Citizenship Timeline (regarding vacation)

The wife is eligible to apply for citizenship after tying up some loose knots.

We're planning to go on vocation next October. My wife currently is in the process of changing her USA passport, she will then need to apply for a new BRP with the change and then apply for citizenship.

So, an appointment for passport renewal is next week.

1) 12th October apply for passport (3 weeks estimate) takes us to 2nd November 2021.
2) Apply for BRP name change. Not sure how long this takes? 6 weeks? Is this stage even required? Takes us to 14th December.
3) Apply for citizenship. 6 months estimate. Takes us to roughly 14th June 2022.
4) 90 days to have ceremony with British passport taking 6 weeks to receive.
4a) Have ceremony 3 weeks after decision with passport application takes us to 16th August 2022.
4b) Have ceremony at 80 days takes us to 13th October 2022 which would not work.
4c) Latest we can have ceremony is 8 weeks after letter.

At what point do you handover your BRP? After the ceremony? What would others do? My assumptions are what they are, assumptions. Application could take longer putting us in a red zone. Could be delays with the BRP or US or British passport. Keen for any advice.

Yes, you must apply for a new BRP as soon as possible if your name has changed.

https://www.gov.uk/change-circumstances-visa-brp

Once you get your certificate of UK citizenship (at the ceremony), you must return your BRP to the Home Office within 5 working days.

https://www.gov.uk/apply-citizenship-spouse/after-you-get-your-certificate

I'm just not sure what the processing time is like nowadays, and what the future will bring.  If you don't have any future travel planned after your holiday next October, I guess the absolute safest bet (to be totally completely sure) is to wait until after your holiday next year and apply then. 

Since you have to apply for a new BRP anyway, if that turnaround time ends up being 2 weeks instead of 6 weeks, your timeline may then be moved up enough that it's less risky to continue the process.  Perhaps get through the US passport renewal first, then get through the BRP replacement, and re-evaluate to see where you are in regards to timing? 

Yes that sounds more sensible haha. I guess like you say, get the ball rolling as soon as possible and see where we’re at after the BRP. I think she could maybe apply in May. Then, realistically, she won’t get an answer til November time. I know to be totally sure do it after the vacation but I’d like a balance of at least getting the process going but in a safe date ‘zone’

Does anybody know if not changing the BRP is wise or would it not make a difference? Maybe a cover note explaining the change of passport maybe with a birth certificate also?

Does anybody know if not changing the BRP is wise or would it not make a difference? Maybe a cover note explaining the change of passport maybe with a birth certificate also?

It's my understanding that the BRP must be changed for certain things, and name change is one of them.  Other things (like change of address) just need to be reported, but some things require a new BRP to reflect the new information.

You must apply for a new BRP straight away if any of these things change:

- name, for example if you’ve got married
- nationality
- facial appearance
- date of birth, for example if it was wrong
- gender

Apply for a replacement BRP online. You’ll need to pay a fee.

You must apply for a new BRP within 3 months. You can be fined up to £1,000 or have your stay shortened if you do not.

https://www.gov.uk/change-circumstances-visa-brp

So I called UKVI, and got through to citizenships and he said the BRP being different isn't an issue for application.

I will be calling back to get a second opinion by somebody else as I called at 4:30pm on a Friday!

So I called UKVI, and got through to citizenships and he said the BRP being different isn't an issue for application.

I will be calling back to get a second opinion by somebody else as I called at 4:30pm on a Friday!

I think the issue with the BRP name isn’t so much whether it needs to be changed for citizenship itself, it’s that your passport and BRP names MUST match at ALL times… and you only have 3 months from the passport renewal to change the name on the BRP or you could be fined £1000 and have the visa shortened.

Normally, people can get away with not changing their BRP name by applying for their next visa within 3 months of changing the passport name, so their new visa BRP is issued in the new name… but I’m not sure if that is allowed for citizenship applications, since you aren’t actually applying for a new visa.

If it is allowed, then as far as I can see, your options are:
- apply for citizenship in the next 3 months
Or
- change the name in the BRP and then apply for citizenship later on

What you don’t want to happen is that you don’t apply for citizenship until next year AND you don’t change the name in the BRP… and then in a few months time they realise the names don’t match and you are fined £1000 for not changing the BRP.


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Yes, your last point is something that definitely cannot happen.

I'll give them another call for second opinion. Obviously would be great if it is allowed as it will shave a lot of time off the process and save "unnecessary" added expense.

If UKVI say it's fine would you take that as gospel?

If UKVI say it's fine would you take that as gospel?

Honestly? I would take whatever they say with a pinch of salt. They are known for giving incorrect information and not knowing their own immigration rules... including advising people to apply for visas they don't qualify for  .

Personally, I think you'd be safest applying for a new BRP,  but do be aware that it could take anywhere from 2 to 6 months to get it (processing standards times say 8 weeks, but not sure if this is accurate as we have seen it take 4+ months for a new BRP before, and that was before Covid).

Also, as she has ILR, she will need to apply for an NTL (No Time Limit) BRP which costs £229.

See: https://www.gov.uk/biometric-residence-permits/replace-visa-brp

Honestly? I would take whatever they say with a pinch of salt. They are known for giving incorrect information and not knowing their own immigration rules... including advising people to apply for visas they don't qualify for  .

Personally, I think you'd be safest applying for a new BRP,  but do be aware that it could take anywhere from 2 to 6 months to get it (processing standards times say 8 weeks, but not sure if this is accurate as we have seen it take 4+ months for a new BRP before, and that was before Covid).

Also, as she has ILR, she will need to apply for an NTL (No Time Limit) BRP which costs £229.

See: https://www.gov.uk/biometric-residence-permits/replace-visa-brp

That's disappointing to hear. I was hoping it'd cut a significant proportion of time out.

What specifically does she need to apply for with regards to NTL? Isn't that what she currently has with her BRP?

That's disappointing to hear. I was hoping it'd cut a significant proportion of time out.

It may be worth contacting Medivisas to find out if you can apply for citizenship without having to change the BRP name, as that way you could apply for citizenship as soon as she gets the new passport.

I just don’t really trust that UKVI themselves will be able to give you a correct answer on that.

What specifically does she need to apply for with regards to NTL? Isn't that what she currently has with her BRP?

She applies online using the link I posted
above.

NTL just means No Time Limit… meaning you have indefinite leave (ILR) and not temporary leave (FLR). And actually, that does mean it has a normal 6-month ILR processing time and not an 8-week FLR processing time.

From the link I posted:

You have permission to settle (‘indefinite leave to remain’)
You must apply online if you have indefinite leave to remain. It costs £229. You’ll get a decision within 6 months.

If you want a faster decision you can pay an extra £800 for the super priority service. You’ll get a decision:

by the end of the next working day after your UKVCAS appointment if your appointment is on a weekday
2 working days after your UKVCAS appointment if your appointment is at the weekend
Working days are Monday to Friday, not including bank holidays.


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It may be worth contacting Medivisas to find out if you can apply for citizenship without having to change the BRP name, as that way you could apply for citizenship as soon as she gets the new passport.

I just don’t really trust that UKVI themselves will be able to give you a correct answer on that.

She applies online using the link I posted
above.

NTL just means No Time Limit… meaning you have indefinite leave (ILR) and not temporary leave (FLR). And actually, that does mean it has a normal 6-month ILR processing time and not an 8-week FLR processing time.

From the link I posted:

You have permission to settle (‘indefinite leave to remain’)
You must apply online if you have indefinite leave to remain. It costs £229. You’ll get a decision within 6 months.

If you want a faster decision you can pay an extra £800 for the super priority service. You’ll get a decision:

by the end of the next working day after your UKVCAS appointment if your appointment is on a weekday
2 working days after your UKVCAS appointment if your appointment is at the weekend
Working days are Monday to Friday, not including bank holidays.


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Maybe I'm missing something but that sounds to me like an application rather than a name change/replacement with words like "decision" and "apply". She's already had the decision with her ILR and BRP to go with it but we just need a name change.

I had to do it when I changed my name. It’s an application and new biometrics and everything.  It IS an application even though it’s an administrative exercise.

Once she has her new passport, she applies for the new BRP.  That’s your only pinch point as she can’t travel until that’s back.

From there it is very easy to manage citizenship so long as she won’t be out of the country for more than 3 months. So I wouldn’t worry about that timeline AT ALL. Super easy to control when you have your ceremony and return the BRP. 

Maybe I'm missing something but that sounds to me like an application rather than a name change/replacement with words like "decision" and "apply". She's already had the decision with her ILR and BRP to go with it but we just need a name change.

Yes, it is an application… for a name change.

It involves applying online, paying £229, uploading any documents to UKVCAS, attending biometrics and then waiting for the new BRP to be processed.

If it was just a change of passport number or change of address, you would simply fill out a form with the new details and submit it, but because it’s a name change, you have to go through the whole process.

It is a bit of a hassle to do, which is why, if possible, we recommend doing a name change in the 3 months prior to applying for a new visa… so that you don’t have apply to change your name on your BRP card and instead can just apply for your new visa in your new name.


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Well what a very over the top, expensive and long process to change a middle name from an initial to a full name.