Citizenship Application: NDRS + JCAP vs. NCS

Since getting a car at the weekend, I've finally started looking into applying for citizenship (I can now drive to an appointment for whichever service I use).  According to the various city/council websites, these are my options, sorted by nearest to farthest from my home (I have not phoned to verify that the information is up to date):

Swansea (23mi.): NDRS* (£50) + JCAP (£15) = £65  or NCS only (£80)

Haverfordwest (41mi.): NCS (£90) + JCAP (£15) = £105

Cardiff (60mi.): NDRS (£70) + JCAP (£20) = £90 or NCS only (£90)

Bristol (100mi.): NDRS only (£65) or NCS only (£65)

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* NDRS requires the applicant to complete their application online and pay the application fee (£1330) in advance of the appointment.

I'm phoning the Haverfordwest location to see if they really do still offer NCS + JCAP, as I think that's the preferred option?  Is that correct?  Plus, it's the second-closest location, and I think it'll be easier to get there and back.

Can I get some advice from people who have recently used either service?

The NDRS service is so new that I don't think we've had anyone here use it.

I've read some feedback on it on Facebook - and honestly, I think I'd be perfectly comfortable using it.

A few tips.  The application cannot be submitted more than 10 days before the NDRS appointment.  BUT, it gives you your biometrics letter at the time of application, so no delay between the two.  Which is pretty awesome. 

Someone did their NDRS application in March and had their citizenship ceremony in May.

I'd save the money and the slightly further travel, but that's just my 2p.  Obviously, no one likes being a guinea pig! 

The NDRS service is so new that I don't think we've had anyone here use it.

I've read some feedback on it on Facebook - and honestly, I think I'd be perfectly comfortable using it.

A few tips.  The application cannot be submitted more than 10 days before the NDRS appointment.  BUT, it gives you your biometrics letter at the time of application, so no delay between the two.  Which is pretty awesome. 

Someone did their NDRS application in March and had their citizenship ceremony in May.

I'd save the money and the slightly further travel, but that's just my 2p.  Obviously, no one likes being a guinea pig!

It should be pretty straightforward, in any case, right?  So NDRS vs. NCS isn't really that big a deal?  I should already know before I apply whether I have all the evidence I need or not, right?

So you're saying you'd go to Swansea and do NDRS + JCAP if you were me?

I just had an NCS appointment with Newcastle council. I booked it before I even knew about the NDRS + JCAP option. NCS was worthwhile for me as I filled out something in the wrong place on my application and got a tick box selection wrong. I did kind of think afterwards though that it might have been better to do the other option just based on the the time I’ll have to spend waiting for the biometrics letter and that I’ll have to apply for a passport later


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I've been following the citizenship timeline on another forum and NDRS (+/-) JCAP applications from March were coming in amazingly quickly, like 4-6 weeks. NCS seemed to be next quickest followed by sending by post using neither service.
Things have slowed a bit now but still only taking a couple of months for many.

However with hindsight I would probably still do NCS and JCAP, another pair of eyes never hurts and waiting time feels less important than a successful result.

I would definitely want to use JCAP to get as much out of the way as possible, in one go.

Oh, now I'm really conflicted!  I would love the quicker turnaround from NDRS, but I want that extra pair of eyes that NCS offers.  And, either way, I definitely want JCAP at the same time.  I'm going to phone Haverfordwest tomorrow and confirm the information on their website.  If they still offer NCS+JCAP, I'll do that for the safety factor.  If not, I'll do Swansea NDRS+JCAP for the speed and proximity.

*sigh*  There's no perfect answer, is there?

*sigh*  There's no perfect answer, is there?

There rarely is! 

Oh, now I'm really conflicted!  I would love the quicker turnaround from NDRS, but I want that extra pair of eyes that NCS offers.  And, either way, I definitely want JCAP at the same time.  I'm going to phone Haverfordwest tomorrow and confirm the information on their website.  If they still offer NCS+JCAP, I'll do that for the safety factor.  If not, I'll do Swansea NDRS+JCAP for the speed and proximity.

*sigh*  There's no perfect answer, is there?

Agreed! Unfortunately Newcastle council stopped the NCS + JCAP earlier this year so I couldn’t do that, but if you have the chance to do it maybe it’s the best option if you would like the security of another set of eyes!


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Without question, I'd do the JCAP.

Honestly, other than a nice chat, my NCS appointment was very unremarkable.  I had my crap in order.  No changes.  Didn't have anything they didn't need.  Wasn't missing anything they did need.  So I'd be fine with either service.  Honestly, just go with whichever you want.  There is no bad choice!!!

I did an NCS only appointment and applied for my passport after.  I filled out the application and sent it off immediately after the ceremony.  I received an invite for an interview 2 days later, had the interview a few days after that, and my passport the following day.  I think it took a total of 8 days to get.  So, if you really want to go to an NCS appointment and can't get a JCAP appointment at the same time, it might be a viable option to send it off after.

Without question, I'd do the JCAP.

Honestly, other than a nice chat, my NCS appointment was very unremarkable.  I had my crap in order.  No changes.  Didn't have anything they didn't need.  Wasn't missing anything they did need.  So I'd be fine with either service.  Honestly, just go with whichever you want.  There is no bad choice!!!

To confirm, if I do NDRS, the order of operations is:
1. Gather supporting evidence and complete relevant sections of passport application.
2. Book and pay for NDRS+JCAP appointment.
3. Submit and pay for online citizenship application when appointment's within 10 days.
4. Give biometrics
5. Attend NDRS+JCAP appointment.

Then I just wait until I'm invited to schedule a citizenship ceremony.   Yes?

I did an NCS only appointment and applied for my passport after.  I filled out the application and sent it off immediately after the ceremony.  I received an invite for an interview 2 days later, had the interview a few days after that, and my passport the following day.  I think it took a total of 8 days to get.  So, if you really want to go to an NCS appointment and can't get a JCAP appointment at the same time, it might be a viable option to send it off after.

Oh, that's quick turnaround.  That wasn't expedited, or anything?  Just standard processing time?  (Not that I'm in a rush... we don't have any trips planned, or anything!)

To confirm, if I do NDRS, the order of operations is:
1. Gather supporting evidence and complete relevant sections of passport application.
2. Book and pay for NDRS+JCAP appointment.
3. Submit and pay for online citizenship application when appointment's within 10 days.
4. Give biometrics
5. Attend NDRS+JCAP appointment.

Then I just wait until I'm invited to schedule a citizenship ceremony.   Yes?

Yup.

Oh, that's quick turnaround.  That wasn't expedited, or anything?  Just standard processing time?  (Not that I'm in a rush... we don't have any trips planned, or anything!)

Normal processing time.  It was this time last year

Abrupt subject change:  For supporting evidence, regarding fixed penalty notices, should I include anything in writing from the State of Arkansas regarding my speeding fine(s)? I contacted the relevant department about a month ago and this is the exchange I had with my contact there:

I have held an Arkansas driving license since 1990, and I need a complete history of my driving record for an application.  I see that for $10, I can purchase an "insurance report" which covers the last three years, or for $13, I can get the "commercial" one, but it would only show the last three years for minor speeding offenses and I don't have anything major to report.  Is there any way to go back further than three years for the minor offenses?  I know that I have been stopped for speeding a few times and was fined at least twice (the first time would have been in 1991, I think), but I don't recall any of the details.  I'm worried that they will come up in a background check.  Does the State of Arkansas retain and report old speeding tickets that were in the 5 to 15mph-over range?  I'd like to be able to accurately disclose the offenses so I can be open and up front in preparation for the background check.

-Kimberly

Good Morning,

We do have a driving history, but the only way to obtain that record is to mail in for it.  The cost is $7.00 and a check or money order can be made payable to DFA and mailed to Driving Records PO Box 1272 Room 1130 Little Rock AR 72203.  On your request, we would need your name, date of birth and driver license number along with signature, call back phone number in case we have questions and need to speak to you and your return address.  I did check your record and the only thing you have on it is a speeding ticket from 2005.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Thank you,
Janet

Thank you for getting back to me, and for the information about what you saw on my record.  Can you tell me how far back the complete record would go?  I started driving much earlier than that 2005 speeding fine, and I think I remember getting a speeding ticket about a year after I started driving, so that would have been around the summer of 1991, I think.  I am currently abroad and won't be able to easily arrange to get a check drawn on my checking account (I haven't had a checkbook in about a decade), so I will research whether I need to purchase the complete history.  If I know the broad details of what my record shows, I can just provide that information and then when they do the background check, they will see that I have been forthright.

Thank you, again, for your help with this.  I really appreciate it!

-Kimberly

You are very welcome.  Your history will have your last renewal date listed on it so your history started with your speeding ticket in 2005, this is the details of that speeding ticket.

SAV        05/02/2005         05/19/2005         SPEED DTAIL 5579            None     Searcy District Court       No          No          Class D             5                              S92

 

                Offense date     conviction date

 

Years ago, violations would fall off of a driving history history after 10 years, so that 1991 violation has fallen off.  That is no longer the case now, violations never fall off the history, anything that far back probably won’t be seen in a background check but if you remember getting that ticket you may want to let them know just in case it surfaces.  I hope this helps.  Let me know if you have questions.

Thank you,
Janet

I'm planning to disclose the tickets I can think of, but the only one I have any specific details for is the one listed above from 2005, where I was ticketed for 5-10mph over the posted speed limit.  I could just go with the "I have held an Arkansas driving license from 1990 to today, and I have received a couple of speeding fines over the years, but I could only obtain the details for the most recent one" general statement.  Should I also purchase the record?  It's only $7, I'm just wondering if I need to go to all the trouble of finding a way to order it from over here.

I'm planning to disclose the tickets I can think of, but the only one I have any specific details for is the one listed above from 2005, where I was ticketed for 5-10mph over the posted speed limit.  I could just go with the "I have held an Arkansas driving license from 1990 to today, and I have received a couple of speeding fines over the years, but I could only obtain the details for the most recent one" general statement.  Should I also purchase the record?  It's only $7, I'm just wondering if I need to go to all the trouble of finding a way to order it from over here.

I went with full disclosure of everything we could remember between the two of us and specifically mentioned that it was to the best of *our recollection and after a great deal of thought. I think that's the point, rather than actually having something in writing.

* I was responsible for some parking tickets on his car.