Citizenship Ceremonies

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Each year the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames welcomes a thousand new British Citizens into our community. Kingston's cultural diversity is a cause for celebration and we welcome and support any resident who wishes to apply for citizenship.

The following information is a guide on how to apply for British Citizenship. It provides you with an overview of the steps you will need to follow to gain your citizenship. Please remember that it is the Home Office and not Kingston Council who will deal with your application and make the decision on whether or not to grant British Citizenship to you.

For detailed information about applying for citizenship please visit the Home Office website (see related links below) or telephone the Home Office Information line on 0845 0105200.

A Guide To Applying For British Citizenship

The Home Office has also produced a book 'Life in the United Kingdom: A Journey to Citizenship' which has lots of useful information about becoming a British Citizen. It is available from bookshops or you may be able to borrow it from the Kingston Library Service.

Stage 1: Life in the UK Test

Before you can apply to become a British citizen, you must either:

• take the Life in the UK Test if you are able to speak English fluently. To do this you must attend at an approved Test Centre. You can find your nearest centre by visiting the Life in the UK Test website (see related links below) or by telephone on 0800 0154245
  
  or
  
• attend combined English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and Citizenship classes. Kingston Adult Education offers this course at the Basic Skills Unit and runs at different times of the year depending on demand. You will need to arrange an assessment interview before you enrol on this course. For further information, you can contact:

There may be exceptional cases where the Home Office agrees to waive the Life in the UK test or requirement to attend language classes. This will normally apply to applicants who are aged 65 years or over. For further information please contact the Home Office on 0845 0105200

Stage 2: Applying for British Citizenship

After the successful completion of the test or course, you will receive a certificate, which will enable you to proceed on to the next stage of your application.

You will need to obtain an application form which can downloaded from the Home Office website. Alternatively you can telephone the Home Office Helpline on 0845 0105200 and request that one is sent to you. You will need to complete this form and send it together with the correct fee and any other related documents that the Home Office may require, to:

A list of current fees is available from the Home Office.

The application process can take up to six months to complete. However, the more accurately you complete the form the sooner the Home Office is likely to approve your application. For more details on current waiting times, please see the Home Office website

If you need help completing the application forms we can help by offering you a Nationality Checking Service (NCS). For an additional fee (£45), we will make sure that you have completed the forms correctly and check that you have provided the correct documentation. We will also photocopy your passport and birth certificate so that you do not have to send the original documents through the post.

For details about this service contact our Citizenship Team on 020 8547 6190. Further information can be found at the Nationality Checking Service website (see Related Links section below)

Stage 3: Your Citizenship Ceremony

When your application for citizenship has been approved, you will receive an invitation letter from the Home Office to attend a Citizenship Ceremony.

If you live in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames you will be asked to contact our Kingston Citizenship Team  within two weeks of receiving your letter. Please call the Citizenship Team for further details on 020 8547 6190  Tuesday to Thursday between 8.30 am and 4.00 pm or Friday between 8.30 am and 2.30 pm.

You will be booked on the next available ceremony. Our aim is for you to attend a ceremony within 1 month of contacting us.

The Home Office will normally expect you to have your ceremony within 11 weeks from the date of receiving your notification. If you do not think you will be able to attend a ceremony within this period, you may apply to the Home Office for an extension.

We hold group ceremonies for up to 50 new citizens on the first Saturday of each month in the Council Chamber at the Guildhall, Kingston upon Thames. The purpose of these ceremonies is to welcome new citizens to British citizenship and into the local community here in Kingston upon Thames. The ceremony also reinforces the fact that becoming a citizen carries with it both rights and responsibilities. The ceremonies help encourage new citizens to play an active part in the community The Mayor and other local dignitaries attend to reinforce this message.

We can also arrange a private ceremony if you prefer not to take part in a group ceremony. There is an additional charge for this service. Please speak to a member of the Kingston Citizenship Team.

During the ceremony, each citizen is required to swear or affirm an oath of allegiance to the Crown, and make a pledge to uphold the values and laws of the UK. We aim to make these ceremonies enjoyable and meaningful events, giving citizens an opportunity to celebrate the event rather than just complete a bureaucratic process.

During the ceremony, you will be presented with a welcome pack, which will contain your Naturalisation Certificate, an application form for a British Passport and an application form to join the Register of Electors.

Frequently Asked Questions About Citizenship

Can I attend my ceremony in another area?

Normally you will attend a ceremony in the area in which you live. However, you can opt to have your ceremony in any area of your choice. If you would like to have a ceremony in a different district you should state this on your application form. If you do not do this, the Home Office will only consider changes after the application has been made under exceptional circumstances.

Can I have a ceremony on my own?

The government would prefer you to attend a group ceremony with other citizens as part of being welcomed into the community and in order to make the event more memorable. However, you may arrange an private or family ceremony if you wish for an additional fee. When you contact the Kingston Citizenship Team they will explain the options open to you.

Can my children attend the ceremony with me?

Children who have attained British Citizenship with you are welcome to attend a ceremony although they do not have to. If they do not attend, either parent can collect their certificate(s) on their behalf.

How long will the ceremony take?

The ceremony itself will take approximately 40 minutes. However you are required to report at least 30 minutes before the start of the ceremony to register. You may also want to take photographs at the end of the ceremony. Therefore you should allow between one and two hours.

How quickly can I apply for a passport?

Citizenship is granted to you at the ceremony and once you have received your citizenship certificate you can apply for a British passport immediately. A passport application form is included in your welcome pack.

Is there a dress code?

Citizens and their guests are free to dress however they feel most comfortable, although the ceremony is a formal occasion therefore smart casual wear is recommended. Alternatively, traditional national costume of the citizen's origin is welcome to reflect the cultural diversity of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and of the United Kingdom.

What do I need to bring with me?

You need to bring the invitation letter sent to you by the Home Office. If you do not provide this document as a security measure you may be refused entry to the ceremony.

What does the ceremony cost?

You will already have paid for the ceremony as part of the fee paid when you made application for British Citizenship. However, if you choose to have a private or family event, you will have to pay an additional fee.

What happens at the ceremony?

After you have signed in and your documentation has been checked you will be seated with the other new citizens attending the ceremony. The ceremony will start with a welcome from the Mayor or the Superintendent Registrar conducting the event. You will then be required to take the Oath of Allegiance to the Sovereign and make a pledge that you will be a loyal citizen of the United Kingdom. Both the Oath and the Pledge will be said as a group, repeating the words after the Superintendent Registrar. The Mayor or Superintendent Registrar will then present you with your citizenship certificate. You will also receive a Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames commemorative pin. The ceremony will be concluded with the playing of the National Anthem. You will have the opportunity to take photographs after the ceremony.

When do I get my certificate of citizenship?

The certificate is presented during the ceremony, either by the Mayor or the Superintendent Registrar. Children who have attained British Citizenship with you are welcome to attend a ceremony although they do not have to. If they do not attend, either parent can collect their certificate(s) on their behalf.

Where and when are ceremonies held in Kingston?

Ceremonies are held on the first Saturday of each month at the Guildhall, Kingston upon Thames. We also arrange smaller ceremonies as required. You will be advised about the availability of ceremonies when you contact our citizenship team.

Where do I go for my ceremony?

Ceremonies are held at:

Why do I have to go through a Citizenship Ceremony?

Before ceremonies were introduced in 2004, the process of attaining British citizenship was purely bureaucratic and everything was done through the post. However the government was keen that becoming a British Citizen should be a memorable and enjoyable event and the introduction of ceremonies to celebrate this important occasion was designed to further this aim.

The government also decided that the ceremony should take place in the local authority area in which the applicant lives. This enables the local authority to include suitable local content in the ceremony, which is intended not only to welcome the new citizen to the United Kingdom but also to the area in which they have decided to live.

Naturalising as a British citizen in the future

What are the proposed changes?

On 20 February 2008 the Government published the Green Paper ‘The Path to Citizenship: Next Steps in Reforming the Immigration System’. In this document it outlined proposals for changing the way that someone can become a British citizen or remain here as a permanent resident. These proposals are collectively called ‘Earned citizenship’.

Under these proposals migrants will be expected to pass through 3 key stages and demonstrate certain requirements in order to progress between these. The aim is to make the journey clearer, simpler and easier for migrants and the public to understand. The three stages are set out below:

1. Temporary residence
2. Probationary citizenship
3. British citizenship/permanent residence

Further information on the implementation of the proposed changes will be announced following parliamentary approval in 2009.

PLEASE NOTE - Existing arrangements for naturalisation will continue until these proposals come into effect.

You can access the consultation by following the 'Path to Citizenship' link below. Please note that the consultation closed in May and the Government’s response document, including an analysis of the public responses received will be published in July and placed on the UKBA website.

How do I contact the citizenship team?

You can contact us by:
Telephone: 020 8547 6190.
Email: citizenship.registrations@rbk.kingston.gov.uk