Overstayed my UK student visa from 2005 to 2008. Should I mention this on an Australian visa application?

Question

I am currently an Irish passport holder since 2014. In September 2004, I came to the UK on a student visa from Sri Lanka. But unfortunately, I ran into financial difficulties after the December 2004 tsunami and couldn't continue funding my course, and I dropped out after the first semester.

I worked full-time as a kitchen porter and also in a hand car wash center, got paid in cash. I overstayed in the UK until October 2008 and traveled back to Sri Lanka, without being stopped or held by UK immigration.

I got married in October 2008, to a woman who is working in Ireland, but from my home country itself. After my marriage, I came to Ireland in December 2008 on a spouse visa. I became an Irish citizen in 2014, and am living here with my wife and 3 kids, who were also born here.

Recently my wife got a job offer from an organization in Sydney who offered a 186 Permanent Residency Australian visa sponsorship. As we were filling out the visa application, they were asking "if any of the applicants has ever overstayed their visa in any country?" If yes, please give more details. Should I mention honestly about my UK student visa overstay, back from 2005 to 2008?

Answer 1

If they ask, you absolutely must tell them. Because they will find out, and if they find out that you didn't tell them, then you have been lying on your application, which is very bad.

On the other hand, that overstay was 15 years ago. And it happened when you were a citizen of Sri Lanka, and now you are an Irish citizen, so this is unlikely to cause you problems.