Applying for UK citizenship with ILR, while outside UK

[British-ilr]

Hello,
Me and my son (age15) have ILR for over a year now and we have been living in UK for over 14 years. Due to my father's health issues I had to come live with him (alongwith my kids, kids are homeschooled) for sometime in Pakistan. Due to his health we might have to stay longer with him.
For how long we can stay with him without effecting my ILR and future process of British citizenship? Someone told me we have to re enter UK within 6 weeks else we won't be able to apply for British Citizenship. And is it possible to start the process of British citizenship while we are outside of UK?
Thanks

[contorted_svy]

You need to be in the UK to apply for citizenship. If you have been out of the country for so long, you won't satisfy the absence rule for having spent more than 90 days outside the UK in the last year of the qualifying period. You'd lose your ILR if you were away for the UK for 2 years or more.

[British-ilr]

So we can get back into the UK within 90 days and apply for UK citizenship without any problem. How long it takes to apply for the citizenship and get it?

[CR001]

How long it takes to apply for the citizenship and get it?

The process after applying and enrolling biometrics can take up to 6 months, sometimes longer. Once approved, you still need to attend the ceremony before you are actually British and once ceremony is done, only then can you apply for a British passport.

[contorted_svy]

So we can get back into the UK within 90 days and apply for UK citizenship without any problem. How long it takes to apply for the citizenship and get it?

You have to have spent less than 90 days abroad in the 12 months before the application, not at least 90. It depends how long you have been abroad.