https://www.gov.uk/becoming-a-british-citizen This one of the criteria: > Spent no more than 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months > > Read the full guidance notes and the requirements booklet before applying. So I've followed the [guide and booklet](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-to-naturalise-as-a-british-citizen-form-an), still not sure. ### Guide > To satisfy the residence requirement you must not have been absent for more than 90 days in the last 12 months. And the total number of day’s absence for the whole 5 year period should not exceed 450. ### Booklet AN [![enter image description here][1]][1] Wiki image with very descriptive filenamae: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom#/media/File:United_Kingdom_(%2Boverseas_territories_and_crown_dependencies)_in_the_World_(%2BAntarctica_claims).svg --- Here is another page: https://www.gov.uk/register-british-citizen/stateless-people [![enter image description here][2]][2] Phrase UK or a ```British overseas territory``` suggest these are different things? --- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom#Dependencies > The United Kingdom has sovereignty over seventeen territories which do not form part of the United Kingdom itself: fourteen British Overseas Territories[22] and three Crown dependencies. > > Three have specifically voted to remain under British sovereignty (Bermuda in 1995, Gibraltar in 2002 and the Falkland Islands in 2013). --- ### If overseas territories qualify - job done. ### If not - there might be some loopholes. > An unavoidable consequence of the nature of your work. For example, if you are a merchant seaman or someone working for a UK based business which requires frequent travel abroad. Assuming my job is disaster relief, it should justify my presence on British Virgin Islands? [1]: https://i.sstatic.net/POsuR.png [2]: https://i.sstatic.net/tAnIg.png ---- **EDIT / UPDATE:** Another loophole could potentially be staying on the vessel registered in the UK?