Naturalisation-Are 730days part of the statutory requirement

[SidB]

Hi - I'm not sure about what to answer for the following question in form AN. Can someone please help?:

6.6:I declare that, although I do not meet all of the statutory requirements for naturalisation, I believe that, in view of the following special circumstances, the Home Secretary should treat me as fulfilling
those requirements or waive the need in my case to fulfil them.

My wife was away for 590 days in the last 5 years. She doesn't meet the 450 days requirement, HOWEVER, she does meet the other requirement stated in form AN guide which says:

"If the absences are up to 730 days we would expect you to have been resident in the UK for the last 7 years"

Can someone clarify if the above is part of the statutory requirement? In other words, given her case, do I answer Yes or No to that question?

Another question I had was relating to:
2.1 Date and place of first arrival in the United Kingdom (see page 4 of the Guide).

Guide AN says:
2.1 Enter the day you first arrived with a view to staying in the UK on a long-term basis, and the airport or seaport through which you then entered.

Can I include resident as a student to be part of the above? I entered UK as a student, then WP, HSMP and ILR. All of this residence is continuous. However, the reason I'm not sure what date to put is because students enter with the intention to leave whilst guide an is asking aboutthe date of entry on a long term basis.

Should i put my date of first entry as a UK resident (as a student) or the day my Work Permit stared?

[SidB]

Guys - Anyone got any answers on this?

Vinny, John?

[drjabberwocky23]

I think it should be the date you arrived as a student, given that you were granted a "long term" visa. I'm assuming that the phrasing was designed to exclude those on tourist visas, though I am happy to be corrected if I am wrong.

[SidB]

I think it should be the date you arrived as a student, given that you were granted a "long term" visa. I'm assuming that the phrasing was designed to exclude those on tourist visas, though I am happy to be corrected if I am wrong.

Thanks - this is what I had in mind but the "long term" clause was confusing.

Any idea on the first part on whether 730 days is part of the statutory requirement?