Max 6 months UK 'visit'?

[BP]

Hi,

I am an Australian Citizen and I want to stay in the UK for about 7 months with my (British) girlfriend. I do not intend to work and under normal circumstances Australians don't need a visa for entry but that entry is limited to 6 months. Does anyone know where I can find out (with some certainty) if I leave the UK (for a week say) to a European country and then immediately return to the UK does this mean I get another 6 months again. i.e. is a trip to another EU country enough to start my 6 months again?

Thanks
Brett

[JamesC]

Once you enter the UK, you have 6 months maximum.

If you leave after a month and come back a month later, your visitor visa will still be valid and you would have 4 months left on it.

It does not go back to 6 months when you leave the UK unless you return after it expires.

You may wish to apply in-country for an extension but this is usually only granted in exceptional circumstances such as a birth, illness etc. This is done on an FLR(O) form from the IND website. It attracts a fee of £335.

Hope this helps you,

J

[vin123]

Brett,
If you do per se in your post, yours will be purely a case of a judgmental decision for the immigration officer at the airport to grand re-entry after 6 months.

To be on the safest side; I would suggest you make a return trip home about 4-5 months after your first visit and then apply for a tourist visa from there. Even if you don’t apply for a tourist visa in Aus for your second trip, I think the risk of getting entry rejected in the UK is still less provided you convince Aus was your "home" that made you go back after your first trip.

To be on a slightly riskier side; You can make a trip to France and then apply for a tourist visa there. In France, you will have to convince the officer about your current trip, reason for 6 months stay and most importantly why you are returning to UK- there is of course a lot of margin for uncertainty in the outcome.

Hi,

I am an Australian Citizen and I want to stay in the UK for about 7 months with my (British) girlfriend. I do not intend to work and under normal circumstances Australians don't need a visa for entry but that entry is limited to 6 months. Does anyone know where I can find out (with some certainty) if I leave the UK (for a week say) to a European country and then immediately return to the UK does this mean I get another 6 months again. i.e. is a trip to another EU country enough to start my 6 months again?

Thanks
Brett

[JAJ]

Hi,

I am an Australian Citizen and I want to stay in the UK for about 7 months with my (British) girlfriend.

Also bear in mind that if Immigration find out you have a British "girlfriend" your risk of refusal increases. Be prepared to demonstrate strong ties to Australia.

You should understand most "tourist" stays in the UK are much less than 6 months and Immigration will start wanting to know the real reason for any stay exceeding that level.

Is it so important to stay for 7 months? Why not leave within 6 months? And if you want a longer stay in the UK, maybe the working holiday visa would be a better option?

[BP]

Hi,

Thanks very much for all the advice. It looks like eitehr I have to reduce my stay to 6 months (which is a bit difficult) or take the risk and leave and come with a tourist visa obtained else where.

It also appears we can't even get married in the Uk (if I'm on a tourist/visit entry).

Thanks for all the advice.
Brett