Cornwall Council provides citizenship ceremonies under the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.

You must be aged 18 years or over to apply for naturalisation or registration as a British Citizen. If your application is accepted you must take part in a citizenship ceremony.

At the citizenship ceremony prospective citizens make an oath or affirmation to Her Majesty the Queen. They make a pledge of loyalty to the United Kingdom. They are then presented with their naturalisation certificate.

The process

The Home Office sends a letter of approval. When you receive the letter you should email truroregistrars@cornwall.gov.uk to find out which ceremony you may attend. Alternatively telephone 0300 1234 181 between 9am - 4.30pm Monday to Friday and ask for Truro Register Office.

You will need to attend a ceremony within three months of  approval. If you don't you may have to make a new application.

'Life in Great Britain’ is an online reference subscription site available to Cornwall library members. It helps you to learn, practice and revise for the British Citizenship test

Ceremony Venues

Standard group citizenship ceremonies are usually held on the first Friday in every month at County Hall, Truro. Please see the list of ceremony dates below. The maximum number of places available in each standard group ceremony is 16.

You may wish to celebrate the acquisition of citizenship in a personal way. For example you may wish to have an individual ceremony at Truro Registration Office. Citizenship ceremonies cannot be held at private homes. You will need to contact Truro Registration Office for this type of ceremony . Allow plenty of time so that arrangements can be made for the ceremony to be held within the 3 month period. If you choose to have a personal ceremony you will have to pay an additional fee.

Guests

You are welcome to bring guests to your ceremony but numbers are restricted to 2-3 guests per applicant.  Attendance at a standard group ceremony will be by invitation only.

Children

There is no legal requirement for applicants under the age of 18 to attend a ceremony and take the oath and pledge. However, if children (under 18 years) wish to attend and take the oath and pledge then they are welcome to do so. Please let Truro Registration Office know as soon as possible if children wish to attend.

The Ceremony

Applicants and guests should arrive 45 minutes before the ceremony is due to start.

The standard group ceremony is led by the Superintendent Registrar and includes:

• Introduction and Welcome
• Address by local dignitary
• Taking or affirming of the Oath and Pledge
• Address by the Chairman of the Council (or their representative)
• Presentation of Citizenship certificate and a Cornwall Council gift (a lapel badge made of Cornish tin)

The Home Office will send a copy of the Oath and Pledge to all applicants.

As the Oath is made to Almighty God you may wish to bring along a holy book. This is a personal matter and not something required for the purpose of the citizenship ceremony. If preferred, allegiance can be affirmed, rather than sworn before God.

You must bring to the ceremony:

• your Home Office approval letter, 
• your invitation letter issued by Cornwall Council 
• a form of photographic identity (This can be a passport or driving licence. We do not accept the old style paper driving licence that doesn't include photographic identity.)

Questions

Application enquiries - contact the Home Office Ceremonies Support Team - 0300 123 2253 (find out about call charges).

Ceremony enquiries  - contact Cornwall Registration Service by email truroregistrars@cornwall.gov.uk or phone  0300 1234 181 between  9.30am - 4.00pm Monday to Friday and ask for Truro Registration Office.

Standard Citizenship Ceremony Dates

Dates for 2019/2020

Please note.  Ceremonies start at 2:30pm and we ask citizenship attendees to arrive no later than 1:45pm.

For Non Standard Citizenship Ceremonies Fees

Individual ceremony (25 guests plus children)