Unlike the indefinite leave to remain, a person's right of abode is valid for life and will not lapse regardless how long they stay outside the UK (or whether they have ever set foot in the UK) and cannot be revoked unless they lose their Commonwealth or British citizenship, or, for Commonwealth citizens, when the Home Secretary deemed it necessary for "the public good". In comparison, a person's ILR status may be revoked if they had remained outside the UK for more than two years and they were refused a resident return visa.