British Citizenship - Waiting Time

Only took a month! So much better than waiting for ILR.

Date of NCS appointment in Rutherglen: 10 May 2013 (sent on 13 May though as I had missed their mailing time? My appointment was at 9 am so not sure why the delay)
Date of Acknowledgement letter and debit: 20 May 2013
Date of Receipt of Acknowledgement letter: 23 May 2013
Date of Decision: 6 June 2013
Date of Receipt of Decision Letter: 12 June 2013
Date of Ceremony: 25 June 2013

I'm a dual national! 

NCS or Postal: NCS Southwark
Date of submission: Saturday, 13 April (so actually sent 15 April) 2013
Basis: 3+ years residence w/ILR, married to a British citizen
Date of Acknowledgement Letter: 21/04/13
Date of Receipt of Acknowledgement: 24/04/13
Date of Debit:  (21/04/13)
*Date of Acknowledgement EMAIL  * : 30/04/13
Date of Decision: 17/05/13
Date of Receipt of *Combo* Decision and Invitations Letter: 28/05/13
Date of Calling and Trying to Book Ceremony only to be told "the systems down, no one can book": 29, 30, 31 May, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 June 
Date of actually being able to Book Ceremony: 11/06/13
Date of Ceremony: 18/06/13     
Date of Passport application:
Date of Receipt of Supporting Documents:
Date of Receiving Passport Interview Invitation Letter:
Date of Interview:
Passport issued:
Passport received:

I'm waiting to submit my passport application as I need my USA passport (which has to be submitted) in July and August, but I will apply in mid-August for that and update then!

I can confirm that the process is still moving at a rapid pace. From the NCS appointment to receipt of the invitation letter took 27 days.

NCS or Postal: NCS, 29 May 2013
Date of submission: 30 May 2013
Basis: 3+ years residence w/ILR, married to a British citizen
Date of Acknowledgement Letter: 3 June 2013
Date of Receipt of Acknowledgement: 6 June 2013
Date of Debit: 10 June 2013 (by cheque)
Date of Decision: 18 June 2013
Date of Receipt of Invitations Letter: 24 June 2013

@OAP

Well done....I have 1 year and 2 weeks to go before I can apply.

@OAP

Well done....I have 1 year and 2 weeks to go before I can apply.

Thanks, vadio. I guess after (sort of) being here for 30 years UKBA figured they were stuck with me, so why not get the paper work over with quickly. 

and don't forget....you pass the taxpayer test, as will I :-)
that reinforces our claim to good character, I assume

Oooh, I finally get to join this thread! 

NCS or Postal: NCS Nottingham appointment 26/6/2013
Date of submission: will be Friday, 28 June 2013 as it will be sent via special delivery tomorrow
Basis: 3+ years residence w/ILR, married to a British citizen (have been over here on ILR since April 2010)
Date of Acknowledgement Letter: Watch this space
Date of Debit:  N/A ... used a banker's draft
Date of Decision: Watch this space
Date of Receipt of Decision Letter: Watch this space
Date of Receipt of Invitation Letter: Watch this space
Date of Ceremony: Watch this space
Date of Passport application: Watch this space
Date of Receipt of Supporting Documents: N/A ... used the NCS so all docs were certified copies
Date of Receiving Passport Interview Invitation Letter: Watch this space
Date of Interview: Watch this space
Passport issued: Watch this space
Passport received: Watch this space

The woman going over my application said I can expect a decision by the two-month mark and that my application is a very straightforward case. Hopefully, the Home Office will still have a quick turnaround like recent posters' experiences here!

Hi All

Update on UK Citizenship Waiting Times.

DH applied 2 1/2 weeks ago through Plymouth City Council Checking Service so we went up in person.  Very easy and straightforward, took 1/2 hr.

13 days later he got his letter of approval from the UK Gov't.

We are just waiting to see if my SIL gets hers this coming week as she is 1 week behind my DH so we can do the UK Citizenship Ceremony together, she also went through Plymouth Nationality Checking Service.  It will also be interesting to see if they treat her differently as she is from Thailand and been in the UK for 10+ yrs.  She came in also on a Spouse Visa.

So for DH it is 2 weeks from application to approval.

So for DH it is 2 weeks from application to approval.

WOW!!! That was fast! Here's hoping mine is just as quick! I went through the NCS Nottingham on the 26th June and my application arrived on 1st July. (it was supposed to be delivered on 28th June, but for whatever reason the council waiting until the 28th to actually post the application ... just a bit peeved off considering next day posting and overnight delivery is what they said they would do, but never mind)

The best of luck to you SIL as well!

Have my appointment on Thursday! I'll be traveling next month, and I put off making my appointment as I wanted a bit of leighway with booking the ceremony. Could have applied last year, but the government is scaring me enough now that I thought it was probably time!

NCS or Postal: NCS
Date of submission: 18 July, 2013
Basis: 3+ years residence w/ILR, married to a British citizen
Date of Acknowledgement Letter:
Date of Receipt of Acknowledgement:
Date of Debit:
Date of Decision:
Date of Receipt of Invitations Letter:

Will apply for passport when I get back from US/NZ and after my citizenship ceremony (obviously). Nice girl who did my NCS says that the wait for the ceremony is a bit long right now as the applications are being approved so quickly!

Well, payment was taken yesterday! Less than 6 days after my application by NCS, and four working days after they received it! Haven't even gotten my acknowledgement letter yet. Hopefully my decision letter will come soon.

Updated!

The Home Office is still processing naturalisation applications quickly ... 15 days for me! Whoop!

NCS or Postal: NCS Nottingham appointment 26/6/2013
Date of submission: 1/7/2013
Basis: 3+ years residence w/ILR, married to a British citizen (have been over here on ILR since April 2010)
Date of Acknowledgement Letter: 8/7/2013
Date of Debit:  N/A ... used a banker's draft
Date of Decision: 16/7/2013
Date of Receipt of Decision/Invitation Letter: 25/7/2013
Date of Ceremony: 21/8/2013
Date of Passport application: September/October 2013
Date of Receipt of Supporting Documents: N/A ... used the NCS so all docs were certified copies

My ceremony is now booked. I had requested to have it at a different place than my local but not so local council which was not honored. When I rang the council in my catchment area that the letter referred me to, the woman told me that lots of people have been complaining about the same thing. I decided to just book the ceremony with that council because to have it changed would involve emailing the Home Office and waiting a few weeks for them to respond to my request. No thanks.

But apart from that little glitch, I'm very happy! It's been a long journey!

Well Done  

It seems my SIL must have been put in an Asian pile as she is still waiting 4 weeks later.  My husband was holding out for her to get her letter quickly so they could have their Citizenship Ceremony together but alas it is not meant to be.

My husband has his Citizenship Ceremony 1 week tomorrow (next Friday), 2nd August.  Truro only holds the ceremony once a month for 16 people so he was lucky to get in so quick    Good timing I guess.

Anyway it does seem (for Americans anyway) that times have sped up somewhat.  We were told by the Plymouth NCS woman that a load of people have been hired to cut waiting times, looks like it is paying off for those who are applying/waiting.

Hi All,

I arrived the UK on Feb 22 2009 and have been out a total of 564 days till date since then, primarily because I went to study in the US in between. As this is above the 540 days discretionary period, when can I apply for naturalization?

Any help will be appreciated.

**UPDATE**Sorry it's a tad late.

My DH & SIL both had their UK Citizenship Ceremony 2nd August.  My SIL from Thailand ended up being a few days behind my DH so she got her letter just after we finally booked DH's ceremony appointment.  She managed to get the last slot on the same day as the DH as they only do 16 each month.  The whole family (young nephews included) saw the ceremony and we had a big slap up meal after which was really nice.  The ceremony had a really nice regional/local slant to it which I didn't get in the USA. Comparing the two ceremonies, I preferred the US one, DH preferred the UK one.......Funny that 

They took their oaths separately unlike me in the USA, I took a group Oath.  It was interesting to see both Countries Citizenship Ceremonies.  So we are now both dual US/UK and it makes life a lot easier as we are thinking of owning a home again and we may go back to the USA as you get a lot more for your money (where we live compared to where we would go to).

Anyway........good luck to everyone else still waiting.  It has been worth the boat loads of money both sides of the pond LOL.