How many days can I be absent for ILR?

For the 5-year route, you cannot exceed 180 days absence in any 12-month rolling period. For the 10-year Long Residence route, the limit is typically 540 days total absence over the 10 years.

Regulated UK Immigration Tools

ILR Absence Calculator: 180-Day Rule Eligibility Tool

The ILR absence calculator determines if your travel history complies with the Home Office 180-day rolling limit for Indefinite Leave to Remain settlement applications.

Intended Settlement Application Date

Travel History: UK Departure and Return Dates

180-Day Absence Limit for Indefinite Leave to Remain

The ILR absence calculator processes your historical travel records to verify compliance with Appendix Continuous Residence. For the majority of 5-year settlement routes—including Skilled Worker, Spouse, and Global Talent—applicants must demonstrate they have not been outside the UK for more than 180 days in any rolling 12-month period during their qualifying residency.

ILR Absence Calculator: How the Rolling 12-Month Rule Works

UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) employs a “rolling” window rather than a calendar-year assessment. This means an ILR absence calculator must audit every possible 12-month period within your 5 or 10-year residency. If the total number of days outside the UK exceeds 180 in even one of these windows, the Home Office may refuse your settlement application for failing the residence requirement.

What counts as a day of absence in UKVI rules?

A “day of absence” is defined as any day where the applicant was outside the UK at 24:00 (midnight). Under current guidance, the day you depart the UK and the day you return are considered days of presence, provided you were in the country for at least one minute of that calendar day. This tool estimates nights away based on your departure and return dates.

Total Absence Limits for 10-Year Long Residence

Applicants on the Long Residence route (paragraph 276B) face a dual assessment. While the 180-day rolling rule applies to grants of leave issued after April 2024, the primary hurdle is a total cap of 540 days across the entire 10-year qualifying period. Any single trip exceeding 184 days typically breaks continuous residence. It is essential to use a specialist ILR eligibility tool to check these specific thresholds.

Strategic Application Timing via the Absence Calculator

If your calculation indicates a breach of the 180-day limit, you may be able to defer your submission. By moving your intended application date forward, high-absence periods from the start of your residency may “roll out” of the relevant 12-month window. Use this tool to simulate future application dates and find a compliant submission window under the 28-day concession rule.

Regulated Legal Advice

Exceeded the 180-Day Absence Limit?

If your calculation shows more than 180 days of absence, you may need to rely on ‘compelling and compassionate’ circumstances to avoid a refusal. Speak to our UK immigration solicitors today.

Consult a Solicitor

ILR Absence Calculation: Frequently Asked Questions

Do transit connections count as UK absences?

Yes, if you do not pass through UK border control. If you remain “airside” during a connection at Heathrow, you have not entered the UK and the time counts as an absence. If you pass border control, you are legally present.

What if I exceeded 180 days due to COVID-19?

The Home Office provides specific concessions for travel disruptions caused by the pandemic. You must provide evidence (e.g., flight cancellations or medical records) to explain why the absence was beyond your control.