Your Citizenship Ceremony
If you have passed the Life in the UK test and successfully applied for citizenship then the final step is your British citizenship ceremony.
Once your application for citizenship is accepted you will receive an invitation to attend your citizenship ceremony in the post. Once you have been invited, you should book your ceremony with your council. Your Citizenship Invitation letter will also contain all the information you need to book your ceremony.
This is the last step in the process and afterwards you’ll officially be a British citizen. It is very important that you attend one, as if you do not your application will be cancelled. The ceremony is a compulsory part of your journey to citizenship.
Citizenship ceremonies are hosted by the Superintendent Registrar and often local dignitaries will also attend. The ceremonies are normally attended by a number of other new citizens. You will be allowed to bring up to 2 guests to the ceremony.
The format of the ceremony will vary depending on the venue. In most cases there will be a welcome speech. Then you will be asked to stand and swear the oath of allegiance or, if you prefer, to speak the affirmation of allegiance. You will also be asked to take the Citizenship Pledge.
The words of the Oath, Affirmation and Pledge are given below. It may be worth reading these before you attend the ceremony, to make sure you are familiar with them.
Some ceremonies will perform the oaths, affirmations and pledges as a group, others will go around each member of the group individually.
The national anthem will then be played and may be sung as a group – depending on the organisation of the ceremony.
Finally, you will be presented with your citizenship certificate and an information pack. Many people like to remember this formal occasion and take photographs – this is definitely encouraged! It has taken a long time to get to this point so make sure you enjoy it.
The national anthem
God save our gracious King,
Long live our noble King,
God save the King:
Send him victorious,
Happy and Glorious,
Long to reign over us:
God save the King.
Oath of allegiance
I (name) swear by Almighty God that on becoming a British citizen, I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles the Third, his Heirs and Successors, according to law.
Affirmation of allegiance
I (name) do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that on becoming a British citizen, I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles the Third, his Heirs and Successors, according to law.
Pledge
I will give my loyalty to the United Kingdom and respect its rights and freedoms. I will uphold its democratic values. I will observe its laws faithfully and fulfil my duties and obligations as a British citizen.
CEREMONIES IN WALES
If you are attending a ceremony in Wales you may, if you wish, make the oath or affirmation, and the pledge, in Welsh. The Welsh versions of the oath, affirmation and pledge are below.
Llw teyrngarwch
Yr wyf i, (enw), yn tyngu i Dduw Hollalluog y byddaf i, ar ôl dod yn ddinesydd Prydeinig, yn ffyddlon ac yn wir deyrngar i’w Fawrhydi y Brenin Charles y Trydydd, ei Etifeddion a’i Olynwyr, yn unol â’r gyfraith.
Cadarnhad teyrngarwch
Yr wyf i, (enw), yn datgan ac yn cadarnhau yn ddifrifol, yn ddiffuant ac yn gywir y byddaf i, ar ôl dod yn ddinesydd Prydeinig, yn ffyddlon ac yn wir deyrngar i’w Fawrhydi y Brenin Charles y Trydydd, ei Etifeddion a’i Olynwyr, yn unol â’r gyfraith.
Adduned
Rhoddaf fy nheyrngarwch i’r Deyrnas Unedig a pharchaf ei hawliau a’i rhyddidau. Arddelaf ei gwerthoedd democrataidd. Glynaf yn ffyddlon wrth ei chyfreithiau a chyflawnaf fy nyletswyddau a’m rhwymedigaethau fel dinesydd Prydeinig.