British Citizenship Ceremonies

Information for citizenship ceremonies

The final stage in becoming a British Citizen is to attend a citizenship ceremony.  Once you are at this stage of the process, you will receive communication from the Home Office and details of how to contact us to arrange your ceremony.

We organise ceremonies for successful applicants for British Nationality so simply request 'Cheshire East’ as the place you would like to attend a ceremony on your Home Office application form.

We recognise that becoming a British Citizen is an important lifetime event. We will ensure that your ceremony is meaningful and reflects the significance of the occasion.

What happens at a public citizenship ceremony

The ceremony includes a welcoming speech, and the applicants then swear or affirm an oath of allegiance to the King. The applicants also make a pledge to be a loyal subject to the United Kingdom. Our new British Citizens are then presented with their certificate of citizenship and a small token of welcome from Cheshire East Borough Council.

For public ceremonies you will be attending with other new citizens are permitted to bring one guest.

What you need to bring with you

Bring your:

• Home Office Invitation letter (this will be either a paper or electronic document)
• A form of photo identification (driving licence or passport)

How long a ceremony takes

A public ceremony usually lasts around 1 to 1.5 hours. We ask that you arrive no later than 20 minutes before the ceremony is due to begin so that you can complete the registration formalities.

Ceremony dress code

We do not specify a dress code. The ceremony is formal and most citizens choose to wear smart casual dress.

How applicants can attend a ceremony in Cheshire East

Any person residing in the UK can choose to have their ceremony with us. To do this, simply indicate ‘Cheshire East’ as your preferred ceremony location on your Home Office application form.

For information of our available dates for a public ceremony please email csc@cheshireeast.gov.uk and include your full name and home office reference number.

Private Citizenship Ceremonies

We offer the option of a private citizenship ceremony and maybe available sooner that the public ceremony, there is a fee for this of £100 for a weekday or £150 for a Saturday.

You are still required to bring.

• Home Office Invitation letter (this will be either a paper or electronic document)
• A form of photo identification (driving licence or passport)

For private ceremonies you are permitted to bring up to 4 guests and the ceremony is around 15 minutes, we would ask that you do not arrive earlier than 5 minutes before the ceremony is due to begin so that you can complete the registration formalities. 

For information of our available dates for a private ceremony please email csc@cheshireeast.gov.uk and include your full name and home office reference number, plus a contact telephone number.

How to apply for citizenship

If you are interested in becoming a British Citizen, information is available on the Home Office website. 

Contact the Citizenship Registrar

 

Page last reviewed: 01 December 2023