Going abroad for a year after qualifying period

[maggieptasinska]

Hey all!

I tried to find an answer to this question in previous topics but I'm just wasting time. I have lived in the UK for 6 and a half years and I'm away for a year. Can I still become a citizen? I haven't been absent for longer periods of time during the qualifying period so I should be ok right?

[Casa]

You can't be absent for more than 90 days in the 12 month period prior to applying for British citizenship.

[secret.simon]

The British naturalisation application works differently from PR applications.

For the British naturalisation application, the qualifying period is always the five years immediately preceding date of application and the absence requirements must be met in that qualifying period.One of the requirements is that you can not have an absence of more than 90 days in the 12 months immediately preceding the date of application, as Casa has advised.

So, if you are absent for a year, your naturalisation application would be delayed until 9 months after your return.