Need help with my citizenship application!

[mixology12]

Hello everyone,

I wanted to apply for the British Citizenship. I am aware that I have to be present exactly 5 years from the day I apply, that's 2008. In 2008, I've been present only 2 weeks in August. I do have indefinite leave to remain for over 10 years. However, I have been living here for only 4 years. 5 years from August 2008 when I was here, I've been outside of the UK for 740 days. The 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th year I've been studying abroad (school).
I was wondering if I can apply for the British Citizenship in my current circumstances. I do not exceed 900 days in the last 5 years outside of the UK, however I do exceed 730 and I have not been resident in the UK for any period exceeding 4 years from now. I was only coming here occasionally each year as I was studying abroad.

Your help is much appreciated. Thanks.

Mark.

[CR001]

You must meet the standard requirements otherwise you will be refused and lose the fee, 900 days absence is double the allowed absence for the 5 year qualifying period, so you would automatically be refused on this basis :

There are seven requirements you need to meet before you apply:

You must be aged 18 or over.
You must be of sound mind.
You must intend to continue living in the UK, or to continue in Crown service, the service of an international organisation of which the UK is a member, or the service of a company or association established in the UK.
You must be able to communicate in English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic to an acceptable degree.
You must have sufficient knowledge of life in the UK.
You must be of good character.
You must meet the residential requirements (see below).

Residential requirements

To demonstrate the residential requirements for naturalisation, you must have:

been resident in the UK for at least five years (this is known as the residential qualifying period); and
been present in the UK five years before the date of your application; and
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; and
not been in breach of the Immigration Rules at any stage during the five-year period.

When does the residential qualifying period start?

The residential qualifying period is calculated from the day when we receive your application. Most unsuccessful applications fail because the applicant was not present in the UK at the beginning of the residential qualifying period. You must make sure you meet this requirement before you make your application. For example, if we receive your application on 25 March 2010, you must show that you were in the UK on 26 March 2005.

[mixology12]

Hi CR001,

Thanks for your reply. I know these are the requirements, however, it also states the following in the naturalisations booklet requirements:

There is discretion to disregard absences in excess of the limits.

900 days

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[mixology12]

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[Amber]

See also, Discretion on absences from the UK during the residential qualifying period (click)

[VR]

Folks,

Which address are the documents and Certificate of Naturalization returned to?

1)I reliably learn that if you file your application through solicitors, but attach your credit card information in the Fees Payment Form, then the documents and certificate get sent back to the Credit card address.

I am told to avoid this you need to pay the solicitors first and they would disburse from their account, in which case the documents get returned to them.

This question is relevant for folks who have a job offer abroad and want to complete the filing before the take up contracts and wish the documents and certificate are returned to their solicitors.

Also a second question that comes to my mind. There is a possibility that some of them may change the credit card address to their overseas address and should this happen where would the Certificate and documents submitted be returned.

I have one more related query.

2) For folks who are in transit , is it possible to arrange the Oath Ceremony overseas and what is the exact process to be followed?

Appreciate your answers and apologies if its already been address to somewhere.

Cheers
vr