Go to a British citizenship ceremony

Who must go to a citizenship ceremony

If you’re 18 or over and have successfully applied to become a British citizen, the Home Office will send you a letter inviting you to attend a citizenship ceremony. You must go to a ceremony within 3 months of getting your invitation. During the ceremony you'll get a certificate of British citizenship. This is a valuable document, which should be kept safe.

Children under 18, who applied for citizenship with their parents, can go to a ceremony with other members of the family to collect their certificate. If they do not go, another family member can collect it for them.

How to book

• email: DumfriesRegistrar@dumgal.gov.uk
• telephone: 030 33 33 3004

Citizenship ceremonies are private and not open to the public, but you can invite two guests to come with you. If you want to bring more than 2 guests, you can ask us when you book your ceremony. You will be asked if you wish to make the oath or the affirmation of allegiance at the ceremony.

It's free to go to your citizenship ceremony, but if you want an individual or private ceremony we charge £115.

What you need to bring

When you come to your ceremony you must bring your:

• invitation letter from the Home Office
• passport or other identification document with a photo on, like a driving licence

Where ceremonies are held

Ceremonies are normally held in the Municipal Chambers, Buccleuch Street, Dumfries DG1 2AD, around every 6 weeks. Ceremonies can also be held in Annan, Stranraer or Kirkcudbright registration offices.

What happens in the ceremony

You must arrive at least 15 minutes before the start of the ceremony. Your invite from the Home Office and photo identification will be checked by a member of staff. They'll explain what happens in the ceremony and show you into the ceremony room, with other new citizens.

During the ceremony each new citizen will swear or affirm an oath of allegiance to the Crown and to uphold the values and laws of the UK.

Your certificate will be presented to you and the ceremony ends with the UK national anthem playing.

The aim of the citizenship ceremony is to give applicants a full understanding of the rights and responsibilities that come with getting British citizenship. It also ensures they are properly welcomed into the community. It is intended to show that getting British citizenship is not a purely bureaucratic process.