Applying for citizenship - One absence of 275 days

[ardavho]

Hi,

Thanks for all of the great advice on the forum so far, it has helped heaps.

I am looking at applying for naturalisation. I have had indefinite leave to remain since January 2023.

I went back to Australia on 16 November 2023 to 18 August 2024 (275 days in total). During this time, I ended my flat tenancy, council tax, etc. in the UK and moved back in with my parents to save for a house deposit for my first home here in the UK.

The total amount of days I have been outside of the UK since moving to the UK in 2017 is 348 days.
The total amount of days I have been outside of the UK in the last 12 months has been 15 days.

This one long absence when I moved back to Australia, would this impact my application (e.g., would it reset the 5 year residency requirement to the day I returned to the UK from Australia)? I have read online that long absences such as this can impact.

Or, because I am under the '450-days in 5-years' and '90-days in last 12-months' requirements, I would likely have no issue?

Thanks kindly!

[contorted_svy]

You would be ok, but you need to declare your addresses in the UK for the last 5 years. As you have a gap, make sure you explain that in your cover letter. Continuous residence is not a requirement for citizenship in the same way it is for ILR. Also the relevant period for you is from Sep 2020, not 2017.