PF: Can a third-country national be considered as a long-term resident in EU Member States or Associated countries if they have resided in the UK before the date of its association to Horizon Europe and then moved to their home country for 5 months?

Once a country is associated to Horizon Europe, any period spent in that country (independently of the date of association to Horizon Europe) may be counted towards the calculation of the ‘long-term residence’. Therefore, the time spent in the UK when it was not associated counts towards the five-year requirement.