For most ILR routes you must not spend more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12 months. Add your trips below and the tool finds your worst 12-month period.
Add each trip outside the UK. Use the date you left and the date you came back.
How the days are counted
Only whole days outside the UK count. The day you leave and the day you come back are both days in the UK. So a trip from 1 March to 10 March counts as 8 days, not 10.
The check is “rolling”. That means it is not just calendar years. Any 12 months in a row must stay at 180 days or less. One long trip near the end of one year and the start of the next can break the rule even if each calendar year looks fine.
Old visas are different
If your time is under a visa granted before 11 January 2018, the 180-day limit for that time is checked on 12-month periods that end on the same date as your application (rule CR 3.2). If that is you, ask an adviser to check your dates.
When long trips can be allowed
The rules allow some longer absences with a good reason (rule CR 3.4). For example:
- A serious illness, yours or a close family member’s.
- The death of a close family member.
- Travel stopped by a natural disaster, war or a pandemic.
You will need evidence, like hospital letters or cancelled flight notices. Keep these safe.
Source: Immigration Rules: Appendix Continuous Residence (CR 3.1, CR 3.2, CR 3.4).
Last checked against GOV.UK: 11 October 2026
Questions people ask
Is the 180-day rule per calendar year?
No. It is any 12-month period. The tool checks every possible 12-month window, not just January to December.
Do the travel days count as days abroad?
No. Only whole days outside the UK count. The day you leave and the day you return are counted as days in the UK.
What happens if I went over 180 days?
Your continuous residence may be broken, unless one of the exceptions in rule CR 3.4 applies. Speak to a regulated adviser before you apply.