What is a certificate of naturalisation?

A naturalisation certificate is issued to an individual when a person gains British citizenship and can be used to prove their status as a citizen of the UK.

British naturalisation certificates include the person’s full name, date of birth, place and country of birth, where the certificate was issued, a certificate number, a reference number and date of issue.

What is the purpose of this certification?

Naturalisation certificates can be useful if you need to prove your right to work, rent, access services such as the NHS, or if you are applying for a mortgage, benefits, or you wish to vote in an election.

More importantly, naturalisation certificates can be used to apply for a British passport and for general identification purposes. Please note that your certificate constitutes legal evidence of your acquisition of British citizenship and should be carefully preserved. It must not be unofficially altered, as in this condition it will not be accepted as evidence of citizenship by His Majesty’s Passport Office.

How to rectify the incorrect information on the certificate of naturalisation?

If you notice any incorrect information on your certificate of naturalisation, the process for correcting this will depend on the circumstances.

If you became a British citizen after 30 September 1986, you need to download and complete an application for a correction of a registration or naturalisation certificate. Then you need to send the form and your original certificate to Department 1, UKVI. You will need to pay a £250 fee if the mistake on your certificate was your fault. UKVI will send you a letter telling you if you need to pay.

If you became a British citizen on or before 30 September 1986, you can search the National Archives and order a certified copy, but you cannot get a replacement certificate from UKVI.

How to replace a lost or damaged certificate?

You will need to pay £250 to replace a lost or damaged certificate by completing the online forms. You can only use this service if you are applying in the UK.

Where can I find the British naturalisation certificate number?

Your naturalisation certificate contains a certificate number. The certificate number is shown at the bottom of the naturalisation certificate to the left of the date and above the reference number.

Your naturalisation certificate also contains a reference number (this will also be on your letter from the Home Office). The reference number is shown at the bottom of the naturalisation certificate to the left of the date and below the certificate number.

How Gherson can assist

Gherson’s Immigration Team are highly experienced in dealing with all aspects of naturalisation applications. If you have any questions arising from this blog, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice, send us an e-mail, or, alternatively, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn to stay-up-to-date.

The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please do not hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.

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