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To keep it short and simple, you'd have to wait till 2026. You have to be in country 5 years to the day you apply.odesseyandoracle wrote: ↑Tue May 21, 2024 1:12 pmHi everyone,
I'm an EU national, I have EUSS for a year now and I am considering applying for naturalisation.
My immigration story is below:
September 2016 - December 2017 / Moved to UK to do my Masters
January 2018 - April 2019 / went back home to care for a sick relative
April 2019 - January 2020 / I was back in the UK and was mostly a jobseeker and freelancer for a bit
January 2020 - January 2021 / I went on a 2-month trip back home, and got stuck out due to COVID-19 and as a person at high risk. I also got sick during spring-summer 2020. Then flight were resumed but I was afraid as a person at high risk and also I was helping my parents. So, basically I spent the 2nd half of this period obsessively trying to rent a private room with online viewings and find a job in order to come back safely. I found a room in November 2020, but I postponed until January on medical advice (surging cases, new variants etc.). In January it was still risky but I travelled anyway.
January 2021 - today / continuously working as a freelancer and now on a permanent full time contract, no further long absences
The big problem is my total absences are 722, 380 of which are from January 2020 - January 2021. If I returned on march as I planned they would be below 450.
I know I can always wait and apply in 2026, but honestly if I have a 50/50 chance now I might go for it. It would be a huge emotional relief utilised this completely lost year of 2020 for something good.
Any odds for this case? Any similar stories with approvals or refusals?
Thank you
We don't have lots of successful cases where members have reported back their covid absences being waived. From your situation, though you were classified as vulnerable, it was not impossible for you to travel once borders reopened (eg you were bedridden or in hospital) so it would likely be seen as you opting not to travel rather than being impossible for you to travel. As you have a long absence in 2018-2019 you also can't evidence you've been here for 7 years rather than 5 and get discretion of your absences that way. I would strongly advise to wait until Jan 2026.odesseyandoracle wrote: ↑Tue May 21, 2024 1:12 pmHi everyone,
I'm an EU national, I have EUSS for a year now and I am considering applying for naturalisation.
My immigration story is below:
September 2016 - December 2017 / Moved to UK to do my Masters
January 2018 - April 2019 / went back home to care for a sick relative
April 2019 - January 2020 / I was back in the UK and was mostly a jobseeker and freelancer for a bit
January 2020 - January 2021 / I went on a 2-month trip back home, and got stuck out due to COVID-19 and as a person at high risk. I also got sick during spring-summer 2020. Then flight were resumed but I was afraid as a person at high risk and also I was helping my parents. So, basically I spent the 2nd half of this period obsessively trying to rent a private room with online viewings and find a job in order to come back safely. I found a room in November 2020, but I postponed until January on medical advice (surging cases, new variants etc.). In January it was still risky but I travelled anyway.
January 2021 - today / continuously working as a freelancer and now on a permanent full time contract, no further long absences
The big problem is my total absences are 722, 380 of which are from January 2020 - January 2021. If I returned on march as I planned they would be below 450.
I know I can always wait and apply in 2026, but honestly if I have a 50/50 chance now I might go for it. It would be a huge emotional relief utilised this completely lost year of 2020 for something good.
Any odds for this case? Any similar stories with approvals or refusals?
Thank you
That's really disappointing to hear. I thought they'd be a bit more flexible with covid. so not even 50/50 chancecontorted_svy wrote: ↑Tue May 21, 2024 2:26 pmWe don't have lots of successful cases where members have reported back their covid absences being waived. From your situation, though you were classified as vulnerable, it was not impossible for you to travel once borders reopened (eg you were bedridden or in hospital) so it would likely be seen as you opting not to travel rather than being impossible for you to travel. As you have a long absence in 2018-2019 you also can't evidence you've been here for 7 years rather than 5 and get discretion of your absences that way. I would strongly advise to wait until Jan 2026.odesseyandoracle wrote: ↑Tue May 21, 2024 1:12 pmHi everyone,
I'm an EU national, I have EUSS for a year now and I am considering applying for naturalisation.
My immigration story is below:
September 2016 - December 2017 / Moved to UK to do my Masters
January 2018 - April 2019 / went back home to care for a sick relative
April 2019 - January 2020 / I was back in the UK and was mostly a jobseeker and freelancer for a bit
January 2020 - January 2021 / I went on a 2-month trip back home, and got stuck out due to COVID-19 and as a person at high risk. I also got sick during spring-summer 2020. Then flight were resumed but I was afraid as a person at high risk and also I was helping my parents. So, basically I spent the 2nd half of this period obsessively trying to rent a private room with online viewings and find a job in order to come back safely. I found a room in November 2020, but I postponed until January on medical advice (surging cases, new variants etc.). In January it was still risky but I travelled anyway.
January 2021 - today / continuously working as a freelancer and now on a permanent full time contract, no further long absences
The big problem is my total absences are 722, 380 of which are from January 2020 - January 2021. If I returned on march as I planned they would be below 450.
I know I can always wait and apply in 2026, but honestly if I have a 50/50 chance now I might go for it. It would be a huge emotional relief utilised this completely lost year of 2020 for something good.
Any odds for this case? Any similar stories with approvals or refusals?
Thank you
They expect you to show it was impossible for you to travel, eg cancelled flight tickets. You stayed way beyond the time that borders reopened so your case would have slim chances.odesseyandoracle wrote: ↑Tue May 21, 2024 2:52 pmThat's really disappointing to hear. I thought they'd be a bit more flexible with covid. so not even 50/50 chancecontorted_svy wrote: ↑Tue May 21, 2024 2:26 pmWe don't have lots of successful cases where members have reported back their covid absences being waived. From your situation, though you were classified as vulnerable, it was not impossible for you to travel once borders reopened (eg you were bedridden or in hospital) so it would likely be seen as you opting not to travel rather than being impossible for you to travel. As you have a long absence in 2018-2019 you also can't evidence you've been here for 7 years rather than 5 and get discretion of your absences that way. I would strongly advise to wait until Jan 2026.odesseyandoracle wrote: ↑Tue May 21, 2024 1:12 pmHi everyone,
I'm an EU national, I have EUSS for a year now and I am considering applying for naturalisation.
My immigration story is below:
September 2016 - December 2017 / Moved to UK to do my Masters
January 2018 - April 2019 / went back home to care for a sick relative
April 2019 - January 2020 / I was back in the UK and was mostly a jobseeker and freelancer for a bit
January 2020 - January 2021 / I went on a 2-month trip back home, and got stuck out due to COVID-19 and as a person at high risk. I also got sick during spring-summer 2020. Then flight were resumed but I was afraid as a person at high risk and also I was helping my parents. So, basically I spent the 2nd half of this period obsessively trying to rent a private room with online viewings and find a job in order to come back safely. I found a room in November 2020, but I postponed until January on medical advice (surging cases, new variants etc.). In January it was still risky but I travelled anyway.
January 2021 - today / continuously working as a freelancer and now on a permanent full time contract, no further long absences
The big problem is my total absences are 722, 380 of which are from January 2020 - January 2021. If I returned on march as I planned they would be below 450.
I know I can always wait and apply in 2026, but honestly if I have a 50/50 chance now I might go for it. It would be a huge emotional relief utilised this completely lost year of 2020 for something good.
Any odds for this case? Any similar stories with approvals or refusals?
Thank you
Well, as I mentioned I'm a person at very high risk and doctors told me and have written statements not to even go out of the house and be extra cautious. I got sick for 2+ months and it was a nightmare. I was also living with my mother/grandmother who I was helping. Technically I could have flown back in terms of open airports but this trip could have deadly consequences for me and they should really consider such cases. I think their rules on this are very unfaircontorted_svy wrote: ↑Tue May 21, 2024 3:31 pmThey expect you to show it was impossible for you to travel, eg cancelled flight tickets. You stayed way beyond the time that borders reopened so your case would have slim chances.odesseyandoracle wrote: ↑Tue May 21, 2024 2:52 pmThat's really disappointing to hear. I thought they'd be a bit more flexible with covid. so not even 50/50 chancecontorted_svy wrote: ↑Tue May 21, 2024 2:26 pmWe don't have lots of successful cases where members have reported back their covid absences being waived. From your situation, though you were classified as vulnerable, it was not impossible for you to travel once borders reopened (eg you were bedridden or in hospital) so it would likely be seen as you opting not to travel rather than being impossible for you to travel. As you have a long absence in 2018-2019 you also can't evidence you've been here for 7 years rather than 5 and get discretion of your absences that way. I would strongly advise to wait until Jan 2026.odesseyandoracle wrote: ↑Tue May 21, 2024 1:12 pmHi everyone,
I'm an EU national, I have EUSS for a year now and I am considering applying for naturalisation.
My immigration story is below:
September 2016 - December 2017 / Moved to UK to do my Masters
January 2018 - April 2019 / went back home to care for a sick relative
April 2019 - January 2020 / I was back in the UK and was mostly a jobseeker and freelancer for a bit
January 2020 - January 2021 / I went on a 2-month trip back home, and got stuck out due to COVID-19 and as a person at high risk. I also got sick during spring-summer 2020. Then flight were resumed but I was afraid as a person at high risk and also I was helping my parents. So, basically I spent the 2nd half of this period obsessively trying to rent a private room with online viewings and find a job in order to come back safely. I found a room in November 2020, but I postponed until January on medical advice (surging cases, new variants etc.). In January it was still risky but I travelled anyway.
January 2021 - today / continuously working as a freelancer and now on a permanent full time contract, no further long absences
The big problem is my total absences are 722, 380 of which are from January 2020 - January 2021. If I returned on march as I planned they would be below 450.
I know I can always wait and apply in 2026, but honestly if I have a 50/50 chance now I might go for it. It would be a huge emotional relief utilised this completely lost year of 2020 for something good.
Any odds for this case? Any similar stories with approvals or refusals?
Thank you
Thank you for the link and the help! This is a kind of similar story to mine actually, about the same days out due to covid, but my overall absences are more. I'll probably hold off because applying now would cause me a lot of stress. I just find it unfair that they treat such cases that waycontorted_svy wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2024 10:07 amTo my knowledge this is the only successful case of COVID related absences that were waived on the forum. viewtopic.php?t=345672