Resident Return Visas

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Subclass 155

Overview

Subclass 155, commonly referred to as the five-year Resident Return Visa, is designed for Australian permanent residents who find that their five-year travel facility has lapsed or is nearing expiration. This visa permits individuals to travel offshore while their visa remains valid, to return to Australia as permanent residents. Additionally, it applies to those outside Australia, whose permanent visa has expired during their absence, and who seek to return to Australia as permanent residents.
If you currently hold a permanent visa and are present in Australia, it is not necessary to apply for this visa unless you intend to exit and subsequently re-enter Australia as a permanent resident.

Essential Criteria for the Applicant

Must be either:

an Australian permanent resident or a former permanent resident whose last permanent visa was not cancelled.

a former Australian citizen who had either lost or renounced his/her Australian citizenship.

Either:

You must have resided in Australia for 2 years within the last 5 years as the holder of a permanent visa (or permanent entry permit), or as an Australian citizen.

This will provide you with a 5-year travel facility.

OR

You must be outside of Australia and:

not have been absent for five or more continuous years before the application date unless compelling circumstances exist.

Hold a permanent visa or have left Australia as a permanent resident or citizen, having subsequently lost their citizenship.

Demonstrate substantial ties to Australia that benefit the country.

This will provide you a maximum travel facility of 12 months.

OR

You must be outside Australia and

have been an Australian citizen or permanent resident within the last 10 years, and not have been absent for over 5 years total (unless compelling reasons apply) from your departure as a permanent resident or citizen.

must demonstrate substantial ties to Australia that benefit the country.

This will provide you with a maximum of 12 months travel facility.

OR

You must be in Australia and:

Demonstrate substantial ties to Australia that confer benefits to the nation.

Ensure that there has been no absence exceeding five continuous years since the issuance of their most recent permanent visa or the cessation of their Australian citizenship (unless compelling reasons are provided).

In circumstances where such compelling reasons exist, the individual may be granted a maximum travel facility of twelve months.

OR

You must be a family member of someone who either already holds a Resident Return Visa (RRV) or has submitted a separate application for an RRV. Additionally, you must meet the criteria for the time of application.

If you qualify, you may be granted a maximum travel facility of 12 months.

Must meet the character requirements.

Must not have had previous visa cancelled or previous application refused.

Benefits of this visa include

  • After gaining their permanent residency status back with this visa, individuals can travel to and from Australia until the expiration of their visa’s travel facility.
  • This travel facility may extend for a period of up to five years, depending on individual circumstances.

Duration of this Visa

The duration of this visa depends upon the specific individual circumstances outlined above. It varies from a minimum of 12 months to a maximum of five years of travel authorization.

Processing Time

This visa may take 1-3 days to process.

DISCLAIMER:  The information provided above is general and may not be applicable to your specific situation. We encourage you to contact us for a comprehensive analysis that takes into account your unique circumstances.

Subclass 157

Overview

Subclass 157, commonly known as the three-month Resident Return Visa, is a permanent visa that permits travel for three months. This visa is typically awarded to applicants who do not fulfil the criteria for subclass 155 and may include individuals who have recently begun residing in Australia but must travel abroad for compelling and compassionate reasons.
For individuals currently holding a permanent visa and residing in Australia, it is generally unnecessary to apply for this visa unless they plan to depart from and subsequently re-enter Australia as a permanent resident.

Essential Criteria for the Applicant

Must be either:

an Australian permanent resident or a former permanent resident whose last permanent visa was not cancelled.

a former Australian citizen who had either lost or renounced his/her Australian citizenship.

Either:

You must have been lawfully present in Australia for at least 1 day but less than 2 years within the 5 years before applying for the visa. There must have been compelling and compassionate reasons for you to depart Australia, or if the applicant is outside Australia, they must have had compelling and compassionate reasons for their last departure from Australia.

OR

The applicant is a member of the family unit (MOFU) of an individual who has been granted a subclass 157 or is a MOFU and has lodged a separate application for a subclass 157 visa.

If the applicant is outside Australia, they should not have been away from Australia for more than 3 months in a row before applying for the visa. However, the Minister may consider compelling and compassionate reasons for any longer absence.

Must meet the character requirements.

Must not have had previous visa cancelled or previous application refused.

Benefits of this visa include

Travel in and out of Australia as many times as you want until the travel validity expires.

Duration of this Visa

The duration of this visa is granted for up to 3 months.

Processing Time

This visa may take 1-3 days to process.

DISCLAIMER:  The information provided above is general and may not be applicable to your specific situation. We encourage you to contact us for a comprehensive analysis that takes into account your unique circumstances.