British nationality applications must be submitted to UKBA Liverpool office

From 16 July 2012 if you are applying for British nationality from outside the UK you will have to send your application forms to the UK Border Agency's office in Liverpool. This change does not apply to residents of Hong Kong who can continue to submit their application at their local British High Commission or British Consulate.

Previously applicants could apply at the British High Commission or British Consulate in their home country. Now applicants must send their application to the UKBA's office in Liverpool and pay by completing a payment slip and sending it with their application and supporting documents.

"If we need to contact you about your application we will contact you by e-mail. If you do not provide us with your email address the processing of your application may be delayed. If we are unable to contact you by email we will write to you via your nearest British High Commission or British Consulate," explained a UKBA spokesman.

While the UKBA strongly recommends that you send your original passport, if you cannot because the authorities of your country do not allow passports to cross national borders, you should send a complete copy of your passport that has been certified by a local notary or equivalent.

Citizens of the following countries may have difficulty sending their original passports: Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, North Korea, Morocco, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Western Sahara.

"If you submit a copy of your passport, you may be asked to provide or present the original document to one of our staff, in your country, for verification. Once we have made a decision on your application, your nearest British High Commission or British Consulate will contact you," the spokesman said.

"If you are applying to naturalise as a British citizen, your nearest British High Commission or British Consulate will contact you about your citizenship ceremony, if applicable, and completing the process of naturalisation. You will be presented with your citizenship certificate at your citizenship ceremony. If you are not required to attend a citizenship ceremony, your nearest British High Commission or British Consulate will contact you about collecting your citizenship certificate," he added.

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