this what the letter says:
This page provides details of the requirements you need to meet for us to naturalise you as a British citizen. If you are married to or a civil partner of a British citizen, the requirements you need to meet are different; you should read the page spouse and civil partner requirements for more details.
You should read the information on this page before you make an application for naturalisation. You will need to pay a fee when you make your application. If you make an application for naturalisation and it is unsuccessful because you are not eligible for naturalisation, we will not refund your fee.
If you meet the requirements for naturalisation you should go to the applying for naturalisation as a British citizen section for details of how to apply.
There are seven requirements you need to meet before you apply:
you are aged 18 or over; and
you are of sound mind; and
you intend to continue to live in the United Kingdom, or to continue in crown service, the service of an international organisation of which the United Kingdom is a member, or the service of a company or association established in the United Kingdom; and
you can communicate in English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic to an acceptable degree; and
you have sufficient knowledge of life in the United Kingdom; and
you are of good character; and
you meet the residential requirements (these are detailed in full below)
Residential requirements
To demonstrate the residential requirements for naturalisation you need to:
have been resident in the United Kingdom for at least five years (this is known as the residential qualifying period); and
have been present in the United Kingdom five years before the date of your application; and
have not spent more than 450 days outside the United Kingdom during the five year period; and
have not spend more than 90 days outside the United Kingdom in the last 12 months of the five-year period; and
have not been in breach of the immigration rules at any stage during the five-year period.
Start of the residential qualifying period
The residential qualifying period will be worked out from the day we receive your application. Most unsuccessful applications fail because the applicant was not present in the United Kingdom at the beginning of the residential qualifying period. You must make sure you meet this requirement before you make your application. For example, if we received your application on 25 November 2005, you would have to show that you were in the United Kingdom on 26 November 2000.
Im confused now as well with this 5 year period![]()