Elsa has Citizenship!! Hooray

[walesrob]

Thanks everyone

Having a few problems booking the Citizenship Ceremony here in sheepland, we've been given the runaround by 2 council departments, but hopefully tomorrow it'll be sorted. Seems UKBA gave Elsa the wrong number and contact address for the office. They probably haven't had a Ceremony round here for a longtime anyway, and its got the council all confused, poor souls.

[somebody]

Thanks everyone

Having a few problems booking the Citizenship Ceremony here in sheepland, we've been given the runaround by 2 council departments, but hopefully tomorrow it'll be sorted. Seems UKBA gave Elsa the wrong number and contact address for the office. They probably haven't had a Ceremony round here for a longtime anyway, and its got the council all confused, poor souls.

Blimey for the Missus she was part of a production line. THe room was packed for the cermony seems Elsa maybe a VIP

[lizaphil]

Elsa had the letter this morning, saying the application is successful and an invitation to the Ceremony will be sent shortly.

So I make it just 2 weeks for the whole process, which is very quick. I kept a timeline and here it is:

14th September 2009: Application sent by 1st Class Recorded Delivery
15th September 2009: Royal Mail confirmed delivery @ Liverpool
23rd September 2009: Credit Card charged
26th September 2009: Payment acknowledgment by post
29th September 2009: Approved
2nd October 2009: Received written confirmation by post, will send Citizenship Ceremony appointment by post.
Next is the £77.50 for the passport, but thats small change.

wow congrats both of you,
i am applying mine next year

[vbkelly]

Well done Rob me old mate, seems like a few years have passed since we stood outside the old British Embassy, remember those days, standing outside talking to the marines, giving them packs of fags to keep them sweet, going around the back of the building to get a coffee from the coffee shop, having lunch at the Ayala Centre, waiting and waiting watching everyone come out except your girl.

Those were the days, seems like a lifetime ago, congratulations on Elsa's British Citizenship, wow, I thought she had it a long time ago Rob, but anyway, although a long time coming, finally its here.

No Shengen visa's and in and out of States so easily on visa waiver, now Rob, ELSA TO NEW YORK ?


Pete

imagine how quick the time is? so its your turn mrs gina b anyway congratz elsa n rob time to go around the world guys.

[kimmi]

Congrats sis Elsa and Mod Rob..

[walesrob]

time to go around the world guys.

We'd love to, but moneys a bit tight after paying £720 + £77.50 passport. Nothing left to pay for travelling. Maybe next year.

Elsa has her Citizenship Ceremony today (phoned yesterday and got an a time slot for today at 11), I'll put some pics in the gallery later.

[walesrob]

Congrats sis Elsa and Mod Rob..

Thanks Kimmi

[marlyn&kenny]

Elsa had the letter this morning, saying the application is successful and an invitation to the Ceremony will be sent shortly.

So I make it just 2 weeks for the whole process, which is very quick. I kept a timeline and here it is:

14th September 2009: Application sent by 1st Class Recorded Delivery
15th September 2009: Royal Mail confirmed delivery @ Liverpool
23rd September 2009: Credit Card charged
26th September 2009: Payment acknowledgment by post
29th September 2009: Approved
2nd October 2009: Received written confirmation by post, will send Citizenship Ceremony appointment by post.
Next is the £77.50 for the passport, but thats small change.

wow!!! congratulations

[walesrob]

Wow that was quick!

We arrived at the new Ceredigion County Council headquarters in Aberystwyth at exactly 11am, and the whole thing was done in just 10 minutes.

As I predicted, Elsa was the only person in the Ceremony, in fact the Registrar told me that they only do 1 or 2 a month in Ceredigion.

The ceremony was very simple - into the Registrars office (just Elsa and I and the Registrar), did the oath and pledge, sign certificate and hand over the welcome pack, then all done. We had the pictures taken (in the gallery now) then that was it - all of 10 minutes. No mayor, no important person, no free gifts, just a simple ceremony.

Now for the passport application!

[joebloggs]

As I predicted, Elsa was the only person in the Ceremony, in fact the Registrar told me that they only do 1 or 2 a month in Ceredigion.

a private ceremony at the standard price

the ceremony my misses went to at Salford, there must have been 50+ people getting their citizenship certs, and took a long time...

[Peanutz]

Congrats to you both!

And by the way, thank you to you Joe for the information you provided regarding when to apply for ILR. I got mine with no big fuss!

[joebloggs]

Congrats to you both!

And by the way, thank you to you Joe for the information you provided regarding when to apply for ILR. I got mine with no big fuss!

hardly anyone is refused ILR so you had nothing really to worry about

[walesrob]

Blimey, how fast is that?

She had her passport interview only 2 days ago - Wednesday 9am, and despite the post strike (but normal post here) her British Passport arrived this morning - Friday 8.20am.... Hooray!

So from application for Citizenship to having the passport in her hand, thats exactly 6 weeks I was expecting at least 2 - 3 months for the whole process. Now we need some money to book a flight to somewhere.

[somebody]

Blimey, how fast is that?

She had her passport interview only 2 days ago - Wednesday 9am, and despite the post strike (but normal post here) her British Passport arrived this morning - Friday 8.20am.... Hooray!

So from application for Citizenship to having the passport in her hand, thats exactly 6 weeks I was expecting at least 2 - 3 months for the whole process. Now we need some money to book a flight to somewhere.

Im not sureabout Wales but i understand the passports are delivered by a seperate company (sms i think ) as the Wifes passport was delivered and then a little later that day the regular post dropped though th eletter box.

In some areas I understand they will need you to sign and the wife said a friend at work had a photo taken

Great news and Bon Voyage our first no scghen visa holiday was great and hope yours is as good if not better than ours was

[Sim11UK]

Happy travelling...There's a big world out there.

[Gavanddal]

Well done to Elsa Rob. Daryl Lynn has her citizenship and passport too. To think how far they've come since they met in the CFO in Cebu.

Now they're not "bloody foreigners" anymore

I hope you enjoy lots of nice holidays outside the "Republic of Wales" on her new passport.