Help Please. Naturalization nightmare.

[andyandythai]

Here is my wife's story....You have nothing to worry about

• Arrived in UK 11th June 2010
• Granted ILR November 2012
• Citizenship Granted and Ceremony 25th July 2013
• UK Passport received 12th August 2013

All done an dusted and yes its a long, stressful and expensive process but now we got that passport it all seems worth it!!

Andy

How long did you wait for Citizenship?

And your wife applied and recieved her passport in 3 weeks?

The wife is still waiting for her citizenship letter - just about 4 weeks.

RAZZ

Hi, the citizenship took took 20 days in total then we got the ceremony booked in for the 25th July and same day applied for her passport I couldn't believe how fast the whole process was compared to over 6 months for the ILR. I was expecting a few months wait at least, I presume we got lucky and caught them on a quiet spell, sure you will hear something soon.

Good Luck

Andy

[RAZZELL]

Here is my wife's story....You have nothing to worry about

• Arrived in UK 11th June 2010
• Granted ILR November 2012
• Citizenship Granted and Ceremony 25th July 2013
• UK Passport received 12th August 2013

All done an dusted and yes its a long, stressful and expensive process but now we got that passport it all seems worth it!!

Andy

How long did you wait for Citizenship?

And your wife applied and recieved her passport in 3 weeks?

The wife is still waiting for her citizenship letter - just about 4 weeks.

RAZZ

Hi, the citizenship took took 20 days in total then we got the ceremony booked in for the 25th July and same day applied for her passport I couldn't believe how fast the whole process was compared to over 6 months for the ILR. I was expecting a few months wait at least, I presume we got lucky and caught them on a quiet spell, sure you will hear something soon.

Good Luck

Andy

And the identity interview?

RAZZ

[andyandythai]

Here is my wife's story....You have nothing to worry about

• Arrived in UK 11th June 2010
• Granted ILR November 2012
• Citizenship Granted and Ceremony 25th July 2013
• UK Passport received 12th August 2013

All done an dusted and yes its a long, stressful and expensive process but now we got that passport it all seems worth it!!

Andy

How long did you wait for Citizenship?

And your wife applied and recieved her passport in 3 weeks?

The wife is still waiting for her citizenship letter - just about 4 weeks.

RAZZ

Hi, the citizenship took took 20 days in total then we got the ceremony booked in for the 25th July and same day applied for her passport I couldn't believe how fast the whole process was compared to over 6 months for the ILR. I was expecting a few months wait at least, I presume we got lucky and caught them on a quiet spell, sure you will hear something soon.

Good Luck

Andy

And the identity interview?

RAZZ

Yeah sent the passport application on 25th, I prepared the application before hand and dated it the same day as the ceremony then as soon as she got the certificate from the mayor, I was straight out of the Town Hall across to the Post Office and sent off. We got her Thai passport & Certificate back with a letter to make an appointment on 7th August, rang up and the interview was on the 9th, they actually had appointments available the next day if I wanted. Her passport then arrived on the 12th August, really quick.

Some people use the checking service and it works well for them but I have never used it, even for myself and other members of the family and never had any problems too.

Andy

[Somtamme]

I'm not sure why there is this difference. Why should work permit applicants have to wait 5 years whereas if you're married to a British Citizen, you can be fast tracked to become 'British'. Maybe its my influence which rubs off.

[7by7]

Work permit holders cannot apply for British citizenship; one of the conditions for all applicants is that they are not subject to immigration control or any time limit on their stay in the UK.

If the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen then there is no minimum time you must have been so; for all others, including unmarried partners of British citizens, you must have been so for at least 12 months.

The residential qualifying period is also different. For the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen it is 3* years, for all others it is 5.

Why? No idea

*Of course, under the new rules which came into effect July 2012 it now takes at least 5 years for a family member to obtain ILR, so in effect they will need to have lived in the UK for at least that time before they can apply.

[bobrussell]

Been away on holiday but returning to the passport interview they were very nice to my wife (we took a weekend off to go to Newport I of Wight) but asked a lot of detailed questions about her life in the UK, who signed the photo etc? About 20 minutes in all and my wife did struggle to give some answers to very precise questions because she did not understand them all that specifically!

Apparently not all interview centres are so pleasant about it, presumably because they are busier.

Not a big worry as virtually nobody has ever failed the interview!!!

[RAZZELL]

Update:

The wife has still not received her confirmation letter...but by using a bit of charm I found out that her naturalisation certificate arrived at the registrar office on Monday.

So, about 6 weeks or so from the 19th July.

RAZZ

Edited September 3, 2013 by RAZZELL

[Chittychangchang]

Passport identification interview was on Friday recieved passport today.

They say 30 min interview.

One person was in and out in under 5 mins another longer than the wife, the wife was 15 mins.

They ask loads of personal questions.

Can you confirm name, date of birth, address, signatory, age and profession of signatory.

Parents names and dates of birth.

Just a general chat about your life in the Uk.

Nothing to worry about, easy.

CCC

[MAJIC]

Efficiently amended, andy.

I agree 'You have nothing to worry about' once the wife has arrived in the UK and all the rules have been obeyed and you've retained the necessary documentation in preparation of ILR and further citizenship.

To be honest the citizenship is the easiest part as you do all the leg work with the settlement and ILR, you don't need to send as much documentation for citizenship. Follow the guides online and it will be ok.

The last hoop you have to jump through is the passport interview but as long as you are who you say you are that's nothing to worry about either. My wife gave them the wrong name of who countersigned her application, she got mixed up with the citizenship application, but they still issued it, we had the last few day on tender hooks but all ok in the end!!

Andy

Indeed Citizenship is the easiest part, (compared with a Settlement Visa,and ILR) obtaining a British Passport is not too difficult either, having an eye for detail helps with all of them,and doing many checks to make sure you have left nothing in doubt. Its always a worry to perhaps have the UKBA having some query or other,but it never happened,which I put down to,thorough research,and erring on the side of caution.

Also you don't need to pay someone else to do the job either,which only you have the answers to,unless you don't have the time or confidence to deal with it yourself!

[RAZZELL]

Passport identification interview was on Friday recieved passport today.

They say 30 min interview.

One person was in and out in under 5 mins another longer than the wife, the wife was 15 mins.

They ask loads of personal questions.

Can you confirm name, date of birth, address, signatory, age and profession of signatory.

Parents names and dates of birth.

Just a general chat about your life in the Uk.

Nothing to worry about, easy.

CCC

Can you tell me when you applied and how long did it take to get your wife's passport back, and then how long for the identity interview?

RAZZ

[Chittychangchang]

Passport identification interview was on Friday recieved passport today.

They say 30 min interview.

One person was in and out in under 5 mins another longer than the wife, the wife was 15 mins.

They ask loads of personal questions.

Can you confirm name, date of birth, address, signatory, age and profession of signatory.

Parents names and dates of birth.

Just a general chat about your life in the Uk.

Nothing to worry about, easy.

CCC

Can you tell me when you applied and how long did it take to get your wife's passport back, and then how long for the identity interview?

RAZZ

Hi Razz.

We applied for the passport by postal application(recorded).

10 working days for interview letter to arrive.

Telephoned to arrange interview for 3 days later in local city.

Passport arrived 2 days later.

Very quick for August!

All the best

CCC

[RAZZELL]

Many thanks!

RAZZ

[dubbplatz]

Just like to say thanks to you guys for all the advice you have gave me on my wife's citizenship application we received the citizen certificate today and have the ceremony in two weeks, so it took nine weeks start to finish.one happy relieved skint man.thanks guys

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[bobrussell]

Enjoy the ceremony, brush up on the national anthem and take lots of photos! It will be quite a big day, the final (but one) step of a very long and expensive journey.

If you have any money left go for a holiday and christen the new passport (the last step). My wife enjoyed going through the EU channels at the airports, no questions asked unlike the days of using her Thai passport!

[dubbplatz]

Thanks I get the words up on google for sure

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[RAZZELL]

BTW - Mrs Razz had the naturalization ceremony this week!

RAZZ

[dubbplatz]

Mrs Dubbplatz has the citizenship on the 13 th Nov, yee haa

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app