Hi,
I am 37 years old, I am a british citizen but i've had permanent residency in Australia since I was 8 years old, so going on 29 years now.
I have a young daughter (6 years old) who is an australian citizen and currently living with her mother, my ex wife, also an australia citizen, in Perth WA.
I also have both of my parents and all of my siblings living in Australia as either permanent residents or a couple that have now gotten their citizenship, I visit both them and my daughter regularly.
In Feb 2013 I renewed my RRV for 5 years to travel to the UK, I travelled to the UK in May 2013, got offered a very good job, and am now living and working here, and currently earning more here than I can with the same type of work in Australia, coupled with lower cost of living allows me frequent trips back to Australia as well as being able to send over increased financial support to my daughter.
Between then and now i've travelled back to Australia 5 times, and plan to continue to travel to Australia (Perth) at least twice a year to spend time with my daughter (she also visits the uk at least once a year with her mother) and to spend time with my parents and siblings in Adelaide.
My current RRV is due to expire late February 2018.
I have travel back to Australia planned in March/April 2018, after my RRV expires.
My problem is this, I have no ‘immediate’ intention to return to australia to live as a resident within the next few years, due to my current employment, the pay of which I can't match in Australia (especially considering the low cost of living where i am now), and coupled with the fact that I am in a long term relationship here in the UK.
I have been advised when calling the immigration dept that renewing my RRV annually is going to become more and more difficult with the immigration dept eventually (if not sooner) questioning if i have any intention to actually come back to live and then outright denying the RRV.
Within the next 5-10 years (or longer) providing things continue as they have, i have no intention of working in Australia, claiming benefits, using medicare etc, but need access to see my daughter, so I don't need all the benefits that come with an RRV at the moment, but if things change either planned or due to unforeseen circumstances, I don’t want to be cut off from my daughter or the rest of my family, due to a visa issue.
What are my options? And what sort of costs are involved in ensuring that I can continue to legally visit my daughter in Australia up to 2-3 times a year.
I currently intent to renew my RRV in January for 1 year, but my concern is what happens after that, what will happen if I have to switch to another visa (ETA or eVisitor) or something.
I understand that ETA or eVisitor will allow me to visit for 12 months and stay up to 3 months at a time, but without the ability to work, etc which is absolutely fine at the moment, but if I do have to move back at some point either due to:
a) Illness in my family in Adelaide or Perth
b) issues with my daughter
c) changes in circumstances in the UK
d) something else.
Will getting an ETA instead of RRV prevent me from getting another RRV in the future, I’ve had conflicting advice from two different people at Immigration and Border Control.
Can anyone offer any insight?
