Guidance

Naturalisation and registration certificates

Updated 26 August 2025

Version 30.0

This guidance tells His Majesty’s Passport Office staff about how to accept and deal with naturalisation and registration certificates. It explains how to check details on certificates, how to confirm endorsements, what to do if details do not match Atlas, how to query certificates with the Citizenship team and when to continue with an application.

About: Naturalisation and registration certificates

This guidance tells His Majesty’s Passport Office staff about how to accept and deal with naturalisation and registration certificates. It explains how to check details on certificates, how to confirm endorsements, what to do if details do not match Atlas how to query certificates with the Passports, Citizenship and Registration (PCCR) team, and when to continue with an application.

Contacts

If you have any questions about the guidance and your line manager or senior caseworker cannot help you or you think that the guidance has factual errors then email the Guidance team.

If you notice any formatting errors in this guidance (broken links, spelling mistakes and so on) or have any comments about the layout or navigability of the guidance then you can email the Guidance team.

Publication

Below is information on when this version of the guidance was published:

• version 30.0
• published for Home Office staff on 30 July 2025

Changes from last version of this guidance

This guidance has been updated:

• to tell examiners they can check national archives for a certificate not showing on UKVI systems
• to tell examiners what to do when they are waiting for a reply from UKVI for more than 2 weeks
• to make minor terminology changes as UK Visas and Immigration are decommissioning the Case Information Database (CID).
• in the section Certificate is not showing on Atlas, to tell operational staff what to do when they cannot find a certificate issued after 30 September 1986 in Atlas
• in the section Contacting the Citizenship team to chase a reply to tell operational team leaders (OTLs) who to contact to check if a certificate has been updated if the examiner raised a query with it
• throughout the guidance to change reference to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) to the Citizenship team

Related content

Interviews: overview of the interview process guidance

British naturalisation and registration certificates

This section tells HM Passport Office staff about naturalisation and registration certificates issued by the Passports, Citizenship and Registration (PCCR) team, how to check details shown on the certificate are genuine and case note certificate details.

Naturalisation and registration are legal processes by which an adult or a child with no automatic claim to British nationality can:

• become a British national; and,
• obtain the same rights and privileges as someone who was born a British national

Customers who get British nationality by naturalisation or registration must attend a citizenship ceremony (unless they are exempt). When a person becomes a British national by registration or naturalisation, the Citizenship team issue them with a nationality certificate.

A person is officially naturalised or registered from the date entered on their British nationality certificate. Their certificate shows the customer’s:

• current name
• previous name
• place of birth
• date of birth
• British nationality status, section and subsections of the relevant nationality act
• Home Office reference number
• certificate number
• date of registration or naturalisation

These are the details that must appear on the passport unless we have evidence of a change to the details.

Naturalisation certificates issued by the Bailiwick of Guernsey do not show the customer’s nationality status. You, the examiner, must use the query process to refer the case to the Quality, Examination Support team to confirm nationality if you receive a Guernsey naturalisation certificate.

For passport purposes, customers must send us their original naturalisation or registration certificate to show their claim to British nationality and confirm their personal details. Some customers may send us their citizenship ceremony invitation instead of their naturalisation certificate. You, the examiner, must not accept these as evidence of British nationality.

If the customer sends their biometric residence permit, Home Office travel document (or a photocopy of the document) with their application, you must refer to Home Office issued documents guidance.

When the Citizenship team change a British nationality certificate

This section tells HM Passport Office staff why Passports, Citizenship and Registration (PCCR) team will endorse (amend) or reissue a naturalisation or registration certificate, and what an endorsement will show.

The Citizenship team will reissue a naturalisation or registration certificate if they accept the original certificate was issued in error.

If the Citizenship team have correctly issued the certificate based on the original evidence provided they will not reissue using different details. If the customer provides different evidence later (for example, for a different date of birth) the Citizenship team will add an endorsement (printed explanation) to the top of the original certificate showing there is a difference.

If there is more than one endorsement, the Citizenship team will endorse both top corners. If the endorsed certificate was issued before 1986, the endorsement will be at the bottom of the certificate. Customers must contact the Citizenship team to change any detail on their certificate.

See, Checking an endorsement on a nationality certificate if you are unsure if you can accept an endorsement for passport purposes.

Endorsements added before 2018

Before 2018 the Citizenship team marked certificates in 2 ways depending on whether they accepted the customer’s evidence or not. The endorsement will show:

• as a ‘statement of fact’ when they did not accept the evidence the customer gave
• as an official endorsement when they accepted the customer’s new evidence

His Majesty’s Passport Office do not accept a ‘statement of fact’ endorsement as evidence to change the personal details on a passport. If we cannot accept the endorsement, you must contact the customer and tell them why. This gives them the opportunity to withdraw their application or have it issued in the original details entered on the certificate.

Statement of fact endorsements will show the details claimed by the customer and any evidence seen. For example:

“According to documentary evidence produced to the Home Office the place of birth of the person named below should read [PLACE OF BIRTH]”

“After the certificate had been issued, the holder (or the holder’s agents) informed the Home Office that his father’s date of birth should have read …………”

Endorsements added after 2018 and before 18 February 2020

From 2018 the Citizenship team stopped ‘statement of fact’ endorsements on certificates but did not standardise the wording on the endorsements.

However, the Citizenship team will clearly show on the endorsement they have accepted the customer’s evidence to change the detail on the certificate. For example, where the Citizenship team have officially accepted a change of name:

“I HEREBY CERTIFY that this is a true extract of the Home Office record of the Certificate of Naturalisation (or Registration) issued to SURNAME FORENAMES (new names)”

Endorsements added after 18 February 2020

From 18 February 2020 the Citizenship team introduced standardised wording for their endorsements. For example, where they have officially accepted:

• a change of name:

“According to documentary evidence produced to the Home Office the Name of the certificate holder should read (accepted name):

For head of Nationality Directorate.
(date of endorsement)”

• a change of place or date of birth:

“According to documentary evidence produced to the Home Office the date (and place) of birth of the certificate holder should read (place of birth) (date of birth)

For head of Nationality Directorate.
(date of endorsement)”

Dealing with British nationality certificates

This section tells HM Passport Office staff how to assess British nationality certificates, what risk indicators may be present and how to record the details of British nationality certificates on the system and in case notes.

For information on security features of naturalisation and registration certificates and details about faulty certificates which are still acceptable, see the UK Knowledge Base. 

British nationality certificate: change in personal details

We normally issue the customer’s passport in the same details recorded on their naturalisation or registration certificate. However, the customer may apply for their passport and give us different details in their first British passport application or in a renewal or replacement of an earlier passport.

By doing so the customer is usually trying to tell us that they are now known by a different name or there was an error in a previous passport. If the customer applies using details that are different from their naturalisation or registration certificate you must use guidance for:

• place of birth changes

• date of birth changes

• name changes

• gender change

You must complete additional checks if you suspect a customer registered or naturalised as a British citizen using false information.

For example, if their name, date of birth or place of birth is different on the application compared with the nationality certificate and there is no evidence to show:

• the customer has changed their name
• a town, city or country has officially changed name

If you have any concerns, for example you suspect fraud, you must refer the application to your operational team leader (OTL). The OTL will instruct you whether to complete additional checks, or refer to the Counter Fraud team for further investigation.

Nationality certificates that show the place of birth is unknown

If a nationality certificate shows ‘UNKNOWN’ in the place and country of birth, you must refer to Place and country of birth guidance. 

Nationality certificate shows only a country of birth

If a nationality certificate shows only a country of birth in the place and country of birth, you must refer to Place and country of birth guidance. 

Checking a British nationality certificate

This section tells HM Passport Office staff when, why and how to check a customer’s nationality certificate with UK Visas and Immigration service’s systems or National Archives.

You, the examiner, must check naturalisation and registration certificate details using UK Visas and Immigration service (UKVI) systems or National Archives.

How to check certificates held by National Archives

The Citizenship team have records of naturalisation and registration certificates issued from 1 October 1986.

National Archive holds a record of:

• naturalisation certificates issued from 1 January 1981 to 30 September 1986
• registration certificates issued from 1 January 1949 to 30 September 1986

You, the examiner, must email National Archives (using the National Archives email template) to check the certificate, if you receive a naturalisation or registration certificate issued before 30 September 1986.

In the email to National Archives, you must include all the information on the certificate.

When you have completed your checks, you must add a case note recording all your actions and checks and clearly record the outcome of your investigation.

Certificate is not showing on Atlas

You must email the technical support team with details of the case if you cannot find a naturalisation or registration certificate issued after 30 September 1986 on Atlas..

If the technical support team provide a copy of the certificate, you must check the details match the customer’s information.

If the technical support team cannot provide a copy of the certificate, you must:

1. Follow the Risk indicators on passport applications guidance.
2. Add a case note recording all your actions, checks and outcome of your investigation.

How to check a British nationality certificate with the Citizenship team

You may have concerns about accepting a naturalisation or registration certificate, for example:

• when you cannot confirm if a Citizenship team endorsement is acceptable for passport purposes
• it fits the criteria where you must complete extra checks

You must check UKVI’s systems to see if the document was issued to the customer, for example, by checking the customer’s address and photos on file to check the passport application is for the same person.

You must continue to examine the customer’s application in line with all guidance if the certificate details match the customer’s record and you have no other fraud concerns. When the details on the certificate do not match the details on the UKVI systems, you may need to contact the Citizenship team directly to confirm the information and decide what you must do next.

Images of customers are not available for all cases on UKVI systems, if there is no photo available and you still have concerns after you have checked the customer’s details, you must refer the application to your operational team leader (OTL). The OTL will instruct you whether to complete additional checks or refer to the Counter Fraud team (CFT) for further investigation.

Nationality certificates: suspected mistakes

The Citizenship team will sometimes make a mistake on a naturalisation or registration certificate itself or you may suspect that an incorrect decision has been made.

Queries with dates on nationality certificates

Naturalisation certificates are dated at the customer’s citizenship ceremony. If the customer is not required to attend a citizenship ceremony, the Citizenship team will date the certificate when they issue it.

If you receive a certificate of naturalisation or registration that does not have a date or the date is not in the correct format, you must check UKVI systems to confirm:

• the date the certificate was issued – ceremony attended date
• if the naturalisation ceremony has:
  • taken place
  • been waived

Undated certificate: UKVI systems confirm issue date

If records show the customer did attend a citizenship ceremony (or their ceremony was waived) and there are no other concerns with the application, you must:

1. Email the Citizenship team feedback mailbox, attaching a completed Querying a nationality certificate with UKVI form, making sure you include the customer’s full name and address.
2. Access Application Receive Domain (ARD) and update the document handling instructions to send the certificate to confidential waste.
3. Send the customer letter 305 by email from your team’s shared mailbox to tell them we have securely destroyed the certificate and notified UK Visas and Immigration department. They will issue a new certificate and send it directly to the customer.
4. Issue the passport in line with current guidance if the customer is entitled to a passport. The naturalisation date is the ceremony attended date if there was one or, if this was waived, the outcome date on UKVI systems.

Undated certificate: UKVI systems shows no ceremony date

If your checks on UKVI’s systems show there are no other concerns with the application but the citizenship ceremony has not taken place and has not been waived, you must:

1. Contact the Citizenship team feedback mailbox by email and ask them to check the details.
2. Put the application on hold until the Citizenship team reply.

When you receive a reply from the Citizenship team, you must:

1. Complete the Querying a nationality certificate with UKVI form and ask the team to return the corrected certificate to the customer.
2. Send the customer letter 305 by email from your team’s shared mailbox to tell them we have securely destroyed the certificate and notified the Citizenship team. We will hold their application open until the Citizenship team update their records.
3. Put the application on hold and add a case note to record your actions and decisions.
4. Check UKVI systems every 2 weeks, until they show the ceremony has been attended and the certificate has been corrected.

When the UKVI system has been updated and shows the ceremony has been attended, you must continue to examine the application.

Dated nationality certificate: no ceremony attended date on UKVI systems

You must accept the date on the nationality certificate is correct and return it to the customer if the nationality certificate is dated, the customer is newly naturalised and you have confirmed (all the following points):

• the customer’s identity and nationality
• UKVI systems does not show a ceremony attended date but the date when the decision was granted is within 6 months of the date on the certificate

You do not need to contact the Citizenship team to tell them their records do not show the ceremony attended date.

You must contact the Citizenship team feedback team to check the date and confirm what we must do next if there is no ceremony attended date on UKVI systems and the decision was granted more than six months from the date on the certificate.

If the Citizenship team tells you there is an error with the certificate, you must:

1. Email the Citizenship team feedback team, attaching a completed Querying a nationality certificate with UKVI form, making sure you include the customer’s full name and address.
2. Access Application Receive Domain (ARD) and update the document handling instructions to send the certificate to confidential waste.
3. Send the customer letter 305 by email from your team’s shared mailbox to tell them we have securely destroyed the certificate and notified the Citizenship team. We will hold their application open until the Citizenship team update their records.
4. Put the application on hold and add a case note to record your actions and decisions.
5. Check UKVI systems every 2 weeks, until they show the ceremony has been attended and the certificate has been corrected.

Dated nationality certificate: date on certificate differs to UKVI system

If the date on the nationality certificate differs from the ceremony attended date, recorded on the UKVI system, you must:

1. Contact the Citizenship feedback team by email and ask them to check the details.
2. Put the application on hold until the Citizenship feedback team reply.

If the Citizenship team tell you there is an error on the certificate, you must:

1. Email the Citizenship feedback team, attaching a completed Querying a nationality certificate with UKVI form, making sure you include the customer’s full name and address.
2. Access Application Receive Domain (ARD) and update the document handling instructions to send the certificate to confidential waste.
3. Send the customer letter 305 by email from your team’s shared mailbox to tell them we have securely destroyed the certificate and notified the Citizenship team. We will hold their application open until the Citizenship team update their records.
4. Put the application on hold and add a case note to record your actions and decisions.
5. Check UKVI systems every 2 weeks, until they show the ceremony has been attended and the certificate has been corrected.

When UKVI systems confirm the certificate has been corrected you must continue to examine the application.

Dated nationality certificate: incorrect date format

If the nationality certificate date has been added in a format other than date, month (written in full) and year, (for example 22 July 2009), you must check the date on UKVI systems.

You can accept the different date format, issue the passport and return the certificate to the customer if:

• the date on the certificate and the customer’s records match and just the format is different
• there are no other concerns with the application
• you have confirmed the customer’s identity

You must compare the date on the certificate with the date in the customer’s records and if they do not match, you must follow dated nationality certificate: date on certificate differs to UKVI system.

Nationality certificate is laminated

If the customer sends us a laminated certificate of registration or naturalisation, you, the examiner, must:

• confirm the details of the certificate on UKVI systems
• accept the laminated document as if it was not laminated
• check if additional supporting documentation is needed

If the details on the certificate match those on UKVI systems and no more supporting documents are needed, you must accept the laminated copy of the document as confirmation of nationality.

If the details on the certificate do not match those on UKVI systems, you must contact the Citizenship team to check if there has been an administrative error or refer to CFT if you suspect fraud. If the Citizenship team confirm there has been an administrative error with the certificate, you must:

1. Email the Citizenship team re-roll mailbox, attaching a completed Querying a nationality certificate with UKVI form, making sure you include the customer’s full name and address.
2. Access Application Receive Domain (ARD) and update the document handling instructions to send the certificate to confidential waste.
3. Send the customer letter 305 by email from your team’s shared mailbox to tell them we have securely destroyed the certificate and notified the Citizenship team. We will hold their application open until the Citizenship team update their records.
4. Put the application on hold and add a case note to record your actions and decisions.
5. Check UKVI systems every 2 weeks, until they show the ceremony has been attended and the certificate has been corrected.

When UKVI systems confirm the certificate has been corrected you must continue to examine the application.

Checking an endorsement on a nationality certificate

If you are unsure about the meaning or wording on an endorsement you must check UKVI systems to see if the Citizenship team have accepted the change. You must only email the Reroll chase up mailbox if you are still unclear after checking UKVI systems.

When you have resolved your query, you must add a case note to record your findings and decision.

If we cannot issue a passport using the details on an endorsement because the Citizenship team did not accept the change, you must send the customer letter 316 on Comms builder to tell them why we cannot issue the passport.

Any changes in personal details must be in line with current policy.

Incorrect naming format: when a customer has no forename or no surname

Where a customer has no forename or no surname, their name must appear on their nationality certificate in one of the following formats:

• [forename(s) only]. (CID produced certificates only)
• [forename(s) only]. (Atlas produced certificates only)
• [surname(s) only]. (CID or Atlas produced certificates)

Atlas does not allow the option to have forename only; the surname field is compulsory. This means if the customer has either no forename or no surname, their name will appear on Atlas produced certificates on its own with asterisks around the name (for example, either Full name: forename or Full name surname)

You must use UKVI systems to check the customer’s name aligns with their nationality certificate and supporting documents.

If UKVI systems show there is an error with the certificate, you must:

1. Email UKVI’s re-roll mailbox, attaching the completed form, making sure you include the customer’s full name and address.

2. Put the application on hold until they reply.

If the Citizenship team tells you there is an error with the certificate to them, you must:

1. Access Application Receive Domain (ARD) and update the document handling instructions to send the certificate to confidential waste.
2. Send the customer letter 305 by email from your team’s shared mailbox to tell them we have securely destroyed the certificate and notified the Citizenship team. We will hold their application open until the Citizenship team update their records.
3. Put the application on hold and add a case note to show what you have done.
4. Check UKVI systems every 2 weeks until they show the certificate has been corrected.

When UKVI systems show the certificate has been corrected, you must continue to examine the application (see When the customer only has 1 name).

Suspected administrative mistakes

A suspected administrative mistake could be a spelling error on the certificate itself or an incorrect nationality status recorded in one area of UKVI systems but not in another.

Where the mistake is only administrative and it does not impact the customer’s nationality or identity, we can continue to issue the passport if:

• we can confirm the customer’s, identity and entitlement; and
• we (or the Citizenship team) have the nationality certificate containing the error so it can be corrected by the Citizenship team

Some customers may hold 2 British nationality certificates, (for example, British citizenship and British Overseas Territories citizenship) and 1 or both may have an error. How you deal with errors found on these certificates will depend on why they were issued. Certificates issued under section 4K and 17H to customers of Chagossian descent must be dealt with using Errors on registration certificates under section 4K and 17H: Chagossian descent, all other certificates containing errors must be dealt with using this guidance.

If the customer holds more than 1 nationality certificate and there is an error on the customer’s other certificate you must email the Citizenship team to tell them of the error on the other certificate. The Citizenship team will contact the customer and ask them to return it. Where the customer holds 2 nationality certificates you must only issue the passport when UKVI systems show the other nationality certificate has been received.

You can issue the passport for the customer, if you have confirmed the nationality, identity and entitlement and the record is correct.

If UKVI systems confirm the information we have is correct and human error has caused a typing error on the certificate, you must:

1. Email the Citizenship team re-roll mailbox, attaching a completed Querying a nationality certificate with UKVI form, making sure you include the customer’s full name and address.
2. Access Application Receive Domain (ARD) and update the document handling instructions to send the certificate to confidential waste.
3. Send the customer letter 305 by email from your team’s shared mailbox to tell them we have securely destroyed the certificate and notified the Citizenship team.
4. Issue the passport in line with current guidance if the customer is entitled to a passport.

You must refer suspected errors to the Quality, Examination Support team (QuESt) to contact UKVI to agree next steps, when they are:

• complex and impact the customer’s nationality claim or identity
• shown on UKVI systems

Administrative error: affecting BC 6(1) and BC 6(2) BNA’81 claims

We are aware of a small number of records that show a customer’s status as British citizen sec 6(1) British Nationality Act 1981 (BNA’81) on Atlas but the certificate shows British citizen sec 6(2) BNA’81.

If you, the examiner, discover a certificate where the Atlas Person Search notes the customer’s nationality as BC 6(1) BNA’81 but the certificate shows BC 6(2) BNA’81 you must:

1. Check the customer’s immigration history on UKVI systems to confirm the correct status (as shown on the certificate).
2. Add a case note to record the difference and the checks you made to confirm the correct nationality status.
3. Accept the status recorded on the certificate is correct, issue the passport and return the certificate to the customer.

If you are still unable to confirm the correct status you must email the Reroll chase up mailbox and ask them to investigate and decide the next course of action.

This error is currently under investigation and correction, we do not need to report this to the Citizenship team.

Outstanding actions on Atlas

When you check customer’s details on Atlas, some cases may have outstanding actions. You must continue examining the application accepting the customer’s status if both the following apply:

• the outstanding action is for the Citizenship team to confirm Ceremony or oath outcome (the line Caseworker confirmed applicant attended their citizenship ceremony or provided a completed oath of allegiance is blank)
• the customer has naturalised within the last 6 months

You must email the Reroll chase up mailbox and ask for advice if there are:

• other outstanding actions
• the customer was naturalised more than 6 months ago

Suspected incorrect Citizenship team decisions

You, the examiner must use the query process to refer the case to QuESt where there are:

• regularisation cases (see Refusals and withdrawals guidance) where the Home Office has made an error
• complex cases where you believe the customer’s nationality status section is incorrect or there is an auto claim
• complex cases where the Citizenship team have issued a certificate with a child change of name without both parents’ consent and we cannot issue the passport without the other parent’s consent
• possible errors in the Citizenship team’s decision making process
• possible errors (for example, incorrect spelling or order of name) on UKVI systems (except where there is a Chagossian descent claim under section 4K and 17H, as they use a different process to correct errors)

QuESt will review the application, UKVI system notes and contact the Citizenship team to investigate the possible error. The Citizenship team will advise the next action we must take.

If the Citizenship team confirm there is an error with the certificate, you must:

1. Email the Citizenship team re-roll mailbox, attaching a completed Querying a nationality certificate with UKVI form, making sure you include the customer’s full name and address.
2. Access Application Receive Domain (ARD) and update the document handling instructions to send the certificate to confidential waste.
3. Send the customer letter 305 by email from your team’s shared mailbox to tell them we have securely destroyed the certificate and notified the Citizenship team. We will hold their application open until the Citizenship team update their records.
4. Put the application on hold and add a case note to show what you have done.
5. Check UKVI systems every 2 weeks until they show the certificate has been corrected.

When UKVI systems show the certificate has been corrected, you must continue to examine the application.

QuESt: dealing with complex nationality certificate referrals

If you, the Quality and Examination Support team (QuESt) officer, need to email the technical support team about a nationality certificate, the Subject header on the email must include the following information:

• certificate/Re-roll HMPO query
• Home Office reference number
• customer name (as shown on the certificate)

The email must contain details of the error found and your contact details. When the Citizenship team reply, you must tell the examiner to:

1. Add a case note to record the results of the checks.
2. Send a Querying a nationality certificate with UKVI form, making sure you include the customer’s name and address, to the Citizenship team re-roll mailbox and securely destroy the certificate, if the Citizenship team tell us there is an error with the certificate.
3. Wait for the Citizenship team to update their systems before continuing with the application

Querying a nationality certificate

If the details on UKVI systems do not match the details on the certificate and you need to contact the Citizenship team you, the examiner, must:

1. Complete the Querying a nationality certificate with UKVI form explaining the error found. You must include the customer’s full name and address on the form.
2. Attach the form to an email that shows all the following information in the Subject header:
   • ‘certificate/Re-roll HMPO query’ or ‘certificate/Endorsement query’ (if the query is about an endorsement on a certificate)
   • Home Office reference number
   • Customer’s name (as it appears on the certificate)
3. Email the form to the Citizenship team re-roll mailbox to confirm the correct details.
4. Put the application on hold and add a case note to record what you have done.
5. Wait for the Citizenship team to reply.
6. Add a case note to record their response and scan the form onto the application as a permanent record.

If the Citizenship team confirm the details are correct you must continue to examine the application in line with guidance.

If the Citizenship team confirm the details are incorrect, you must:

1. Access Application Receive Domain (ARD) and update the document handling instructions to send the certificate to confidential waste.
2. Send the customer letter 305 by email from your team’s shared mailbox to tell them we have securely destroyed the certificate and notified the Citizenship team. We will hold their application open until the Citizenship team update their records.
3. Put the application on hold and add a case note to show what you have done.
4. Check UKVI systems every 2 weeks until they show the certificate has been corrected.

When UKVI systems show the certificate has been corrected, you must continue to examine the application.

Contacting the Citizenship team to chase a reply

You must refer the application to your operational team leader (OTL) and case note your reason for referral, if you do not receive a reply from the Citizenship team and either:

• you need a certificate updated urgently; or
• the certificate has not been updated after 4 weeks (for non-urgent cases)

You, the OTL, must:

• email EONationalityrerollchaseup@homeoffice.gov.uk following people to check if the certificate has been updated:
  • the re-roll mailbox manager
  • the re-roll mailbox deputy manager
• attach the previous email sent to the Citizenship team and add the reason you are contacting them

Recording British nationality certificates on the system

This section tells HM Passport Office staff working how to record a customer’s naturalisation or registration certificate on a first time passport application.

The customer must add their nationality or registration certificate details onto their application when they apply for their first British passport.

Case noting British nationality certificates

When a customer has registered or naturalised you, the examiner, must add a case note recording the certificate details. For example:

Nat cert shows [insert nationality act and section reference]

HO ref number [reference number]

Dated: [insert certificate date]

Place of issue: [insert place of issue as shown on certificate]

Some registration sections in the BNA’81 can be ‘by descent’ (BD) or ‘otherwise than by descent’ (OTBD) depending on the customer’s circumstances. You must investigate the customer’s claim and make sure you case note their status in full (including the BD or OTBD determination) as it could affect a future claim.

Recording British nationality certificates

You, the examiner, must check the customer’s nationality or registration details when you complete a Nationality task.

You must:

1. Check the image of the certificate on the Documents tab.
2. Check the certificate number entered by the customer on the Naturalisation or Registration tab matches the certificate number on ATLAS.
3. Click Edit details if you need to correct any errors on the:
   • Certificate number
   • Issue date
4. Add a case note to explain any changes you have made to the details.
5. Click Save.

DAP may show information in the Naturalisation or registration tab that:

• does not refer to the customer’s naturalisation or registration certificate, for example, when the customer sent the application and added in error:
  • a parent’s naturalisation or registration certificate details
  • their birth certificate details
• is not needed as the application is not a first time application (as we will already have established nationality)

You must:

1. Click Edit details and remove the information on the Naturalisation or registration tab.
2. Add a case note to explain any changes you have made to the details.
3. Click Save.

Lost naturalisation or registration certificates

This section tells HM Passport Office staff what they must do if the customer has lost their naturalisation or registration certificate

If someone loses their British citizenship certificate, they can apply for a replacement and they may need to pay for it (see Replace or correct a UK citizenship certificate).

If a customer applying for their first British passport tells us they have lost their citizenship certificate, you must:

1. Ask the customer for a signed statement that explains when they:
   • naturalised or registered
   • lost their citizenship certificate
2. Use UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) systems to:
   • confirm the customer’s naturalisation or registration details
   • check the customer’s personal details match the personal details on the passport application
   • carry out a manual facial matching check by comparing the photo on the system with the photo on the passport application, to make sure it’s the same person

If you can confirm the customer naturalised or registered using UKVI systems and their personal details and photo match the details on their passport application, you must:

1. Carry out checks against the watchlist and passport and application records.

2. Add the citizenship certificate details to the application (see Recording British nationality certificates on the system).
3. Examine the referee (see Confirming ID: referees).
4. Continue to process the application in line with current guidance (if you do not have any concerns).

You must ask the customer for a replacement certificate if:

• you cannot confirm the customer’s personal details and photo on their naturalisation or registration record using UKVI systems (if they are applying for their own first British passport); or,
• the missing certificate belongs to a parent or grandparent, and it is needed to support the customer’s application