Citizenship Ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19

[Teedee]

Thank you

[lc42]

Approval: 21 October
Invite letter received: 21 January (dated 31 December)
Council: Southwark

When I emailed the Home Office last week they said my documents hadn’t been printed or sent yet so I don’t think the info they give out is always accurate.

[PhantomPermit]

Is there anyone from Hampshire council? Are they currently doing virtual ceremonies? My application was approved on the 3rd of December but I’m still waiting for my invitation.

Hi! Home office has cleared approvals of October and sent all invitation letters on 14th of January now they working on November so you need to wait little more

dont trust them

[Sanaazim]

Just an update
Received my invitation today approved on 27 Oct
Now need to chase Ealing council hope it will be over soon

Did you receive it via email or post?

By post

[Sanaazim]

Just an update
Received my invitation today approved on 27 Oct
Now need to chase Ealing council hope it will be over soon

Ealing council is closed. i got the invitation on 9th December and still can't book the ceremony. They are not responding to emails or calls from 20th December. LET ME KNOW if you hear anything

That’s really sad I don’t know why they need to stop everything I will try tomorrow let’s see what happens and I think we should write an email to mayor of Ealing to look in to this matter and start virtual ceremonies what’s the use of technology? There should be end to this long waiting

Yea... I don't know why they're doing this... I have sent them an email yesterday to ask if they even have any paid ceremony slots... not keeping my hopes up tho

Did u received any email reply from Ealing council ?

[russn]

Ealing council is closed. i got the invitation on 9th December and still can't book the ceremony. They are not responding to emails or calls from 20th December. LET ME KNOW if you hear anything

That’s really sad I don’t know why they need to stop everything I will try tomorrow let’s see what happens and I think we should write an email to mayor of Ealing to look in to this matter and start virtual ceremonies what’s the use of technology? There should be end to this long waiting

Yea... I don't know why they're doing this... I have sent them an email yesterday to ask if they even have any paid ceremony slots... not keeping my hopes up tho

Did u received any email reply from Ealing council ?

Nah I reckon it will take about at least a week for them to reply - so trying to not think about it. Did you call/email them ?

[hannah2019]

That’s really sad I don’t know why they need to stop everything I will try tomorrow let’s see what happens and I think we should write an email to mayor of Ealing to look in to this matter and start virtual ceremonies what’s the use of technology? There should be end to this long waiting

Yea... I don't know why they're doing this... I have sent them an email yesterday to ask if they even have any paid ceremony slots... not keeping my hopes up tho

Did u received any email reply from Ealing council ?

Nah I reckon it will take about at least a week for them to reply - so trying to not think about it. Did you call/email them ?

Hi

I called Ealing registrars 2 times last week and left voicemails for them. They haven’t called me back yet.

I emailed them last week and they got back to me after 2 days but it was only general reply and nothing related to my enquiry.

I emailed them again this week (Monday) and waiting for their reply.

Please let me know if you get any update from Ealing.

[mename]

Is anyone registered at Westminster council? Does anyone know what is the average waiting time for Citizenship ceremony booking after request sent over the email?

Just received my invite letter, early November approval.

[Sanaazim]

Yea... I don't know why they're doing this... I have sent them an email yesterday to ask if they even have any paid ceremony slots... not keeping my hopes up tho

Did u received any email reply from Ealing council ?

Nah I reckon it will take about at least a week for them to reply - so trying to not think about it. Did you call/email them ?

No I haven’t got any replies tried call email and I have also sent email to mayor of Ealing to sort out this matter of never ending wait
Hi

I called Ealing registrars 2 times last week and left voicemails for them. They haven’t called me back yet.

I emailed them last week and they got back to me after 2 days but it was only general reply and nothing related to my enquiry.

I emailed them again this week (Monday) and waiting for their reply.

Please let me know if you get any update from Ealing.

[Sanaazim]

Did u received any email reply from Ealing council ?

Nah I reckon it will take about at least a week for them to reply - so trying to not think about it. Did you call/email them ?

No I haven’t got any replies tried call email and I have also sent email to mayor of Ealing to sort out this matter of never ending wait
Hi

I called Ealing registrars 2 times last week and left voicemails for them. They haven’t called me back yet.

I emailed them last week and they got back to me after 2 days but it was only general reply and nothing related to my enquiry.

I emailed them again this week (Monday) and waiting for their reply.

Please let me know if you get any update from Ealing.

Yep sure

[Sufian_Fares]

According to the article (link below) the areas affected are:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55591063

Ashford (TN23-TN27)
Barnsley (S70, S71, S72 and S75)
Basildon (SS13-SS16)
Bow (E3)
Bury St Edmunds (IP28-IP33)
Chelmsford (CM1-CM3)
Christchurch (BH23)
Daventry (NN11)
Debden (IG7-IG10)
Enfield (EN1-EN3)
Grays (RM16-RM20)
Hampton (TW12)
Highbury (N5)
Hornsey (N8)
Horsham (RH12, RH13)
Ilford (IG1-IG6)
Leeds City (LS1-LS5)
Lewisham (SE13)
Magherafelt (BT45, BT46)
Margate (CT7-CT9)
Rugeley (WS15)
Somerton (TA11)
South Ockendon (RM15)
South Woodford (E18)
Upper Holloway (N7)
Wandsworth (SW18)
Wellington (TA21)
Widnes (WA8)

I live in N8 and it has been dreadful. Ive been getting post twice a month since April last year

[CULLINAN]

Also see up to date info here:

https://personal.help.royalmail.com/app ... ice-update

[Poppy71]

Hello,
Just for information - if you don’t hear from the HO after 12 weeks, do follow up. My application had a ‘technical error’ and my 22 Sept approval did not progress through the system as it should have. After following up I was told about the error and that I would have to have a new decision letter, which I just received... now 4 months behind in the queue. Don’t just wait patiently if you had an approval and waited the 12 weeks with no invitation letter.

App date: 24 April 20
First Approval date: 22 Sept 20
Emailed HO for update: 12 Jan 21
Second approval date: 20 Jan 21

[lonmarctba]

Also see up to date info here:

https://personal.help.royalmail.com/app ... ice-update

Thanks for the info. Yes, my postcode is definitely there CR0. Not much to do but wait at this point.

[otto8190]

Hi, has anyone recently booked the ceremony with Staffordshire county council?
How much time did they take to respond to the email?
Best Wishes.

[nnn15]

Hello,
Just for information - if you don’t hear from the HO after 12 weeks, do follow up. My application had a ‘technical error’ and my 22 Sept approval did not progress through the system as it should have. After following up I was told about the error and that I would have to have a new decision letter, which I just received... now 4 months behind in the queue. Don’t just wait patiently if you had an approval and waited the 12 weeks with no invitation letter.

App date: 24 April 20
First Approval date: 22 Sept 20
Emailed HO for update: 12 Jan 21
Second approval date: 20 Jan 21

My application was affected by the "technical error" as well, but it wasn't put at the end of the queue. It took about 5 weeks to get a ceremony invitation letter after the HO acknowledged the issue (technical error acknowledged in the beginning of December, letter received mid-January). I submitted a complaint to the HO (https://www.ukvi-complaints.homeoffice.gov.uk/reason) and I also reached out to my MP. And I explicitly asked if my paperwork issuance could be prioritised ahead of the recently approved applications as I had been waiting for 8 months already. The HO support never replied to me, but the paperwork got issued.

[Yve]

Hi all, was just wondering if anyone has had their ceremony at Lambeth Council. I had my virtual private ceremony on the 18th and waiting for my certificate via post. Thanks

[N S]

Is there anyone from Hampshire council? Are they currently doing virtual ceremonies? My application was approved on the 3rd of December but I’m still waiting for my invitation.

yes they do virtual ceremonies your approval was on 3rd of December there are people who is waiting from October and November I think home office just cleared October approval some just received from beginning of November approval when November is done then will be December hopefully you get yours soon keep update plz tnx.

[Teedee]

Yep, sure

[aliabbas]

looks like HO have lost the data for October.

Strange any updates ??
Mine is 16 oct approval and nothing yet

i am 15th october nothing yet. Some of the novembers have had there ceremonies already.

Any undates?? Not recieved mine yet

[lonmarctba]

looks like HO have lost the data for October.

Strange any updates ??
Mine is 16 oct approval and nothing yet

i am 15th october nothing yet. Some of the novembers have had there ceremonies already.

Any undates?? Not recieved mine yet

Same here guys. Approved on 13th October. Where are you guys based? I’m in Croydon and I’ve heard there’s been a disruption with Royal Mail this week on some postcodes including mine.

[aliabbas]

Strange any updates ??
Mine is 16 oct approval and nothing yet

i am 15th october nothing yet. Some of the novembers have had there ceremonies already.

Any undates?? Not recieved mine yet

Same here guys. Approved on 13th October. Where are you guys based? I’m in Croydon and I’ve heard there’s been a disruption with Royal Mail this week on some postcodes including mine.

Iam from salford

[PhantomPermit]

another week gone no sign of an invitation

15 October approval

[1tarck81]

Waiting since 4th of June and I just received another copy-paste email from HO


Thank you for your enquiry about your citizenship ceremony.

We are currently working with Local Authorities throughout the UK and with overseas diplomatic posts as they begin to resume Citizenship Ceremonies. Service has not yet returned to normal due to continuing adherence to Government advice on social distancing – which is subject to some local and International variance.

Due to the strict social distancing measures currently in place and to ensure the safety of our staff, regrettably, resources in our Ceremonies and Citizenship Support department are extremely limited, at present.

I have checked our system and your invitation is yet to be printed.

With regards to individual ceremonies, we are aware that some local authorities have already started to offer this service however it is up to each council as to whether or not they can carry out these with social distancing measures in place. Further to this, unless you have exceptional circumstances, we are unable to accommodate requests to expedite ceremony invites/despatch of certificates at present for the reasons given above.

Please be assured that our ceremonies and citizenship support team will issue your ceremony invite letter by post within the next 8 – 12 weeks. You are required to attend a citizenship ceremony within 6 months of the date printed on your ceremony invitation. Upon receipt of the invitation letter, you can make the necessary arrangements with your local authority.

We will keep ceremony deadlines under constant review. Please be assured that no adverse decisions will be made on your application because of delays caused by Coronavirus (unless there is a material change in your circumstances, for example, you are convicted of a criminal offence).

Please do not contact your Local Authority until you have received your invitation as they will not have your certificate to conduct your ceremony before this.

I fully appreciate that you attending your citizenship ceremony is the final part of the process and please be assured that we aim to resolve this situation as quickly as possible.

During this time UKVI are receiving a high volume of enquires that may take longer than usual for a reply. Please do not contact the Visas and Citizenship department to request your ceremony be held in another location based on ceremony date availability as such requests cannot be accommodated and will be declined.

Yours sincerely

Xxxxx

[nnn15]

Waiting since 4th of June and I just received another copy-paste email from HO


Thank you for your enquiry about your citizenship ceremony.

We are currently working with Local Authorities throughout the UK and with overseas diplomatic posts as they begin to resume Citizenship Ceremonies. Service has not yet returned to normal due to continuing adherence to Government advice on social distancing – which is subject to some local and International variance.

Due to the strict social distancing measures currently in place and to ensure the safety of our staff, regrettably, resources in our Ceremonies and Citizenship Support department are extremely limited, at present.

I have checked our system and your invitation is yet to be printed.

With regards to individual ceremonies, we are aware that some local authorities have already started to offer this service however it is up to each council as to whether or not they can carry out these with social distancing measures in place. Further to this, unless you have exceptional circumstances, we are unable to accommodate requests to expedite ceremony invites/despatch of certificates at present for the reasons given above.

Please be assured that our ceremonies and citizenship support team will issue your ceremony invite letter by post within the next 8 – 12 weeks. You are required to attend a citizenship ceremony within 6 months of the date printed on your ceremony invitation. Upon receipt of the invitation letter, you can make the necessary arrangements with your local authority.

We will keep ceremony deadlines under constant review. Please be assured that no adverse decisions will be made on your application because of delays caused by Coronavirus (unless there is a material change in your circumstances, for example, you are convicted of a criminal offence).

Please do not contact your Local Authority until you have received your invitation as they will not have your certificate to conduct your ceremony before this.

I fully appreciate that you attending your citizenship ceremony is the final part of the process and please be assured that we aim to resolve this situation as quickly as possible.

During this time UKVI are receiving a high volume of enquires that may take longer than usual for a reply. Please do not contact the Visas and Citizenship department to request your ceremony be held in another location based on ceremony date availability as such requests cannot be accommodated and will be declined.

Yours sincerely

Xxxxx

I was getting those emails as well, it seemed they never actually checked the status of the application. Later it turned out there was a "technical error" affecting my application. Things you can do (maybe all simultaneously as response times vary):
1) Submit a complaint to the HO (https://www.ukvi-complaints.homeoffice.gov.uk/reason), they respond within 20 working days. My complaint was upheld.
2) Involve your MP.
3) Call the HO helpline, explain you are waiting since June and clearly something has gone wrong and ask them to escalate. The lady put me on hold, asked her colleagues how to escalate and escalated while I was on the phone. You will receive an automatic email confirming you requested progress update.
4) Submit an SAR request (https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... mmigration) - you can get all the outcomes on your applications including caseworker notes and action they've taken.

I don't know which one of these helped the most, but my certificate finally arrived last week. Hopefully yours will arrive soon too. Good luck!