Indefinite Leave to remain in UK visa worthiness once out of UK

[jennyweaver]

Hi to all

 

we have 7 weeks til we fly to the Gold Coast. Excited, nervous...same as you all went through, i know. Now one more thing to check has popped into my head.

 

 

To get to my question: how long is my ILR visa valid for once I leave the UK? I have a south African passport and guess once the ILR is no longer recognised after i move out the UK I will have to get a visa there to visit from Australia.

 

How long does that holiday visa take to arrange? I think I might be Australia-bound for many years if travelling outside isn't easy- besides the cost- I know someone will point that out.

 

cheers. i appreciate your help

[dmjg]

I am an Aussie citizen and found myself in the same situation. No idea how the stuff below may help if you're from SA instead.

 

When I was looking into this I think I found that after 1 - 2 years as a non resident it became iffy. I also think I would have been able to apply to return after a bunch of paperwork and cash, sort of like the Residents Return Visa (RRV) here.

 

It was so much easier to ensure residence both ways by going for UK citizenship instead. Which I did. Easy.

[Guest]

Iirc it's 2 years but you can check that on the .gov website I would think.

 

Citizenship is worth considering but it is probably too late to apply if moving in 7 weeks.

[jennyweaver]

thanks folks. uk citizenship has been too expensive to fork out for in the past, currently up past £800. there were always things to pay out for- wedding, baby, visa, medicals.. now it may turn out more expensive for us arranging visas for me when going back to holiday in UK.

But you DID give me a good idea, thanks. Get settled in Australia and apply for UK passport from there. It is all a matter of time. I shall do more research.

cheers

[Guest]

thanks folks. uk citizenship has been too expensive to fork out for in the past, currently up past £800. there were always things to pay out for- wedding, baby, visa, medicals.. now it may turn out more expensive for us arranging visas for me when going back to holiday in UK.

But you DID give me a good idea, thanks. Get settled in Australia and apply for UK passport from there. It is all a matter of time. I shall do more research.

cheers

 

I am not sure you can apply for citizenship once you take up residence in another country and are no longer actually living in the UK. Iirc you have to attend an interview etc and be resident in the UK. I'm sure it will say somewhere in the blurb on the .gov website. May well be wrong but thought it was this way.

[jennyweaver]

Thanks. It is as you say. I am researching now. I do need to be in UK. No sweat. Our lives will be in Aus and having a 'get out clause' like easy return to UK with ILR may just be hedging my bets. I need to focus on life in Aus. Now to research how long ILR lasts for me to get in for visits. Somewhere I saw it

[jennyweaver]

To finish, silly phone!

somewhere I read i can use that visa to visit if it is two years or less between visits

[nikci]

My other half has an SA passport with ILR visa - you cannot be out of the UK for longer than 2 years before it is invalid having said that we went back just within the 2 years period and he was given a tough time and told next time he wouldn't be able to rely on his ILR - I would argue that as long as you return within the 2 years its ok. He now has Aussie Passport and as I have tri nationality I can help him get back into the UK should we need to but like you we don't intend to return to the UK permanently anyway! All best with the big move!

[Guest]

It will be 2 years iirc. Once this is up you'll need an RRV (if intending to live in the UK then) or a tourist visa. The ILR will lapse if not resident in the UK.