Naturalisation - Please help me get my dates right!

hi there,

I am a US citizen resident in the UK with a spouse visa (ILR granted Feb 2006), and I am just starting to think ahead to naturalisation.

I entered the UK on a fiancee visa on 5 Feb 2004. However, I had previously been in the UK as a visitor in October 2003 for a week. I have added up the time I have been out of the UK since my entry as a visitor on 14 October 2003, and it adds up to only 133 days. It is my understanding that you are allowed 270 days out of the country within the three years, and that time as a visitor does indeed count.

So does this mean I can apply for naturalisation on 14 October of this year, rather than having to wait until 5 Feb 2007?

I will be travelling outside the country in February, and would love to have it all done and dusted before I go!

Thanks is advance for your help!

Modified to add: I was a student for four years in the UK previous to this, but as the time out of the country after I left would put me above 270 days, I assume I can't use this time towards naturalisation?

I don't think that your time as a visitor would count,  as more than three months lapsed between then and your entry as a fiancee, and you clearly were visitng and were not settled.  Think you'll have to wait until Feb.

Vicky