I want to share another update on my UK naturalisation journey. This follows my post from December 2 where I explained how I completed the application form. After that post, I did not immediately finish everything. Life happened. Work, family, and the end of the year slowed things down. I only reached the payment stage just before the end of 2025.
Once I moved to the document upload section, one requirement became very clear. I needed to complete degree verification through Ecctis.
This part surprised me. I already had an IELTS B2 result from my Tier 2 visa application, and that same IELTS result was accepted again during my ILR application. Naturally, I assumed this would also be enough for naturalisation.
But naturalisation works differently.
At this stage, the Home Office asked for confirmation of my degree level and the mode of teaching. That is where Ecctis comes in.
Ecctis is the UK organisation that verifies overseas qualifications. For naturalisation, they confirm whether your degree is comparable to a UK qualification and whether the degree was taught in English. Even if you already passed IELTS and used it successfully for previous visas, the naturalisation process can still require this academic confirmation.
For the Ecctis application, these are the documents I needed to upload:
• Original diploma
• Official academic transcript
• Certification from the university confirming the degree was taught in English
These documents are reviewed to confirm both qualification level and English language requirement. Without them, the Ecctis application cannot move forward.
The Ecctis service also comes with a cost. The total fee for degree comparability and confirmation of English as the mode of teaching is £252. This is on top of the naturalisation application fee, so it is something families need to plan for.
After submitting the Ecctis application, the waiting period began. This part is stressful because it affects everything else in the timeline.
My TLS appointment is scheduled for January 20, which was the earliest available slot near where we live. The goal is simple. The Ecctis result needs to arrive before that date. If it does not, I will need to reschedule the appointment, which means more waiting and more adjustments around work and family commitments.
This stage reminded me that naturalisation is not only about filling out forms. It is about documents, timing, costs, and patience. Even when you think you already meet the requirements, there can still be extra steps.
For now, I stay hopeful. I check my emails daily. I prepare backup plans. If the Ecctis confirmation arrives in time, I move forward. If not, I pause and adjust. That is part of the journey.
I wanted to share this update because many of you may be in the same situation. You may already have IELTS. You may have used it for previous visas. And yet, naturalisation can still ask for something new.
I will share another update once the Ecctis result comes back and after the TLS appointment. One step at a time.
– Until then, love you bye! And that’s #Dadbuhay.
DadBuhay 
Leave a comment