Over which period do absence limits actually apply?

[foobar1987]

Dear all, first of I'd like to thank you for the help you have given me throughout my journey to British citizenship.

Now I may be just incredibly confused, but I don't understand over which period do absence limits actually apply.

I filed my forms in February 2020, and back then I was comfortably within the absence limits (such as the applicant not exceeding 90 days of absence from the UK in the last 12 months, and so on). In June, I received a letter from the Home Office informing me that my application had been accepted. Back then, I was still comfortably within the absence limits.

Then, things happened: citizenship ceremonies were suspended in my County, and my mother's health abruptly deteriorated, which made me fly to my country of origin to offer assistance and wait for her inescapable demise.

So, as of today, I am still away from the UK without a citizenship ceremony appointment, and very close to exceeding the 90 day absence limit in the last 12 months, assuming such limit still applies in some capacity.

Can you clear this up for me? Should I worry about my prolonged period of absence?

[alterhase58]

Absences AFTER your application date or the approval letter are not relevant - so not an issue.
Ceremonies are well behind and the Home Office have extended the booking period to 6 months - you should however check with your UK local council what the position is, whether they have received your certificate which would then normally trigger an invitation, as I understand.

[foobar1987]

Thank you.

I’ll probably exceed the 6 month deadline eventually, but for reasons not related to my bereavement travel: I have just received communication from my county that due to the imminent nation lockdown all ceremonies are suspended... again. To be honest, I think the situation there is a hot mess of a shambles inside a dumpster fire on a train wreck going down a cliff — and given that they haven’t managed to arrange a ceremony of any kind for months, it’d be unfair to penalise what I imagine to be hundreds of applicants. They’ll probably come up with something. I heard there’s a thing called the Interwebs that may be of help in these challenging times.