Cancelling an MN1

[ctammann]

I am a British Citizen applying for Citizenship for my 2 minor children who are South African passport holders. The application was done online from South Africa end of May 2021.
As the guidance to supporting documents was a little contradictory regarding format (Originals or copies), we phoned the UKVI contact centre +44 (0)300 790 6268 to confirm.
We were told to send all the original documents.
We phoned a second time to speak to a different operator to ensure the message was the same. This operator even confirmed with her supervisor. Yes, send all supporting documents as Originals not copies.
Which we duly did so 3 days after MN1 form submission, they arrived at UKVI via courier on the 04th June 2021.

A week and a half later we received an email requesting we take the children to have their biometrics done within 30 days. But they require a form of photographic ID like a passport!
Their passports and birth certificates are in the UK at UKVI! We have no other form of photographic ID for them.

After phoning UKVI contact centre again to explain the predicament we were told to post a letter to UKVI explaining. Which we did so, arrived 21/06.

What do we do now? We have heard nothing and the 30 days are ticking away.
Can we request an extension to submit biometrics?
Can we request they return just the passports urgently in order to do biometrics and courier them back?
Will this cancel our application?
If it is cancelled, will we get a refund?
We cannot afford to start the application from scratch again if we do not get a refund.

So frustrating as we did exactly as directed by the UKVI.

[manci]

As part of the online applications did you upload scanned copies of the children's passports and birth certificates and haven't you been prompted to make an appointment for biometrics in SA?

Also, to what address did you courier the original documents and post the letter that arrived on 21/6?

[ctammann]

@Manci, There was no place or prompt to upload scans on the online MN1 application.
And yes, we received an email invitation to go do biometrics in SA within 30 days (now about 15 days), this came through a week and a half after we had already submitted the MN1 and courierd all the original supporting documents to the UK.

The address we sent the supporting docs AND the subsequent letter explaining the issue was the same: Department 4
UKVI
The Capital
New Hall Place
Liverpool
Merseyside
L39PP, UK

[manci]

When you phoned the UKVI helpline there may have been a misunderstanding or you may have been given incorrect advice.

My understanding is that documents no longer need to be posted but should be scanned and uploaded either during the online application process or at the biometric appointment. The originals should then be taken to the biometric appointment, where after checking that they correspond to the uploaded copies, they are returned to the applicant (unless passports need to be retained for stamping which doesn't apply in your case).

In the online application you may have missed the opportunity to upload documents. Also, after payment is made one is normally invited to register with UKVI's commercial partner for the biometric appointment. In SA they are TLSContact. https://pos.tlscontact.com/south-africa

To unravel the situation suggest to send an email to the following 3 addresses (not sure which ones are still current) as well as, if you can, to the address you received the HO's email from explaining the situation an seeking guidance about how to proceed. Mention Covid 19 problems if any in SA.

FurtherNationalityEnquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
nationalityenquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk
nationalitybiometrics@homeoffice.gov.uk

In the email provide your name and the children's names, dates of birth, place of birth, current nationality, and the reference number of the submitted application.

[CR001]

@manci for registering children as British from overseas, originals have to be sent to UKVI. It is a different process to visa applications abroad and citizenship application within the UK.

The OP should have enrolled biometrics first and then posted the documents.

[ctammann]

Thank you @Manci, I will give it a try to email those 3 email addresses you suggest.

And @CR001, In retrospect I can see that this is how we should have proceeded, however, it is contrary to the guidance provided within the UKVI MN1 application.
At the bottom of the Document checklist document, there is a section that says:

What Happens Next
Send your documents to us within 30 working days and we will make a decision within 6 months. We will contact you regarding your biometric enrolment once your documents have been received. Send this checklist and all your documents to Department 4 , UKVI, The Capital....etc

So I hope they can grant us some grace for doing exactly what they asked. Perhaps we should have gone through a migration agent, as they probably know this.

[ctammann]

Could I ask please if anyone has any information or advice related to cancelling an MN1 (Citizenship application for children) application?

Specifically:

1) How long it takes to get back your supporting documents (original passports, birth certificates)
2) If you haven't yet done biometrics, do you get a refund of fees paid?
3) Does cancelling an application negatively affect your chances to apply again in the future?

Please note the application was done online from South Africa, but supporting documents sent by post as this is the only option available if applying from South Africa. Online supporting document submission is not allowed from South Africa.

Thank you

[manci]

Have you had any response yet from the HO to the emails you sent?

For cancelling the application please see:
https://www.gov.uk/cancel-visa

Moderators - suggest to merge this post with
british-citizenship/mn1-can-you-request ... l#p2017680

[secret.simon]

Topics merged.

[ctammann]

@Manci, no response yet from HO. However, we have booked a biometrics appointment for Monday 05/07 anyway, and will try and see if they will accept MY original British passport as proof of identity because the children are under 16. It might work

[HCJNL]

@ctammann
My experiences were similar to yours, so I hope I can help you.
I applied last year to register my then 9 year old son as a British Citizen following the Section 3(2) BNA 1981 route. I am a British Citizen by descent (born in Zimbabwe) and my son was born in The Netherlands. His mother is Polish.
I applied online from The Netherlands and I was told to send originals within 30 days to the same Liverpool address as you, then wait for an email instructing me to make a biometrics appointment. I then heard nothing for over 3 months.
So you did everything correctly. No need to cancel your MN1 application.
Online overseas citizenship applications may only be available to certain countries. I do not know about South Africa.
I had the same catch-22 situation as well. My son did not have ID because he had sent it off to Liverpool, as instructed. They agreed to take my son's biometrics but were not really happy about him not having ID. The only photographic I had of him, apart from a copy of his passport, was his tennis club membership card. They made a copy of this! But when I looked at my son's online biometric status it said there was a problem with some of his documents.
I queried this, pointing out that my son's ID had been sent to Liverpool, at their request. I received an email from UK Visa and Immigration one week later, confirming that my biometrics were in order and that my son's application had been released to a case worker.
My son's citizenship application was approved a few weeks later.

[ctammann]

@HCJNL, thank you, that helps to know we are not the first to be in this position.

May I ask who (what email/phone number) you used to query this when you say you contacted them?: "But when I looked at my son's online biometric status it said there was a problem with some of his documents.
I queried this, pointing out that my son's ID had been sent to Liverpool, at their request."

[manci]

for phone numbers from abroad see:

Contact the Citizenship and Nationality Enquiries team if you have questions about British citizenship, for example the Life in the UK Test.

Citizenship and Nationality Enquiries
nationalityenquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)300 790 6268 - select option 1, then option 1 again
Monday to Thursday, 9am to 4:45pm UK local time
Friday, 9am to 4:30pm UK local time
Find out about call charges

If you cannot contact UK 0300 numbers, use +44 (0)203 875 4669.

[HCJNL]

My son's biometrics was handled by TLScontact in Amsterdam. This is what I wrote to them afterwards

I attended Biometrics (OCBE) with my son (the applicant) ******** today 18 March 2021 (UKN-UK-**-******-*)
I had been asked to provide the following
- The UKVI letter that requests biometrics enrolment;
- Photographic identification;
- Appointment confirmation email from TLScontact
- The payment confirmation email that is issued when using the payment portal.
I provided the letters and emails requested. I explained that his Polish passport had been sent, as instructed, to UK Visa and Immigration in Liverpool. I provided a copy of *******'s passport, a health insurance card and a tennis club membership card containing his photograph. I also provided a copy of the instructions I had received earlier, explicitly telling me to send *******'s Polish Passport to UK Visa and Immigration in Liverpool.
The TLScontact employee, who was very polite and courteous, seemed satisfied with the documentation I provided. Biometrics were taken.
But logging on here I see, written in red, "Your application process has started today at 15:26. Some of the documents are missing or not compliant with the Mission's requirements."
I do not know what this means. Does it refer to not providing *******'s passport? I explained that this was impossible, because UK Visa and Immigration have it.
Please advise.

I did not hear anything more from TLScontact in Amsterdam. But I received the following on 25 March 2021 from NationalityBiometricsOverseas@homeoffice.gov.uk

We have confirmation of ********’s enrolment and I have asked the relevant department to release his application to a case working team.

My son's application was accepted quickly after that. His registration certificate is dated 7/4/2021

[ctammann]

Update - We were able to lodge our children's biometrics with TLS contact in DBN using the certified copies of their passports. Relieved!
Now to wait till the MN1 application is approved. Hoping for less than 4 months processing