The "Start Date" Rule for British citizenship

[aws2]

Hi,

I understand there is a “start date” rule for British citizenship, which requires applicants to have been physically present in the UK exactly five years before the date of application.

Are there any exceptions to this requirement? At that time, I was outside the UK due to COVID-19 lockdowns, flight cancellations, and hospitalisation after contracting COVID.

Given these circumstances, would it be advisable to wait before applying in order to fully meet this rule?

[secret.simon]

Assuming that you are not married to a British citizen, you need to be "physically present" in the UK at the start of the five year period immediately before the date of application.

So, if you were to apply today, you would need to have been physically in the UK on 6th Feb 2026.

This requirement was mandatory till 2022-23, but was changed by Act of Parliament. The Home Office now has discretion to ignore the requirement.

The Home office guidance states that it would exercise discretion to ignore that requirement if every other requirement (such as both the absence requirements, over five years and one year before the date of application, etc) are met.

Essentially, discretion can be exercised to ignore only one requirement for British citizenship. Keep in mind that as a Commonwealth citizen (based on your flag) with ILR, you already have most of the privileges of a British citizen within the UK, including being elected to the Commons or appointed to the Lords.

So, if you meet every other requirement and do not need discretion to ignore any other requirement, you can apply now.