Birth, death and marriage registration

When people aged 18 years or over have made a successful application for British citizenship, the Home Office sends them an invitation to a ceremony. If they live in Medway, they should contact the Register Office within 14 days to make a booking.

Ceremonies are held at the Corn Exchange in Rochester and at the Register Office in Chatham. People attending a group ceremony along with other new citizens can bring up to four guests with them. It is also possible to arrange an individual ceremony with the opportunity to bring a larger number of family and friends.

At the ceremony the new citizen will have to say an oath or affirmation of allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen and make a pledge of loyalty to the United Kingdom. The ceremony is also an opportunity to welcome the new citizen to Medway and be presented with a Certificate of Naturalisation.

Ceremonies reinforce the fact that citizenship brings both rights and responsibilities and they help encourage new citizens to play an active part in the community.

To book a ceremony or to enquire about the arrangements within Medway, please contact the Register Office using the details at the foot of the page.

For information on how to apply for citizenship and about what happens afterwards, please visit the the Home Office Ceremonies website (www.uknationality.gov.uk/content/british_citizenship/english/homepage.html).

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