Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

[omarwan]

No way to book anything at my local council before the invitation letter to be issued which I haven't received since 10th July, when my application has been successful.

[baybars1]

No way to book anything at my local council before the invitation letter to be issued which I haven't received since 10th July, when my application has been successful.

Still, you raise an interesting point. Why wouldn't you be able to have a ceremony based on your approval communication and the adequate identity document whereby your physical certificate can be sent to you on a later date?

After all, the Home Office do have a service for the replacement of lost certificates, which means they don't necessarily need to see your physical certificate to know who you are. By the same token, there should be no reason to delay acquisition of your citizenship merely because it is difficult to print your physical certificate due to social distancing.

[Learning20]

Hi
Does anyone have any updates about Islington Council? If they receiving they batches or???

[Liai]

Hello everyone,
I was wondering, did everyone get approval letters sent to them after getting the email version? If yes, how long did it take?
Thanks

[BoyTed]

Hello everyone,
I was wondering, did everyone get approval letters sent to them after getting the email version? If yes, how long did it take?
Thanks

Hi there,
No such thing if you get by email you won't get by post.
It's only sent once some get it via email and some by post.

[Wastson]

I was able to extract the following information from my council, in Birmingham, when asked if they could advise what months certificates they have received last (as I'm trying to figure out how long of a wait I'm in for, having been approved at the start of July):

Hello Janis,

We have had a recent update from the Home Office which states:

"National Panel for Registration colleagues have been advised that the June citizenship certificates will be issued this coming Friday 2nd October and should be with the local registration service on Monday/Tuesday next week. Invitation letters to prospective citizens will also be dispatched a couple of days after the certificates are issued."

As you can see from the statement form the Home Office, they are slowly getting through the back log.

As soon as we have your file we will be back in touch.

Kind regards,

The information provided, more specifically the quote, looks to be straight from the Home Office, and likely applies to all councils ("National Panel for Registration colleagues").

If so, hopefully this might give you guys a better idea on when to expect to receive these certificates. I'm guessing July's will come later in October, as others have highlighted here.

Morning Janis,
This is good news indeed thanks for sharing with us.

This is inline with what I received last Friday from Lambeth:

Dear ...,

At present we have not received your certificate. I believe June decisions are the next batch we should receive in 2 weeks’ time.

Kind regards,
...

[TheTraveller]

Is there anyone approved in July and received an invite to book a ceremony yet? I was approved on 9th July!

[Learning18]

I received an email from Brent to an email I sent 2 weeks ago.

"Dear xxx

We can only accept you for ceremony when you have the invitation letter. The Citizenship team at the Home Office have been completing cases and sending success letters. Your delay is due to the printing of the Naturalisation papers. You certificate has many security features built in and the printing of these documents is limited. There were approx. of 20,000 to be printed from the lock down. We hope to receive May 2020 and some of June in the next couple of weeks, so hopefully you will get your invitation letter soon

Kind regards

Xxxx

Head of Registration & Nationality
Brent Council
Brent Registration And Nationality Service"

[Pinkoojee17]

So thought I'd update everyone here, just received my invitation letter today dated 10th of September. Application approval email was sent on the 1st of June. Barnet council I know are already current on their ceremonies so fingers crossed.

[MannyWarrior]

Morning!!

Anyone got updates from Manchester council? They don’t rely to emails and I just get automated replies now.

Anyone had their ceremony done or got their letters?

[jovaknokovich]

Hi team,
Some good news today. I received my invite through the post.

Application date: 1 March
Approval: 5th June
Invite received: 3rd Oct
Date on invite: 20 Sept
Council: Edinburgh

[DVV]

hey everyone,

first i'd like to thank you all for posting helpful information here. it is the best up to date information that is possibly available online. thank you for doing this, because none of us is receiving any official updates from the source and this makes our wait time dreadful, if it weren't for you.

in light of that, i'd like to share too, i felt that i have to, because you're doing the effort helping me and it's only fair if i can do the same, hope this helps others.

- my application approval via email came out 1st week of June.
- and a ceremony invitation letter by post (god bless the post man who delivered it today) finally arrived: 03 Oct.
- the actual date stamp on the HO letter inside is from 21st September.

this confirms some of the timelines i've seen on this site. and it does take 2 weeks to arrive since it's printed by HO.
i've attempted to book a ceremony via online form with my local council, but do not expect a reply until later next week. so don't have feedback on that, but their web site advises that ceremonies are taking in small numbers once or twice a week. hope this is sufficient to allocate me a spot.
i can't wait

[b41]

Received my invite letter form the home office dated 19th September. Approval email was sent to me on 2nd June. Waiting on the council to book me in hopefully it’s not a long wait

[zcranso]

Hi everyone,

I have good news to share, like others here. Today (Saturday 03/10) I received my invitation letter (dated 20/09). I was approved on June 5th and my council is Hammersmith and Fulham.

[Learning18]

To my surprise i got my invitation letter today.

Approval date: 03/06/2020
Date on invitation letter: 19/09/2020
Date receipt of the letter: 03/10/2020

It took exactly 4 months to get my letter.
Brent is closed today, so I can't book till Monday.


Thank you all for everything and I wish the rest of you all the best

I will be moving onto the passport timeline forum after I book my ceremony

[Doc2020]

Thanks a lot for the updates guys and many congratulations!!
I’ve been approved on 8th June hopefully I’ll get my invitation this coming week!

[AlexGo]

Happy for you guys. Still waiting 1st June Hounslow. Any one from Hounslow council?

[beaujam90]

It finally happened after months and months of waiting, my invitation letter arrived today 03/10/2020 and dated 20/09/2020. I applied 24/01/2020 and was approved 04/06/2020. I will call Haringey council on Monday to book the ceremony. Let's see when it will be done.

[I'mInMyPJ's]

The wait is over!
I finally received my Invitation letter this morning, here is my timeline:

Application date: 16 March 2020
Approval date: 2 June 2020
Invitation letter: 3 Oct 2020 (date on letter 19 Sept 2020)
Council: Lewisham

Just a quick note about the council- when I asked them if they contact applicants once their certificate is received they said no, they only contact you if you had already gotten in touch with them yourself as they won't have your details otherwise.

So this means if you are dealing with Lewisham council better email/call them so they have your details otherwise they won't contact you even if they've received your certificate from HO.

I have emailed them to book my ceremony so hopefully will receive a reply on Monday.

Good luck to all still waiting, looks like they are done with 1st week of June invites so anyone who was approved 2nd week of June should probably get their letter in the post this coming week.

[baybars1]

Thank you everyone for posting the updates, which I have included in the model. As it turns out, the model still holds!

Given that early June invites have been coming in, the table below shows projections for approval granted from mid-June onward. As you can see, the HO should be able to start printing ceremony invites pretty much on the day of the approval from 15 January 2021.

Also, the model suggests that anyone approved before the end of October 2020 are likely to receive their invitations by the end of the year.

Finally, anyone approved before the end of September might be be able to complete the process of getting their first British passport in this year, although, for this particular projection to hold, those approved toward the end of September might need to get lucky with speedy ceremony bookings once their invites have arrived.

Herewith the updated table.

Approval Date - Letter date - - - Letter arrives
15/06/2020 - - - 24/09/2020 - - - 14/10/2020
22/06/2020 - - - 28/09/2020 - - - 18/10/2020
29/06/2020 - - - 01/10/2020 - - - 21/10/2020
01/07/2020 - - - 02/10/2020 - - - 22/10/2020
08/07/2020 - - - 06/10/2020 - - - 26/10/2020
15/07/2020 - - - 09/10/2020 - - - 29/10/2020
22/07/2020 - - - 14/10/2020 - - - 03/11/2020
29/07/2020 - - - 16/10/2020 - - - 05/11/2020
01/08/2020 - - - 19/10/2020 - - - 08/11/2020
08/08/2020 - - - 22/10/2020 - - - 11/11/2020
15/08/2020 - - - 27/10/2020 - - - 16/11/2020
22/08/2020 - - - 29/10/2020 - - - 18/11/2020
29/08/2020 - - - 03/11/2020 - - - 23/11/2020
01/09/2020 - - - 04/11/2020 - - - 24/11/2020
08/09/2020 - - - 06/11/2020 - - - 26/11/2020
15/09/2020 - - - 11/11/2020 - - - 01/12/2020
22/09/2020 - - - 16/11/2020 - - - 06/12/2020
29/09/2020 - - - 18/11/2020 - - - 08/12/2020
01/10/2020 - - - 19/11/2020 - - - 09/12/2020
08/10/2020 - - - 24/11/2020 - - - 14/12/2020
15/10/2020 - - - 27/11/2020 - - - 17/12/2020
22/10/2020 - - - 01/12/2020 - - - 21/12/2020
29/10/2020 - - - 04/12/2020 - - - 24/12/2020
01/11/2020 - - - 04/12/2020 - - - 24/12/2020
08/11/2020 - - - 09/12/2020 - - - 29/12/2020
15/11/2020 - - - 14/12/2020 - - - 03/01/2021
22/11/2020 - - - 16/12/2020 - - - 05/01/2021
29/11/2020 - - - 21/12/2020 - - - 10/01/2021
01/12/2020 - - - 22/12/2020 - - - 11/01/2021
08/12/2020 - - - 25/12/2020 - - - 14/01/2021
15/12/2020 - - - 29/12/2020 - - - 18/01/2021
22/12/2020 - - - 01/01/2021 - - - 21/01/2021
29/12/2020 - - - 05/01/2021 - - - 25/01/2021
02/01/2021 - - - 07/01/2021 - - - 27/01/2021
08/01/2021 - - - 12/01/2021 - - - 01/02/2021
15/01/2021 - - - 15/01/2021 - - - 04/02/2021

[axeman85]

Morning!!

Anyone got updates from Manchester council? They don’t rely to emails and I just get automated replies now.

Anyone had their ceremony done or got their letters?

Yes a couple of guys wahidhadid had his ceremony few days ago also from Manchester Council but I think april/may approval date.

Am 31st July so nothing yet for me. I send mails and they reply saying no certificate for me yet... so waiting . Hopefully by end of this month, I should have it

[AlexGo]

Just received mine Invitation letter.
Fingerprint about 14 march
1 June received email
19 September on a letter, received by post 3 October.
Thank you for this website and a man who made a table of receiving invitation letter. See you in passport chat. Stay calm and carry on!

[shanny77]

Afternoon All,

My ceremony letter also just arrived! It went to my solicitor and it was dated 10th September and HO sent it out with 2nd class post which added to the delay. Anyway, I have called up my council (Richmond Upon Thames) and they are very efficient. My ceremony is now booked for next Tuesday on Microsoft TEAMS.

My timeline is applied 17th March and approved via email on 21st May.

Good luck to everyone still waiting!

Thanks for the heads up. Updated my model with this and no material changes, your info is in line with other May approvals I have seen on this threads.

Approval Date - Letter date - - - Letter arrives
08/06/2020 - - - 19/09/2020 - - - 09/10/2020
15/06/2020 - - - 23/09/2020 - - - 13/10/2020
22/06/2020 - - - 28/09/2020 - - - 18/10/2020
01/07/2020 - - - 01/10/2020 - - - 21/10/2020
08/07/2020 - - - 06/10/2020 - - - 26/10/2020
15/07/2020 - - - 08/10/2020 - - - 28/10/2020
22/07/2020 - - - 13/10/2020 - - - 02/11/2020
29/07/2020 - - - 16/10/2020 - - - 05/11/2020
01/08/2020 - - - 19/10/2020 - - - 08/11/2020
08/08/2020 - - - 21/10/2020 - - - 10/11/2020
15/08/2020 - - - 26/10/2020 - - - 15/11/2020
22/08/2020 - - - 28/10/2020 - - - 17/11/2020
29/08/2020 - - - 02/11/2020 - - - 22/11/2020
01/09/2020 - - - 03/11/2020 - - - 23/11/2020
08/09/2020 - - - 06/11/2020 - - - 26/11/2020
15/09/2020 - - - 10/11/2020 - - - 30/11/2020
22/09/2020 - - - 14/11/2020 - - - 04/12/2020
29/09/2020 - - - 17/11/2020 - - - 07/12/2020
31/10/2020 - - - 03/12/2020 - - - 23/12/2020
30/11/2020 - - - 19/12/2020 - - - 08/01/2021
31/12/2020 - - - 05/01/2021 - - - 25/01/2021

This model is absolutely spot on. I received my invitation letter today. Timeline:
Application - 16/12/19
Receiver approval via email - 03/06/20
Receive invitation letter - 03/10/20

Base on above model I was expecting letter on Monday and I got it today.

Thanks the moderator of this site and everyone for the support. Good luck to everyone waiting for approval/letter.

[Xmz12x]

Hello everyone I also wanted to share my good news with you finally. I received my ceremony letter today (3rd October) dated from 20th September. I got my approval via email on the 8th June and today I finally got the letter via post ☺ Thank you everyone. I've been so stressed about it but reading everyone's comments here always made me feel more at ease. Good luck to all of you!

[MannyWarrior]

Morning!!

Anyone got updates from Manchester council? They don’t rely to emails and I just get automated replies now.

Anyone had their ceremony done or got their letters?

Yes a couple of guys wahidhadid had his ceremony few days ago also from Manchester Council but I think april/may approval date.

Am 31st July so nothing yet for me. I send mails and they reply saying no certificate for me yet... so waiting . Hopefully by end of this month, I should have it

Ah I’m beginning of July so hopefully mine will be soon!

And I remember wahid being June approval I think?

Thanks