Citizenship application – discretion for long absences

[kaiten99]

I'm planning to apply for British citizenship. I'm an EU citizen and have lived in the UK for about 18 years. I've made the UK my principal home (my wife is British, we live here, I run my own company here, nearly all our financial assets are here, we have two children who are both British citizens).

In the last few years I have been out of the UK rather a lot, mostly due to business trips while working for my UK employer. My absences were about 370 days in the last 3 years and 570 days in the last 5 years. I've also been out of the country for about 150 days in the last 12 months.

I understand that discretion can be exercised for long absences like mine (up to 180 days during the last 12 months and up to 540 days during the last 3 years or 900 days during the last 5 years).

My question is:
Will discretion be exercised for extended absences for both periods (12 months and 3/5 years)? Should I apply now even though I'm over the absence limits for both periods (but under the limit up to which discretion can be exercised), or is it advisable to wait? Does the fact that I have lived in the UK for 18 years have any impact on the decision (and I hardly left the UK in the first 13 years of living here)?

Many thanks for your help!

[CR001]

Do you have a document certifying permanent residence (DCPR)??

[kaiten99]

Yes, I do, I applied for it earlier this year. The accompanying letter says that the date on which I am deemed to have acquired permanent residence in the UK is 12th May 2005.