Reason for Abscence for naturalisation application

[Apli111]

Hi,
I have been away from UK for about 385 days consecutively in last 5 years (as I went to look after my parents who were unwell).I have few queries with regards to my naturalisation application (planning to submit tomorrow IA through NCS):
1. In section 1.17 of form AN where you mention about pervious addresses of last 5 years, do I need to mention my Pakistani address?
2. In section 2.2 and in the column of reason of visit for the same time period, should I write visiting relatives?
3. My wife covers her head for religious reasons. Is picture with head scarf acceptable?
Many thanks.

[Gyfrinachgar]

1. In section 1.17 of form AN where you mention about pervious addresses of last 5 years, do I need to mention my Pakistani address?

Yes, if you have holes in your past-addresses list, that would cause concern and delay your application substantially. Just list where you have lived, regardless whether it was inside or outside the UK.

2. In section 2.2 and in the column of reason of visit for the same time period, should I write visiting relatives?

Since that was the reason: yes.

3. My wife covers her head for religious reasons. Is picture with head scarf acceptable?

As long as it only covers the hair, but not any part of the face. See here.

[Tra2003]

1. In section 1.17 of form AN where you mention about pervious addresses of last 5 years, do I need to mention my Pakistani address?

Yes, if you have holes in your past-addresses list, that would cause concern and delay your application substantially. Just list where you have lived, regardless whether it was inside or outside the UK.

2. In section 2.2 and in the column of reason of visit for the same time period, should I write visiting relatives?

Since that was the reason: yes.

3. My wife covers her head for religious reasons. Is picture with head scarf acceptable?

As long as it only covers the hair, but not any part of the face. See here.

Please in reference to your answer to 1&2 above. Does one have to include adresses where one was on hoiliday. I have applied on the basis of 3yrs married to a BC. In Jan 2010, my kids and i visited hubby outside the UK on holiday for about 50days and again in Aug for 20 days. As our permanent home and where we have currently resided since 2000 is in the UK, do i still have to write all the hotel addresses we stayed at during our visits outside the UK?
Thanks

[Gyfrinachgar]

Please in reference to your answer to 1&2 above. Does one have to include adresses where one was on hoiliday. I have applied on the basis of 3yrs married to a BC. In Jan 2010, my kids and i visited hubby outside the UK on holiday for about 50days and again in Aug for 20 days.

Technically holidays are not listed - but then again, I have never heard of a holiday THAT long. 50 days absence might not be accepted as holiday. However, if your primary living address was in the UK and this was truely a holiday, ther eis nothing wrong with that. Alternatively, you could try something like the following:
period 1: UK address
period 2: absence from the UK, address: various hotels (details available upon request)
period 3: UK address

[Tra2003]

Please in reference to your answer to 1&2 above. Does one have to include adresses where one was on hoiliday. I have applied on the basis of 3yrs married to a BC. In Jan 2010, my kids and i visited hubby outside the UK on holiday for about 50days and again in Aug for 20 days.

Technically holidays are not listed - but then again, I have never heard of a holiday THAT long. 50 days absence might not be accepted as holiday. However, listing all hotels there would be overkill. I would probably do something like the following:
period 1: UK address
period 2: absence from the UK, address: various hotels (details available upon request)
period 3: UK address

Thanks for your quick reply. I am so upset now that my solicitor never adviced me on this. She asked me to put my UK address and that she will make up a letter explaining reasons for my absences during these times. Do you think this might affect or delay my application.
Thanks again for your comments.

[Gyfrinachgar]

She asked me to put my UK address and that she will make up a letter explaining reasons for my absences during these times. Do you think this might affect or delay my application.

No. With a solid, well thought-out cover letter that should not be a problem at all.

[Tra2003]

She asked me to put my UK address and that she will make up a letter explaining reasons for my absences during these times. Do you think this might affect or delay my application.

No. With a solid, well thought-out cover letter that should not be a problem at all.

Thanks very much Gyfrinachgar, you are a star, now i can relax and enjoy the rest of my weekend

[rod_p]

If you maintained a UK address during your absence, mention of "vacation" address(es) is entirely unnecessary.

You are allowed to be out of the UK for 90 day stretches prior to ILR, so a 50 day vacation is not that big a deal. ILR follows much stricter absence criteria than naturalisation. The addresses are used to perform police, UKBA and credit checks ( and checks for allegedly council tax ).

If your solicitor chose to do something a certain way ( to cover off a few points ), you should not worry as if they are OISC regulated,you are not their first case and they know what they're doing.

[Tra2003]

If you maintained a UK address during your absence, mention of "vacation" address(es) is entirely unnecessary.

You are allowed to be out of the UK for 90 day stretches prior to ILR, so a 50 day vacation is not that big a deal. ILR follows much stricter absence criteria than naturalisation. The addresses are used to perform police, UKBA and credit checks ( and checks for allegedly council tax ).

If your solicitor chose to do something a certain way ( to cover off a few points ), you should not worry as if they are OISC regulated,you are not their first case and they know what they're doing.

Thanks Rod, i had ILR since 2001 married to a BC and only just decided to apply recently. But have always maintained my UK address each time i have been away on holiday from the UK. Thanks for the reassurance.

[ban.s]

I too agree that you do not need to provide any overseas address in this instance.
It's required if someoone relocated abroad or had significant long absence and the overseas address was the primary address during that period.

[Apli111]

1. In section 1.17 of form AN where you mention about pervious addresses of last 5 years, do I need to mention my Pakistani address?

Yes, if you have holes in your past-addresses list, that would cause concern and delay your application substantially. Just list where you have lived, regardless whether it was inside or outside the UK.

2. In section 2.2 and in the column of reason of visit for the same time period, should I write visiting relatives?

Since that was the reason: yes.

3. My wife covers her head for religious reasons. Is picture with head scarf acceptable?

As long as it only covers the hair, but not any part of the face. See here.

Thanks a lot for prompt reply.
What do you suggest I should do to avoid causing concern and delaying the application?
Do you suggest leaving it simple or writing more details or covering letter or applying through a solicitor to avoid any problems?

[Gyfrinachgar]

What do you suggest I should do to avoid causing concern and delaying the application?

Several possible approaches. If you maintained an address in the UK all the time, just use that. If your absences are below the thresholds (which they appear to be), that is all there is to it. If you did not maintain an address here, it gets slightly more complicated. In that case you could give your Pakistani in-between address. The most important thing is that you have no unexplained gaps in your history - that would make HO nervous.

applying through a solicitor to avoid any problems?

That is hardly ever necessary. Sure, if you have the funds to afford that, a solicitor will be a stress-free solution - but it comes at a price. For most applicants a solicitor is overkill.

[Apli111]

Very kind of you Gyfrinachgar. Submitted my application today. Waiting for result now.

[Gyfrinachgar]

Very kind of you Gyfrinachgar. Submitted my application today. Waiting for result now.

Good luck!