British Citizenship Absence Calculator
Check your absences against the 450-day and 90-day limits for naturalisation, and see the earliest date your travel history allows you to apply.
Use a future date to plan when to apply.
Your trips outside the UK
Only whole days count, so the days you leave and return are not absences. Your trips are saved in this browser only.
Your result
Never reconstruct your travel history again
Days Monitor logs the country you are in every day, so your UK days and trips abroad are recorded as you go and ready to export when you apply.
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The residence requirements for British citizenship
Standard route (5 years)
You must have been in the UK on the first day of the 5-year period, been absent for no more than 450 days in those 5 years and no more than 90 days in the final 12 months, and have been free of immigration time restrictions (for example, with ILR) for the last 12 months.
Spouse or civil partner route (3 years)
If you are married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, the period is 3 years with no more than 270 days absent and 90 days in the final 12 months. You need ILR or equivalent on the date you apply.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days can I spend outside the UK before applying for citizenship?
On the standard route you must not have been absent for more than 450 days in the 5 years before your application, and no more than 90 days in the final 12 months. If you are married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, the limit is 270 days in 3 years, again with no more than 90 days in the last 12 months.
How are absences counted for naturalisation?
Only whole days count. The Home Office guidance says the dates you leave and arrive back in the UK are not counted as absences.
When does the 5-year qualifying period start?
The period is the 5 years ending with the date of your application. You normally need to have been physically in the UK on the first day of that period, which is the day after the same date 5 years earlier.
What if I am slightly over the absence limits?
The Home Office can use discretion. Its guidance says caseworkers should normally exercise discretion where you are no more than 30 days over the total limit, or have up to 100 days of absence in the final year, provided you meet all the other requirements. Larger excesses need you to show the UK is your home and that other conditions apply.
How long do I need to have had ILR before applying for citizenship?
On the standard 5-year route you must have been free of immigration time restrictions, for example by holding ILR or settled status, for the 12 months before you apply. If you are the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen, you only need ILR or equivalent on the date you apply.
Related calculators
- ILR absence calculator: the 180-day rule for settlement
- UK Statutory Residence Test: your UK tax residence, which is a separate test
- Schengen 90/180 calculator: for UK passport holders travelling in Europe
Disclaimer: This calculator is for information only and is not legal or immigration advice. The Home Office can apply exceptions and discretion that a calculator cannot assess. Rules checked against the GOV.UK citizenship requirements and the Home Office naturalisation guidance in November 2026.
