Got a question about visas or immigration?
Q. I’m in the UK on an ancestry visa which is due to expire at the end of April. I’m tossing up the idea of renewing it here or returning to Australia.
Can I go home and just get the two-year working holiday visa rather than go through the palaver of renewing my ancestry visa? Also, if I wanted to renew my ancestry visa would I need to return to Australia to do so? Or would it be worthwhile just to apply for indefinite leave to remain?
A. Depending on how long you’ve already resided in the UK under ancestry visa conditions, it would most likely be in your best interests to apply to extend your current visa status, which occurs inside the UK.
After completing five years’ continuous residence in the UK under ancestry visa conditions, you may be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain, commonly referred to as permanent residency.
Opting to extend your current visa would certainly be a lot cheaper than flying home to Australia to apply for a Tier 5 (YMS) visa (the working holiday visa replacement).
For more, see 1stcontact.com
