Hi all!

is there a general email I can reach out to regarding my ARD application once it has been submitted? I mailed my application and documents a little over a week ago, and today my bank notified me that they rejected the charge. I’ve since let them know it should be allowed to go through but need to contact the office to ask the charge to be re-run. As context I had to pay the full fee (close to 1900 USD) so ultimately I understand why my bank was wary.

[email protected]

Just wanted to let everybody know I mailed in my application oct 29th. I was charged my application fee on nov 12th. Still awaiting a biometrics contact (Nov 24).

just wanted to update that this morning (nov 25) I got my appointment setup email!

Well the UK has now taken my sizable application fee so hopefully they decide to accept me as a citizen. I still haven’t received the email noting that they received my application - what email address should I be keeping an eye out for?

You won’t - you’ll just get a decision. If they’ve taken payment then you know they have it.

To those of you successful, How long did it take to hear back from them about your citizenship application? I have been waiting 5 months.

A massive thank you to every single one of you for the discussions, updates and sharing surrounding your citizenship journeys. Special thanks to BritInParis jmin and Glassybell for all your help along the way. I literally would not have had the balls to attempt this on my own had it not been for your help. A million thanks to you all!

As my citizenship journey has come to a close, I thought I'd share my journey and timelines in the hope that it helps someone navigate this process.

For background - my family and I arrived in the UK on my Ancestry Visa, with my son and partner as dependents. I had only two years left remaining on my visa due to circumstances surrounding Covid that left us stuck in SA. Our choices were to either wait out the visa and reapply for all three visas giving us each 5 years, stay in SA and apply for citizenship using Form ARD and then going the spousal visa route or take a gamble and come to the UK with the hopes that I'd have my citizenship within the remaining time on my visa. The latter worked! We are now applying for my sons discretionary MN1 application and my husbands ILR.

The details of my case are as follows:

1. Grandmother born in England 1935
2. Mother born in South Africa 1961(foreign country)
3. I was born 1987 in South Africa (within the 5 year transitional period)
4. Mother obtained citizenship through Section 4C in 2012.

Applied using form ARD citing Section 4L on the basis of Gender Discrimination.

Timeline:

24 June 2024: Posted application (by special delivery with return envelope)

25 June 2024: Application and Documents recieved. (£130 ceremony fee deducted)

19 July 2024: Letter acknowledging receipt of ceremony fee and documents

26 July 2024: Biometrics invitation received, booked and paid for earliest slot available.

2nd August 2024: Biometrics appointment

18 November 2024: Email requesting full registration fee of £1320. Amount paid for on the same day.

25th November 2024: Approval letter received

19th December 2024: Private ceremony at local council (additional £210), recieved certificate at ceremony. (The earliest public ceremony they could offer was the middle January).

23 December 2024: Passport application along with £88.50 deducted. Posted documents by special delivery on the same day.

2 January 2024: Passport interview on Teams followed by approval email. I'll recieve my British Passport in the next 4-10 working days.

One of the many unexpected results of having gone through this process and becoming a citizen has been falling in love with the Royal Mail and the surprisingly efficient bureaucractic processes.

Thank You all!

Congratulations!! I appreciate seeing your timeline, it’s nice to understand what others experiences have been.

1 question I have for you - the letter acknowledging receipt of your application and documents - was that via email or mail? I have not received that yet but received my biometrics invite via email and my full fee has already been taken - wondering if it is coming via mail and that’s why it’s taking longer (I’m located in the US).

thanks for any insight you can share!

I received that via post. I have seen a few posts asking this same question- it seems some get this via email or not at all if applying from outside the UK

Considering they've sent you a biometrics invite I think you could assume that your application in now in process.

Good luck to you!

I would just add that requesting your biometrics means that your application is effectively approved pending their receipt.

I got Royal Mail today! 🇬🇧 They sent back all of my original documents that I sent with my application and a letter saying my application was successful!
ARD Application, British grandmother that came to the US with my American grandfather and they raised their family here. I was born in 1974 in the US.
9/15 they received my application by mail (paid £140)
10/4 Biometrics
1/15 Letter sent from Liverpool office (received today by mail)
I am now awaiting my ceremony invite.
Next I will apply for the kids.

Congratulations!

Just remember you should only submit your children’s applications once you have attended your citizenship ceremony.

Thank you for the reminder! I have all documents ready to go but was going to wait until I receive my passport as well.
Do you know how long it will take to hear from the Embassy about scheduling the ceremony?