SPOUSE ILR SET M - What Period for declaring travel history/absences

[noorlone]

Hi,

I am applying for ILR under British Spouse next week.

The SET M form is asking to declare the dates I have spent outside of UK (where duration is over 2 weeks). It does not however specify how far back into my travel history should I go.

Is it 2.5 Years? 2 Years OR Since my last extension (June 2023). I have been under this route since Aug 2020 - Almost 5 Years.

Also do I need to upload my wife's passport with all the pages or only First Page?

Please advise?

[CR001]

It's for the last 5 years.

First page should be fine for wife's passport.

[noorlone]

Hi,

Thanks for your response.

When I initially got the Spouse Visa in 2020, I did not move to UK right away. I was still spending more time in my home country while wrapping things up and this took much longer due to COVID restrictions. As a result I have much longer absence in the initial 18 months- longer than 180 days. However, after make the move in 2022 absences are well below the 180 limit.

How could this impact my ILR application? Also do I declare all my travels beyond 2weeks- I travel a lot so my passport is full of stamps and its a tedious process to list down all of them accurately.

I would also highly appreciate if you could give me your own understanding of what is the actual purpose of this travel history under this particular category?

Thanks bunch!!

[CR001]

There is NO absence limit for spouse visa holders. The 180 days absence rule applies to a completely different visa category.

You are required to list ALL absence which are more than 2 weeks for the whole 5 years, as the form asks.

Your qualifying period for ILR starts from the date you first entered the UK on a spouse visa. What date did you first enter on your spouse visa??

[noorlone]

Hi,

I entered on 15 Sep 2020 but left the next month and only came back in August 2021. How would the case officer treat such a long absence & do would it help if I submit a covering letter to explain it was due to COVID etc?

Also does that reset my continous residenece clock for when I do apply for citizenship after ILR (if it get it ?

[zimba]

Hi,

I entered on 15 Sep 2020 but left the next month and only came back in August 2021. How would the case officer treat such a long absence & do would it help if I submit a covering letter to explain it was due to COVID etc?

Also does that reset my continous residenece clock for when I do apply for citizenship after ILR (if it get it ?

There is no absence requirement under the family route to get ILR. You do not need to do anything.

British citizenship is a totally different application under the nationality law, with totally different and separate requirements.
There is no 180-day continuous residence requirement at all under nationality law