Citizenship ceremonies

Attending a citizenship ceremony is the final step ibecoming a British citizen. Usually, you must attend a citizenship ceremony within three months of receiving confirmation from the Home Office that your application for citizenship has been successful.

Because of the ceremony's civic and patriotic nature, the government has stated that citizenship ceremonies should take place in a building with suitable civic or municipal links. 

Why the ceremony is part of British citizenship

 Becoming a British citizen is a special public celebration. Everyone who applies must take an oath or affirmation to show their loyalty to the United Kingdom and the Crown. You can choose to swear an oath or make an affirmation, depending on your personal preference or religious beliefs. The wording for both is available on the GOV.UK website.

In 2004, the government decided to incorporate the oath and pledge into a public ceremony involving civic and municipal dignitaries. In Oxfordshire, the Superintendent Registrar conducts the ceremony in the presence of the Lord Lieutenant for Oxfordshire, a Deputy Lord Lieutenant, or another local dignitary.

The government places great importance on ensuring those who settle here that all future citizens understand the rights and responsibilities of British citizenship. In addition, they believe the government believes that all new citizens should be encouraged to feel a sense of belonging to the wider community. A ceremony of a public and celebratory nature helps to foster this.

Types of ceremony

We offer two types of ceremony: 

Group ceremonies: For these ceremonies, we welcome 30 new citizens together. The group ceremonies take place once a week, usually in the Council Chamber at County Hall, and there are no additional charges to attend. We may add additional group ceremonies during the week when demand is high.

You should arrive in good time before the ceremony starts so that we can check your identification and confirm your attendance. After registering, you can enjoy a light refreshment while you wait for the ceremony to begin. The ceremony starts with a short welcome, followed by a speech from a local dignitary on behalf of the community.

The civic dignitary will present you with your certificate of naturalisation and a welcome pack. Everyone will then be invited to stand and sing the National Anthem. There is no official photographer, but at the end of the ceremony, you’ll have time to take your own photos with your guests, the civic dignitary, and the flags.

Private ceremonies: This type of ceremony is a more personal way to obtain your British Citizenship. Private ceremonies usually take place on Tuesday afternoons or Wednesday mornings at the Oxford Register Office. 

Although there are no local dignitaries present at a private ceremony, you will still take your oath and pledge in front of the Superintendent Registrar and be presented with your naturalisation certificate. There is no official photographer for these ceremonies but there will be an opportunity to take your own photos.

You can book a private ceremony at an additional cost starting from £133 per adult citizen. The full list of fees can be found on our fees page.

There is a limited number of private ceremony slots available, and we do not hold or reserve bookings. It is a first-come, first-served service. 

How to book your citizenship ceremony

Once we have received your naturalisation certificate from the Home Office, we will email you to confirm that you can book a ceremony with us. 

Please note that there can be a slight delay between the Home Office sending out successful application confirmations to citizens and us receiving your naturalisation certificate and sending out your invite to book your ceremony. 

Once you have received your invite directly from us, you will then be able to book your ceremony online using the button below.  

When booking your citizenship online, you will need: 

• Your full 16-digit Home Office reference number as it appears on your successful application notification from the Home Office
• Your full legal name as it appears on your Home Office application
• Your email address as it appears on your Home Office application
• Your telephone number as it appears on your Home Office application

What you need to bring to your ceremony

You need to bring: 

• Your letter or email from Home Office confirming that your application has been successful.
• You will also need to bring a form of current photo ID with your date of birth, e.g. driving licence or passport.

Who can come to your ceremony

Guests

If you book a group ceremony, you may bring up to two guests.

If you book a private ceremony, you may bring up to six guests.

There is no need to provide the details of your guests prior to the ceremony as we do not register your guests.

Children under 18 years old

If the citizen is under 18, they are not required to attend a ceremony, but are welcome to take part and receive their naturalisation certificate alongside their family. 

Children who are not receiving citizenship are also welcome to attend your ceremony as a guest, but they must be closely supervised at all times. 

How to apply for British citizenship and a British passport

After you have attended the ceremony, you can apply for a British passport from the HM Passport Office.

The Home Office administers all applications for British citizenship. All enquiries related to your application or certificate should be directed to the Home Office.

Replacement certificate of naturalisation

If you need to replace your certificate of naturalisation, you can download the Replacement citizenship certificate application form from GOV.UK. These are processed directly through the Home Office.