OK to renew US passport while waiting for UK naturalisation?

I submitted my application for UK naturalisation a little over seven weeks ago, then went to Italy for a few weeks. Just returned, and still no news on that. I am wondering whether there is any reason not to send my passport to the US embassy in London for renewal while I'm waiting to hear from the Home Office? It expires in April 2015 and we're travelling to the US for Christmas, so I'd like to get it renewed before then, and now seems to be a good time unless there is a reason to wait.

If it were me, I would hold off sending your US passport in for renewal until you receive approval from the Home Office and letter inviting you to attend the citizenship ceremony just in case you are requested to send them your passport.

Also, on the invitation letter, you are requested to bring the letter and evidence of identity, which includes a photograph.  I was able to schedule my ceremony within a couple of weeks of receiving the letter and I used my US passport as ID (I don't have anything else with my full name.)

You make a good point, jayvee. Do you think they'd ask for my US passport even though I went through the NCS and he took a notarised photocopy of each page? (Except the stamps for this last trip, of course.)

And do I need to send my US passport along when I apply for a UK passport (after the letter and citizenship ceremony)?

Though it's unlikely that they will need to see your US passport, I have I read on other forums where applicants were asked to send in their passports even after going NCS, so it seems that its not out of the realm of possibilities.

Unfortunately, you do have to send in your US passport with your UK passport application (I just sent mine off last week).

My citizenship application took 8 weeks, so maybe hold off another couple of weeks? You may hear very soon.

Why not wait until you go to the US to renew your passport?  As long  as you have an out of country trip with tickets to prove it, you can apply in person when in the US.  Otherwise, you send your passport to the US Embassy in London who sends it on to the US for processing.  It's been taking about 4 weeks.

Thanks, jayvee. Now eight weeks and counting!

Anonymiss, not a bad idea, though I'll be there for two weeks over Christmas and New Year's visiting family and friends and would have to schedule an in-person appointment in San Francisco (which I'm not planning to visit) while avoiding the holiday closures. But I will keep it in mind!

On further thought, I'm going to make it easy on myself and either do the one-day renewal in SF or renew when we get back after Christmas. Thanks for the advice!