Travelling after naturalization without British Passport

[Ben1989]

Hi all,

Is it possible to travel after your ceremony without a British passport? I know strictly speaking you have to travel with a British passport but I'm wondering if it's possible with a naturalisation certificate as a one-off?

[alterhase58]

If you are a non-visa national (for UK entry) the airline should let you board the plane.
The certificate as such is not a travel document and airlines would not allow you to board if you need a visa.
Take the certificate with you and on arrival explain to the UK Border Force officer that you are British and waiting to apply for a passport.
A British citizen can't normally be refused entry to the UK. It's likely to add waiting time whilst they check.

[George111]

Confirm all of the above from personal experience. Moreover, the time at the border in my several trips without the British passport were no longer than normal

[Ben1989]

Thanks all.

Yes it'll be with an American passport so a non-visa passport.

I wasn't sure how strict they were about it as application and possible passport wait could be an issue but obviously will be travelling without BRP.

[Shadyoakdrives]

Did you just enter using the e-gates with your Non-UK passport (American in your case) - without the ILR BRP card (essentially as a "tourist") and then just apply for the UK passport as per usual?

[George111]

I went to see a border force officer, to avoid any issues of being an overstayer tourist. I told the officer that we're all British just didn't have time to apply for a passport and showed him the citizenship certificates. On a couple of occasions they didn't even look at those. Passports were not stamped, just scanned and we were let through. No issues at all.

[HCJNL]

I know strictly speaking you have to travel with a British passport

That's not true. The UK is not like the US, South Africa or Poland. You can travel with any passport.
But if you live in the UK you may be asked to prove your entitlement to do this, on return. In this situation showing a British passport is far and away the most practical way of doing this. Otherwise Border Force will check your entitlement by other means, and this may take time.

[Shadyoakdrives]

I went to see a border force officer, to avoid any issues of being an overstayer tourist. I told the officer that we're all British just didn't have time to apply for a passport and showed him the citizenship certificates. On a couple of occasions they didn't even look at those. Passports were not stamped, just scanned and we were let through. No issues at all.

Thanks! So you did not use the e-gates but requested to speak to a border force officer at the airport?

Is there a long delay in order to do this?

[George111]

It depends on the time of day etc, but there are I think three lanes - (1) e-gates, (2) non-uk passports that can't go to e-gates, (3) lanes for UK passport holders that are with children or just need the passports stamped. Generally, lane (3) is fairly quick. That's the lane you need, but, again from my experience, I pick the lane with the least amount of people, regardless of what it says.

I think you could use the e-gates and maybe the experts can correct me that it's OK, but I just didn't want to create a glitch, where I am in the UK as a visitor on foreign passport and if I stay longer than 90 days, some automated flags would get raised. I could be overthinking it, but util I received my passport, always went via an officer and all was clear at all times.

[Shadyoakdrives]

It depends on the time of day etc, but there are I think three lanes - (1) e-gates, (2) non-uk passports that can't go to e-gates, (3) lanes for UK passport holders that are with children or just need the passports stamped. Generally, lane (3) is fairly quick. That's the lane you need, but, again from my experience, I pick the lane with the least amount of people, regardless of what it says.

I think you could use the e-gates and maybe the experts can correct me that it's OK, but I just didn't want to create a glitch, where I am in the UK as a visitor on foreign passport and if I stay longer than 90 days, some automated flags would get raised. I could be overthinking it, but util I received my passport, always went via an officer and all was clear at all times.

Great - thats really helpful.

I just got my ceremony invitation letter and have holidays booked for mid December so was considering if I should do it before or after I come back, given that there is no way I would be able to get the British passport on time.

[George111]

Should be no problem on a non-visa passport. Border force people probably know the current passport timeline (which is super-long), so they are fairly sympathetic.