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Dear experts,

I was issued ILR on 30 Jan 2023. I know I should have been in the UK on application date minus 5 yrs.

I meet all the residency requirements in terms of absences.

I was away from the UK from 31 Jan 2019 until 22 Feb 2019.

Can I apply on 30 Jan 24 or should I wait until 22 Feb 2024 on a safer note. Technically I will complete 12 months on 29 Jan 24 but unsure how UKVI calculates and considers 12 months for naturalisation applications?

12 months from the date of your IRL approval.

You can apply and go away but you must do your biometric before you go.

In my opinion, it is only a month, better to do it when you are back.

bobcat wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 24, 2024 7:13 pm

Dear experts,

I was issued ILR on 30 Jan 2023. I know I should have been in the UK on application date minus 5 yrs.

I meet all the residency requirements in terms of absences.

I was away from the UK from 31 Jan 2019 until 22 Feb 2019.

Can I apply on 30 Jan 24 or should I wait until 22 Feb 2024 on a safer note. Technically I will complete 12 months on 29 Jan 24 but unsure how UKVI calculates and considers 12 months for naturalisation applications?

You can apply from 25th Jan to 30th Jan, or after 22 Feb.

You can also apply between 31st Jan to 21st Feb, it may delay your application but it is not very likely in the current situation.

bobcat wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 24, 2024 7:13 pm

Dear experts,

I was issued ILR on 30 Jan 2023. I know I should have been in the UK on application date minus 5 yrs.

I meet all the residency requirements in terms of absences.

I was away from the UK from 31 Jan 2019 until 22 Feb 2019.

Can I apply on 30 Jan 24 or should I wait until 22 Feb 2024 on a safer note. Technically I will complete 12 months on 29 Jan 24 but unsure how UKVI calculates and considers 12 months for naturalisation applications?

The reason you can apply from 25th Jan to 30th Jan is that less than 5 days of the 12-month requirement will be disregarded.

If you apply between31st Jan to 22nd Feb, it may be delayed because, when your application is assigned to a caseworker, if you are not in the UK the day exactly 5 years before your application, your application will be put on hold until a later date that you were in the UK. That date may be very late depending on how busy they are.

It's not very likely to be delayed because if you apply during that period, the application will not be likely assigned before 22nd Feb. Currently it takes around 2 months to start processing your application. If you were in the UK 5 years ago on the day that the casework is considering your application, you will be fine.

bobcat wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 24, 2024 7:13 pm

Dear experts,

I was issued ILR on 30 Jan 2023. I know I should have been in the UK on application date minus 5 yrs.

I meet all the residency requirements in terms of absences.

I was away from the UK from 31 Jan 2019 until 22 Feb 2019.

Can I apply on 30 Jan 24 or should I wait until 22 Feb 2024 on a safer note. Technically I will complete 12 months on 29 Jan 24 but unsure how UKVI calculates and considers 12 months for naturalisation applications?

The relevant date is 5 years - 1 day. So if you apply on the 30 Jan 2024 you had to be in the country on the 31 Jan 2019, not the 30.

To avoid stress I would apply on the 24 Feb, since on the 23 Feb 2019 you were in the UK and not travelling. Personally speaking saving 3 weeks isn't worth my peace of mind.

Thanks all for the insights into the requirements. Feb seems like safe bet. Thanks again