Citizenship update
Citizenship ceremonies are permitted to take place during lockdown, as they fall under leaving home to fulfil a legal obligation.
Each new citizen will receive a Home Office decision letter and will receive their Home Office invitation letter approximately 8-12 weeks later. If you haven’t received it, it means we don’t have your naturalisation certificate and can’t offer you a ceremony until we get it.
We’ll automatically invite you to a group ceremony when your certificate is received from the Home Office. If you’re on the waiting list, we’ll send your ceremony invitation by email. If you’re not on the list, we’ll send it by post.
Join the waiting list
If your application to become a British citizen is successful, you’re required by law to attend a citizenship ceremony if you’re 18 or over.
Children do not need to attend a ceremony, so their parent(s) can attend on their behalf.
At the citizenship ceremony, you will be presented with your naturalisation certificate which will prove your newly acquired citizenship status and also proves that you have the right to vote in both local and national elections.
Frequently asked questions about citizenship ceremonies
You will receive a citizenship invitation letter from the Home Office approximately 8 to 12 weeks after receiving your application decision letter.
If you live in Hackney or stated in your application form that you wished to have your citizenship ceremony in Hackney, the Home Office will also send your certificate to Hackney Register Office.
This is usually around the same time that you receive your Home Office invitation letter.
Once we receive your naturalisation certificate we will automatically invite you to the next available group ceremony.
Our ceremony invites are usually sent by email and contain important information about what to expect at your citizenship ceremony as well as the date, time and location of the ceremony.
If you would prefer to have a private ceremony or virtual ceremony instead, we can arrange one for you for an additional fee.
See below for more information.
In Hackney, citizens are automatically invited to the next available group citizenship ceremony, once we receive their naturalisation certificate.
Not all local authorities work in this way. Some wait for the citizen to make contact first, which is why a deadline is given.
Group citizenship ceremonies are usually held on the first and third Wednesday of each month.
Once we receive your certificate from the Home Office, we will automatically invite you to the next available ceremony.
A maximum of 10 new citizens can attend each ceremony.
Yes, group ceremonies are Covid-secure.
Due to coronavirus restrictions, we have had to put a number of health and safety measures in place to keep everyone as safe as possible.
As a consequence, no guests can attend the citizenship ceremony with you.
The Home Office refers to children under 18 years as minors.
Due to our strict seating restrictions, we ask adult new citizens to collect their minor’s naturalisation certificate on their behalf as they are not required to attend and we will be unable to accommodate them.
Please ensure that you bring their Home Office invitation letter and photo ID with you.
You will need to bring the following 2 documents to your ceremony:
- your Home Office citizenship invitation letter
- original photo identification (for example a passport or driving licence)
Unfortunately, if you don’t bring these documents with you, you won’t be able to attend your ceremony.
No.
The cost of the group ceremony is already included in the Home Office’s citizenship application fee.
At the ceremony you will take an oath or affirmation of allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen, and make a pledge of loyalty to the United Kingdom.
You can choose to take an oath or affirmation. The difference is that in the oath you swear to God, in the affirmation you do not. Some people like to practise the wording before they come to their ceremony. Here is what you have to say:
The oath: “I (your full name) swear by Almighty God that on becoming a British citizen, I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, her Heirs and Successors according to law.”
The affirmation: “I (your full name) do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that on becoming a British citizen, I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, her Heirs and Successors according to law.”
Everyone present then has to make the below pledge:
The pledge: “I will give my loyalty to the United Kingdom and respect its rights and freedoms. I will uphold its democratic values. I will observe its laws faithfully and fulfil my duties and obligations as a British citizen.”
Due to the safety measures put in place following the coronavirus pandemic, group ceremonies last approximately 20 to 30 minutes.
Each new citizen will receive a commemorative gift. There will also be an opportunity for photographs to be taken by our professional photographer, which you can buy for £10 each. Both cash and card are accepted
If you want to celebrate obtaining British citizenship in a more personal way, or can’t attend a group ceremony, we can arrange a private ceremony for you for an additional fee.
It’s not compulsory for children to attend a citizenship ceremony, so this fee only applies to adult citizens.
Monday
3pm, 3.30pm and 4pm only.
Wednesday
9:30am, 10am and 10:30am only.
Cost
£150 per adult.
Book
To book a private citizenship ceremony, please contact us at citizenship@hackney.gov.uk.
Yes, we do offer virtual citizenship ceremonies which are hosted using Zoom.
Citizens can only have a virtual citizenship ceremony if they are in the UK on the day of the ceremony.
The Home Office doesn’t allow you to have a virtual ceremony if you are abroad as it will breach the terms and conditions of your successful citizenship application.
It’s not compulsory for children to attend a citizenship ceremony, so this fee only applies to adult citizens.
Monday
3pm, 3.30pm and 4pm only.
Wednesday
9:30am, 10am and 10:30am only.
Cost
£160 per adult
Book
To book a virtual citizenship ceremony, please contact us at citizenship@hackney.gov.uk.
Due to the pandemic, citizens currently have 6 months in which to attend a citizenship ceremony.
We may be able to postpone your ceremony to a later date, however you will need to attend a ceremony before your certificate expires. You can find your certificate expiry date on the ceremony invite you received from us.
Alternatively, it may be possible for you to attend a citizenship ceremony at the British consulate or embassy in the country you are currently in.
You will need to request this yourself directly from the Home Office via citizenship.support@homeoffice.gov.uk and not through us.
If your request is approved, we will be instructed to return your certificate to the Home Office.
Our Covid-secure ceremony location
Page updated on: 11 February 2021
