Maximum days of away allowed for ILR

[1/2]

Hi,

I am going to apply for ILR after staying here for 10 years on Student and then work visas. It states that I cannot be away from UK more than 18 months during this period. However, on my passport, it only shows stamps of me returning to the country. How do I prove the number of days I have been away from UK? I have been studying and then working full time during this period, but occasionally I go travelling and back home for holiday.

Thanks a lot!

Sally

[vinny]

Didn't your home country stamp your passport on entry and exit?

[1/2]

No. When I leave UK, I don't get a stamp. When I go back to Hong Kong, I don't get stamp because I am a citizen. When I go to other European countries, I don't get stamp either because I am an British National Overseas (BNO).

[Christophe]

On the form, just put the dates that you have been out of the country.

Do you have records of things such as bank statements, credit card bills, rent statements, utility bills, pay slips for the period that you have lived here)? (It wouldn't have to be the same thing for the whole period.)

In all likelihood you won't be asked to produce anything.

And don't worry about the passport stamps per se. The Home Office chose not to stamp people out of the country, so they won't expect to see any UK exit stamps. Plenty of countries do not stamp their own citizens in and out, so that is not unusual. Although the Schengen countries are fairly assiduous at stamping passports, not all European countries are, and again you won't be first first applicant for naturalisation with no passport stamps to show for your travels.

[1/2]

I don't have bank statements in the first few years (too young to know they are useful) but I was in full-time eduation. If they are not that strict about it, I should be fine! Thanks a lot!