In 2004, the United Kingdom introduced citizenship ceremonies as part of the process needed to be undertaken when becoming naturalized or registered as a British citizen. Before this time, an oath or affirmation of allegiance to the country was made in private and a certificate of naturalization or registration as a citizen was then sent to the person. However, becoming a UK citizen is a significant event and it was felt that it should be celebrated as such, leading to the introduction of citizenship ceremonies.
If you are in the process of obtaining your UK citizenship, or if you have plans to obtain one, it will be helpful to understand what the citizenship ceremony is all about.
When will I need to attend one?
After your application to become a citizen has been approved, you will be sent an invitation to attend a citizenship ceremony. They are normally held at your local register office or conducted by the diplomatic post in your country of residence if you live outside of the UK. You will be required to attend a ceremony within 90 days of receiving your invitation. It is a compulsory event that you must attend in order to fulfill your citizenship requirements. However, children under the age of 18 are not required to attend a ceremony.
What happens during the ceremony?
There will usually be other people present who are becoming citizens at the same time. During the ceremony you will be asked to do two things. The first is to make an oath of allegiance or an affirmation of allegiance (if you prefer not to swear by God) to the Queen and any successors, which states your loyalty to the United Kingdom. Secondly, you will be asked to pledge your commitment to being a good and law abiding citizen. Full wording for the oath, affirmation and pledge can be found on the UK Border Agency website.
During the ceremony, speeches will be made by a local or national spokesperson, you will be presented with a certificate of British citizenship and you will be asked to stand while the national anthem is played. You may also receive a commemorative gift.
How can I prepare for it?
You will need to bring a form of photo identification and the written invite you received along with you. It may also be a good idea to read over the words of the oath/affirmation and pledge.
What else do I need to know?
Each candidate is allowed to bring two guests to the ceremony. You may also request to have a private ceremony though this may incur a fee.
If you are currently looking to become a UK citizen, it is always advisable to contact UK immigration lawyers who will help you complete your application correctly, advise you and take you through the process and answer any queries you may have.
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Disclaimer: Please note that these articles and the information contained herein are purely for general guidance and do not constitute a professional legal or any other opinion as to the merits of a particular application or whether specific immigration requirements have been met of a particular category. This information is generic and should not be relied upon as a definitive guide to fulfilling specific category requirements. However should any individual do so it is at his or her own risk for which UK Migration Lawyers Limited cannot be held responsible in any way.
Author Resource:
Gazala Rashid has been an immigration lawyer in the UK since 1999. She has great expertise in all aspects of UK immigration, asylum and nationality law, and you may view her articles on these topics in her blog at http://www.ukmigrationlawyers.co.uk/blog
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