I have a retirement visa valid until april 2012 . I have been back in uk for 6 months now can I still use this visa for visitor entry Thanks

Yes you can.

And you can also renew your visa for 10 years for the very small sum of $265, plus $43 per person for your Australian Police Check. (There will be small inflationary increases on 1 July 2011.)

That would take you up to 2022.

(I am assuming that you have the 410 visa, not the 405 Investor Retirement visa. Renewal periods and costs are very different for that!)

Remember that if you ever get another Australian visa, even an ETA tourist visa, then you will NEVER be able to renew your 410 visa.

Whenever you renew your 410 you will have to demonstrate that you have had adequate health insurance whenever you have been in Australia. For short visits, comprehensive travel insurance from the UK should suffice.

However, if you should think that after (say) 2021 you are unlikely to want to use your 410 again, then you might want to consider renewing your 410 now rather than waiting until 2012. You will have evidence that you had adequate health insurance when you were living in Australia, and so should have no problem in renewing your visa.

You would not be worrying about proving that your travel insurance had been 'adequate' when your 10-year visa expired in 2021, because you had made the decision not to renew again.

BUT, you MUST have travel insurance because your 410 prevents you from having Reciprocal Health Care Agreement benefits while you are in
Australia.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Howard Snow,