Who it applies to
Settled-status holders covered by the Swiss citizen and family-member rule.
UK EU Settlement Scheme status — Swiss family absence
The continuous-absence period for Swiss citizens and their family members with settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme is four calendar years.
Check your own dates: UK EU Settlement Scheme status — Swiss family absence calculator →
Summary
- Day rule / reminder
- 4 calendar years • Swiss citizens and family
- Window
- 48 calendar months from the recorded departure
- What the tool measures
- A date or day-count reminder
- Official reference
- UK Home Office ↗
The continuous-absence period for Swiss citizens and their family members with settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme is four calendar years.
The rule
Family members need not themselves be Swiss citizens. The UK government explains that entry to the UK during the period restarts it. Use the four-year anniversary date rather than a fixed 1,460-day legal assumption.
Counting the days
For each recorded absence, the reminder date is the departure date plus four calendar years. The numerical absence total excludes departure and return dates. This counter shows the recorded absence whose reminder date is nearest.
- Choose the date through which you want to count, then add your recorded visits.
- Use the counting convention above. Include recorded trips abroad and returns home, so the tool can distinguish separate absences.
- Read the result alongside the conditions. Missing records and other eligibility requirements are not inferred from a total.
Examples
These examples demonstrate the counter's arithmetic, using a count-through date of 30 October 2026. They do not determine legal status or eligibility.
Example 1 — one recorded visit
- to · France
Recorded result: 8 days
Example 2 — overlapping records
- to · France
- to · France
Recorded result: 13 days
Example 3 — two visits with a gap
- to · France
- to · France
Recorded result: 8 days
Exceptions & edge cases
Swiss citizens and their family members with settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme generally have a four-year uninterrupted absence period. Return to the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man restarts the period.
Use the official reference for the full conditions and any changes since the source review date shown on this page.
Common misconceptions
“A counter result is the same as permission or eligibility.”
The counter measures recorded dates. Your actual permission, status and other conditions remain separate.
“Missing records count automatically as days abroad.”
Only recorded journeys contribute. Unknown gaps are not filled in as absences.
Frequently asked questions
What does this rule count?
The continuous-absence period for Swiss citizens and their family members with settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme is four calendar years.
Which counting window does this tool use?
48 calendar months from the recorded departure. For each recorded absence, the reminder date is the departure date plus four calendar years. The numerical absence total excludes departure and return dates. This counter shows the recorded absence whose reminder date is nearest.
What else should I check before relying on the total?
Swiss citizens and their family members with settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme generally have a four-year uninterrupted absence period. Return to the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man restarts the period.
Where can I read the official requirements?
Read UK Home Office ↗. The source was last reviewed on .
Keep this count with your travel history.
Follow your recorded days and selected reminders in Untild, alongside your other travel counters.
Get Untild for iPhone ↗Sources
Source last reviewed: . This is the source review date, not a claim that every legal condition is calculated.
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