For my wife's citizenship application we decided to use the Nationality Checking Service details of which can be found on the home office website. I chose the Bolton venue as it was able to offer a timeslot that was convenient. The fee varies according to which venue is chosen but is around 40 on average.
The sole reason for using this service was so we could retain our passports during the time it takes to process the application which saves the hassle of having to request their return should you wish to travel during this time not to mention reducing the risk of them going missing or getting lost and the nightmare of replacing them. That alone is worth 40 for peace of mind!
The documents we submitted were;
Both passports,
Original marriage certificate,
Council tax bills showing both names and a selection of utility bills likewise.
Bank statements covering the last 3 months
P60's year end tax certificates from my wifes employment during her time here.
National insurance card (not actually required but again it may be useful)
NHS card (same as NIC card)
Letter from employer confirming employment with company and start date ( This was an additional request by the nationality checking service)
Pay slips for the last 3 months (again a request from ncs despite being paid into the bank, but it is a cross reference)
and of course that little matter of the fee 655!
Section 5 Refereees and Identity was the only area we may have had a problem and all I would suggest is getting someone of the highest rank/civil status possible to be referees.
The current timeline for the application is as follows;
September 21st.
Nationality checking service appointment at Bolton and request for employers letter and payslips.
September 28th
Additional documents listed above sent to NCS Bolton for forwarding to home office.
October 1st. Date of receipt at Bolton
October 2nd. The earliest date that the home office could have received the application
October 25th Receipt showing receipt of documents and fee from home office.
October 26th. Letter from county council with citizenship ceremony application and confirming the citizenship has been granted by the home office.
We are still awaiting the official letter from the home office to confirm this but hopefully this will arrive during the early part of this week.
Once we get the official confirmation we can then sort out the citizenship ceremony which can either be at the local registry office/county hall or at a licenced marriage venue. If the timescale for the public ceremony is likely to be in a few weeks time we shall opt for a private ceremony (around 80 extra) to speed up the process and hopefully Jasmine will have her UK passport in time for when we go to Prague in December.
I certainly never expected citizenship to be granted within this sort of time frame and was expecting an absolute minimum of 3 to 4 months before even getting the receipt. I do not know if using the NCS has fast tracked the application but it is well worth bearing in mind when applying.
The sole reason for using this service was so we could retain our passports during the time it takes to process the application which saves the hassle of having to request their return should you wish to travel during this time not to mention reducing the risk of them going missing or getting lost and the nightmare of replacing them. That alone is worth 40 for peace of mind!
The documents we submitted were;
Both passports,
Original marriage certificate,
Council tax bills showing both names and a selection of utility bills likewise.
Bank statements covering the last 3 months
P60's year end tax certificates from my wifes employment during her time here.
National insurance card (not actually required but again it may be useful)
NHS card (same as NIC card)
Letter from employer confirming employment with company and start date ( This was an additional request by the nationality checking service)
Pay slips for the last 3 months (again a request from ncs despite being paid into the bank, but it is a cross reference)
and of course that little matter of the fee 655!
Section 5 Refereees and Identity was the only area we may have had a problem and all I would suggest is getting someone of the highest rank/civil status possible to be referees.
The current timeline for the application is as follows;
September 21st.
Nationality checking service appointment at Bolton and request for employers letter and payslips.
September 28th
Additional documents listed above sent to NCS Bolton for forwarding to home office.
October 1st. Date of receipt at Bolton
October 2nd. The earliest date that the home office could have received the application
October 25th Receipt showing receipt of documents and fee from home office.
October 26th. Letter from county council with citizenship ceremony application and confirming the citizenship has been granted by the home office.
We are still awaiting the official letter from the home office to confirm this but hopefully this will arrive during the early part of this week.
Once we get the official confirmation we can then sort out the citizenship ceremony which can either be at the local registry office/county hall or at a licenced marriage venue. If the timescale for the public ceremony is likely to be in a few weeks time we shall opt for a private ceremony (around 80 extra) to speed up the process and hopefully Jasmine will have her UK passport in time for when we go to Prague in December.
I certainly never expected citizenship to be granted within this sort of time frame and was expecting an absolute minimum of 3 to 4 months before even getting the receipt. I do not know if using the NCS has fast tracked the application but it is well worth bearing in mind when applying.


