Going to work overseas for 6 months and study a language

Question

I have ILR. I want to go to China to do an internship for 6 months and, while I am there, I am also enrolled to do a language course. I will be getting a student visa to enter China. So will this be affect my ILR status in any way? If I want to apply for the citizenship after coming back from my internship and study. Would I be able to it or would I have to start counting years once again when I come back?

Would the 6 months affect my eligibility to apply for a citizenship?

Answer 1

If you are returning to the UK to permanently live and continue your center of life there, then no, this will not affect your ILR. Being absent for approximately 180 days in a single year should not break your continuity, though you may require some discretion if you have other absences in the total 5 year qualifying period (I'm making some safe assumptions about the route you are taking to citizenship). Your overall eligibility for citizenship will not be affected at all.