULLINAN]

Thank you.

My wife’s sister who is a child.

What has the child got to do with your wife's citizenship application???

Lol. They all are applying as a family unit with her parents and siblings.

[CR001]

Thank you.

My wife’s sister who is a child.

What has the child got to do with your wife's citizenship application???

Lol. They all are applying as a family unit with her parents and siblings.

1. This topic appears to be questions about YOUR WIFE. Please do NOT confuse the topic with changing to or combining other applicants queries now, it causes confusion. Start a different topic. Not sure why you think this is 'lol'.

I will leave others to comment further.

[CULLINAN]

Thank you.

My wife’s sister who is a child.

What has the child got to do with your wife's citizenship application???

Lol. They all are applying as a family unit with her parents and siblings.

1. This topic appears to be questions about YOUR WIFE. Please do NOT confuse the topic with changing to or combining other applicants queries now, it causes confusion. Start a different topic. Not sure why you think this is 'lol'.

I will leave others to comment further.

Thanks for your reply. I thought this is a generic question to British application regardless of my wife’s or her sister’s application. Il start a new topic next time.

Thanks for your reply.

[CULLINAN]

Dear members,

Please can someone confirm that a translation of the birth certificate can be done and attested by a minister of religion or solicitor?

or we need to get it done by a professional company?

Thanks

It must be by an official translator who has official credentials if HO wants to check or from the embassy.

Thank you CR001 once again for your advice. I have contacted a professional company that will be providing me with a translation by tomorrow. We just did not want to risk it. Thanks

[CULLINAN]

We have applied today for the application. The problem is we are not getting any appointments for the next two weeks!! I have even tried changing the postcode but still no appointments in ANY of the enhanced centres (libraries). The system only shows for next 2 weeks and there is none and we cant see appointments any further.

We are only getting PAID appointments in London Premium or Croydon or Manchester.

We are looking to get an appointment in Liverpool as my wife is there.

Is there anyone who has experienced the same?? I called UKVCAS helpline and they were absolutely NOT helping. They said you just have to keep checking on daily basis thats all what you can do.

We are good to pay in Liverpool (as per my understanding you have to pay for enhanced anyways) but my wife cant travel to Manchester as we are expecting a child in next 2 weeks!!

Does any one has a similar experience of not getting appointments for any of the enhanced centres(library)? Do appointments show up on daily basis?

The UKVCAS is just crap. We are regretting not to apply via existing service

Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thank you

[CULLINAN]

Just want to update the thread:

My wife applied online in Feb. We have now booked biometrics appointment in start week of April at UKVCAS Manchester (delay due to having a baby and could not travel to Manchester earlier).

Note: Could not find any appointments at Liverpool (even checking almost every day for 1 month).

[CULLINAN]

Update: Manchester UKVCAS experience was quite good. Good staff and got done in 1 hour.

[CULLINAN]

Update: Alhamdollilah my wife has received her British Citizenship today.

Applied: 22nd Feb 2019
Biometrics: 2nd April 2019 (Yes after over a month)

Approved letter: 7th Sep 2019 dated 2nd Sep 2019
Ceremony: awaiting.

My wife applied via refugee route. I can confirm we only sent her Home Office Travel Document and nothing else to prove continuous residency. This may help anyone else applying via the same route.

Thank you all for your help in this thread

[CULLINAN]

Dear all,

My wife will be attending the BC ceremony first week of Oct and I will be applying for her BP after.

As per running a dummy online application, the checklist asks for only the original naturalisation certificate and the home country passport used to arrive in UK.

Her Pakistani passport is already with Home Office so she will just mention that in the cover letter.

Question: Does she have to return the Home Office Travel Documents (blue refugee convention document) at this stage or later?

Thank you

[Springie]

Question: Does she have to return the Home Office Travel Documents (blue refugee convention document) at this stage or later?

Thank you

Back in December 2018, after I had my ceremony and while my passport application was pending, the HO wrote to me requesting that I send the TD to them. They then kept it. In all my dealings with the HO, the TD has always acted in lieu of a passport.

The general application process has changed a bit since then but I'm not aware of any huge changes on TDs.

So, your wife can try not sending the TD in but it will likely result in a letter requesting it.

[CULLINAN]

Question: Does she have to return the Home Office Travel Documents (blue refugee convention document) at this stage or later?

Thank you

Back in December 2018, after I had my ceremony and while my passport application was pending, the HO wrote to me requesting that I send the TD to them. They then kept it. In all my dealings with the HO, the TD has always acted in lieu of a passport.

The general application process has changed a bit since then but I'm not aware of any huge changes on TDs.

So, your wife can try not sending the TD in but it will likely result in a letter requesting it.

Thank you for your reply.

I would not want to unnecessarily delay her application due to this. TD will be useless to her anyways. I think its best to send the TD with the BP application. I will also include that in the cover letter.

Once BP is received, I shall take the route to request her expired/old Pakistani passport back (although she does not need that but why just leave it with HO if one can request it back).

Question: You said HO wrote to you to send the TD back. Which address was that? Please can you confirm?

As BP docs are sent to HMPO so I am just wondering if to send the TD with the BP application to HMPO and it will reach where it has to.

Thank you

[Springie]

Question: You said HO wrote to you to send the TD back. Which address was that? Please can you confirm?

As BP docs are sent to HMPO so I am just wondering if to send the TD with the BP application to HMPO and it will reach where it has to.

They sent me an address label with the letter requesting the TD. It was a Liverpool address, I think.

You're sort of sending the TD as proof of identity when applying for BP anyway, so yes, send it with the BP documents and it will find its destination.

[CULLINAN]

Question: You said HO wrote to you to send the TD back. Which address was that? Please can you confirm?

As BP docs are sent to HMPO so I am just wondering if to send the TD with the BP application to HMPO and it will reach where it has to.

They sent me an address label with the letter requesting the TD. It was a Liverpool address, I think.

You're sort of sending the TD as proof of identity when applying for BP anyway, so yes, send it with the BP documents and it will find its destination.

Perfect. Thanks

[CULLINAN]

Update: Ceremony attended. Applied for BP.

This thread is concluded and moderators may lock this thread if they wish.

Thank you all for all the help in this thread.