British Naturalisation - Urgent advice

[ILR_UK2012]

Dear Moderators and Immigration Gurus,

I'm a silent reader of this forum from the past six months and finally got my ILR in Feb 2012. I would like to take this oppurtunity to thank all moderators and others on this site.

After getting my ILR, I was told that I can apply for Naturalisation after one year. I'm an engineer and my company is looking to send me to Middle East on a long term project for 1 year and willing to assist with Immigration queries in the future.

As you know that for AN naturalisation application, the residential requirement is not spent more than 450 days outside the UK during the five-year period; and not spent more than 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months of the five-year period;

Since I'm going on business visit, would this 1 year away from UK effect my naturalisation application next year? Please advise.

Thanking you very much

Regards
Sameer

[Jambo]

Unlike ILR, for naturalisation all absences are counted - business and personal.

As you correctly stated the requirements, if you leave for one year, you will not meet the less than 90 days in the last year so once you return to the UK, you will need to wait around 9 months until this is met. Depending on how many days you have been away before, you might need to wait longer to meet the less than 450 days requirement.

[friendinneed]

There is always the option of applying for special dispensation but ultimately its a poor gamble and I suspect you are more than likely to find you've wasted your application fee.

Is there an option to not work on this project, it may be your best option if you are keen to get your BC