Citizenship days calculator for US, Canadian and UK residence rules
Applying for citizenship or settlement is mostly a matter of counting days, and the three most-searched rules count them differently. The US asks for 30 months of physical presence in 5 years (18 months in 3 years if you are married to a US citizen) and watches for long absences. Canada asks for 1,095 days in the 5 years before you apply, with half-day credit for time spent in Canada before you became a permanent resident. The UK asks that you were not outside the UK for more than 180 days in any 12-month period of your qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain (ILR).
This citizenship days calculator takes one list of trips — the day you left and the day you came back — and applies the rule you choose. It shows the days counted, the verdict, a meter against the requirement, the earliest date you could apply on those trips and a table that flags each problem trip. It is an estimate to help you plan, not a decision.
How to use the Citizenship Days Calculator
- Choose the rule: US 5-year, US 3-year (spouse of a US citizen), Canada or UK ILR.
- Enter your planned application date and your permanent residence date (for the UK, the start of your qualifying period). For Canada, add the date you first lived in Canada as a visitor, student, worker or protected person.
- Paste your trips, one per line, as departure date then return date. Official travel records are the best source.
- Read the days counted, the verdict and the earliest date. Trips that need attention are highlighted in the table.
- Copy the result, then confirm it with the official calculator or an immigration adviser.
Citizenship Days Calculator features
Three countries, one trip list
Switch rules without re-entering your travel.
Counts days the way the rules do
Travel days count as days in the country; only whole days abroad are deducted.
Long absences flagged
US absences over 6 months and of 1 year or more, UK breaches with the exact 12-month window.
Earliest date
The first date your logged trips allow you to apply, including the US 90-day early filing window.
Private
Your dates stay in your browser.
How each rule is counted
| Rule | Requirement | How days are counted |
|---|---|---|
| US, 5 years (INA 316) | 5 years’ continuous residence as a permanent resident and at least 913 days present | Departure and return days count as days in the US. You may file up to 90 days before the 5-year anniversary. |
| US, 3 years (INA 319(a)) | 3 years’ residence, married to and living with a citizen spouse, at least 548 days present | As above, with a 3-year period. |
| Canada | 1,095 days in the 5 years before the application date | Full days as a permanent resident; half days before PR, up to 365. Departure and return days count as days in Canada. |
| UK ILR | Not more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period | Whole days only; part-day absences are not counted. Rolling 12 months for permission granted on or after 11 January 2018. |
Long absences and breaks
United States. An absence of more than 6 months but less than 1 year is presumed to break continuous residence; you can rebut that with evidence such as keeping your job, home and family in the US. An absence of 1 year or more breaks it unless you had an approved Form N-470. After such a break, a 5-year applicant may file 4 years and 1 day after returning (2 years and 1 day on the 3-year route). The tool also shows the later date that avoids the 6-month presumption altogether.
United Kingdom. If your permission was granted before 11 January 2018, absences are assessed in consecutive 12-month periods ending on your application date, which the tick box applies. On the Long Residence route, absences that started before 11 April 2024 are tested against a 184-day single-absence limit and a 548-day total instead. Absences for compelling or compassionate reasons can be disregarded, which the tool cannot judge.
Limits of this estimate
Rules as of 24 October 2026, from the USCIS Policy Manual, the Citizenship Act and IRCC guidance, and Appendix Continuous Residence with the Home Office guidance (links above the disclaimer). The tool counts days only. It does not test good moral character, English or knowledge tests, tax filing, marital union, time serving a sentence, qualifying-period length or the other requirements of your route, and assumes your dates are complete. Windows are counted to the day before the application date, so results near a threshold can differ by a day from the official calculators — leave a margin.
For short stays as a visitor rather than residence, use the Schengen 90/180 calculator; for US tax residence, the substantial presence test calculator.
Citizenship Days Calculator FAQ
How does the citizenship days calculator count a trip?
The day you leave and the day you return count as days in the country, so only the whole days in between are deducted. A trip from 1 to 10 March removes 8 days. This matches the USCIS physical presence rule, IRCC’s calculator and the Home Office whole-day rule.
How many days do I need for US citizenship?
At least 913 days (30 months) of physical presence in the 5 years before filing, or 548 days (18 months) in 3 years if you have been married to and living with a US citizen for 3 years, plus continuous residence for the whole period.
How do I calculate days for Canadian citizenship?
Count your days in Canada in the 5 years before the application date: full days as a permanent resident plus half a day for each day before PR as a temporary resident or protected person, up to 365. You need at least 1,095. IRCC asks you to submit its own calculator printout.
How is the ILR 180-day absence rule calculated?
Count the whole days you spent outside the UK in every 12-month period of your qualifying period. No period may exceed 180 days. For permission granted on or after 11 January 2018 the 12 months roll day by day; for earlier permission they end on the application date each year.
Can I file early for US citizenship?
Yes, up to 90 days before you reach 5 years (or 3 years) of permanent residence, provided you meet every other requirement on the filing date.
Is this calculator legal advice?
No. It is an estimate based on published rules and the dates you enter. USCIS, IRCC or the Home Office decide your case; check with the official tools or a qualified adviser.