British citizenship! A few questions

Hello!

Amidst political chaos in the UK, I am finally going to bite the bullet and apply for my UK citizenship in the coming month. I have had ILR for 18 months and have been offered some financial help so I think it’s time – plus I want to go traveling for an extended period of time next year and don’t want to worry about having to later document and calculate all of my days out of country so I really just need to get this done!

I just have a few questions:
1)   I have ILR, my husband is British – so I think I have to be in the UK exactly 3 years before I apply? Which is fine if it’s 3 years, but 5 years ago I was in the USA on an extended holiday so that would mess me up a little and I’d have to wait. Is it definitely 3 years for spouses?
2)   I have been out of the country 280 days in the last 5 years, 153 in the last 3 years, and 52 in the last 12 months. All good here, I think? (I am also calculating the day I left the UK as a day outside, not sure what everyone else does here? Is it full days outside the UK?)
3)   Does anyone know current processing times? We are hoping to leave the UK in April next year for a few months, so I really want to get this done before then. I can always travel on my US passport if it’s not done by then though and come back for my ceremony etc – right?

Thank you SO much. This forum has been such a help in the past x

1)   I have ILR, my husband is British – so I think I have to be in the UK exactly 3 years before I apply? Which is fine if it’s 3 years, but 5 years ago I was in the USA on an extended holiday so that would mess me up a little and I’d have to wait. Is it definitely 3 years for spouses?

If you are married to a UK citizen, it's 3 years.

You must:
- hold ILR
- have been physically present in the UK exactly 3 years prior to your citizenship application date
- have not been outside the UK for more than 270 days in the last 3 years, with no more than 90 of those days in the last 12 months (you don't count the days you left and returned to the UK on each trip)

2)   I have been out of the country 280 days in the last 5 years, 153 in the last 3 years, and 52 in the last 12 months. All good here, I think? (I am also calculating the day I left the UK as a day outside, not sure what everyone else does here? Is it full days outside the UK?)

Yep, all good. As mentioned above you DO NOT count the day you left OR the day you returned, because you were physically inside the UK on part of those days.

3)   Does anyone know current processing times? We are hoping to leave the UK in April next year for a few months, so I really want to get this done before then. I can always travel on my US passport if it’s not done by then though and come back for my ceremony etc – right?

Don't know current processing times, but it can take up to 6 months.

Not sure about whether you can travel or not - can't remember.

Amazing, thank you so much for your reply! So it will end up being less days than i thought 

Will wait to hear from someone else regarding travel. I can always come back to the UK if I need to, but just need to make sure I can travel on my US passport...

Hello, just a further question if anyone is able to help out.

I'm completing the application and after putting in my BRP info it asks "Have you made any previous UK immigration applications in the UK or abroad?" (dont know why they phrase the question like that, we obviously have if we're applying for citizenship!)

I was on the 5 year spouse visa route so do I list ALL of the applications I've made, including ILR? So ILR, FLR, ILE and then my Tier 4 student visa before that? 

It also asks 'where my application was made.' I believe my Tier 4 was the New York Consulate but my initial spouse visa mailed from USA and sent to Sheffield - is that correct, or do I put California where it was physically mailed from?

Thanks so much if anyone can help 

Hello, just a further question if anyone is able to help out.

I'm completing the application and after putting in my BRP info it asks "Have you made any previous UK immigration applications in the UK or abroad?" (dont know why they phrase the question like that, we obviously have if we're applying for citizenship!)

I was on the 5 year spouse visa route so do I list ALL of the applications I've made, including ILR? So ILR, FLR, ILE and then my Tier 4 student visa before that? 

It also asks 'where my application was made.' I believe my Tier 4 was the New York Consulate but my initial spouse visa mailed from USA and sent to Sheffield - is that correct, or do I put California where it was physically mailed from?

Thanks so much if anyone can help 

I'd just list them all and be done with it. For the spouse visa, I would say that you applied from the USA and it was processed in Sheffield.

Thanks so much @larrabee, I submitted and just listed them all. This application is so much more vague than the previous ones, but I guess it's meant to be the most straightforward of them all!

Last quick question as I gather my docs for my appointment coming up, it says if your passport hasn't been stamped you need to provide proof that you were here but it doesn't list much else. I started using the e-gates earlier this year so it's not been stamped the last few times I've come in. I'm going to get a letter from my employer saying I started in June and still work here, and a P60 from my old job. I'm probably overthinking it - does that sound fine?

Thanks again  Nearly done!

Thanks so much @larrabee, I submitted and just listed them all. This application is so much more vague than the previous ones, but I guess it's meant to be the most straightforward of them all!

Last quick question as I gather my docs for my appointment coming up, it says if your passport hasn't been stamped you need to provide proof that you were here but it doesn't list much else. I started using the e-gates earlier this year so it's not been stamped the last few times I've come in. I'm going to get a letter from my employer saying I started in June and still work here, and a P60 from my old job. I'm probably overthinking it - does that sound fine?

Thanks again  Nearly done!

I think it's a good idea to do that.  Good luck!