Married during Ancestry route.

[AncientTraveller]

Hi there

I am 2 years into my 3rd ancestry visa, they have a lot of time between them, so they don't add to 5 years. This time I am gunning for the whole 5 years to get ILR.

I am getting married to a British citizen this June.
My ancestry visa expires next April 2018, which will be 3 years at that point on ancestry and married 9 months.
Does it have to be marriage time or living together time for spouse visa?

Do I continue with ancestry route via an extension?
Can you apply for just 2 year extension or does it have to be 5 years?
Can the NHS surcharge be refunded if you only need 2 years or can it be used for ILR?

Should I or can the ancestry visa be changed over to a spouse visa? and would this mean I start the 5 year route all over again?

Sorry for the multiple questions here, I am assuming it is a 50-50 decision but maybe 1 is even cheaper in the long run.

[CR001]

Does it have to be marriage time or living together time for spouse visa?

2 years living together IF applying for an unmarried partner visa. No requirement to have lived together for x months if married.

Do I continue with ancestry route via an extension?

This will be your quickest route to getting ILR.

Can you apply for just 2 year extension or does it have to be 5 years?

No, it is a 5 year visa extension but you can apply for ILR once you have 5 years residence and meet all the standard requirements

Can the NHS surcharge be refunded if you only need 2 years or can it be used for ILR?

You can ask, but don't expect anything as you will have paid for the period of visa grant, you deciding to apply for ILR is your choice.

Should I or can the ancestry visa be changed over to a spouse visa? and would this mean I start the 5 year route all over again?

Yes, you can apply for a spouse visa within the UK but this would reset your clock to zero and a new 5 year residence period (2 x 2.5 year visas). You would not be able to use the time you have been here on Ancestry towards the new 5 year residence on a spouse visa.

Pity you entered the UK so late on your Ancestry visa.