Resident Return Visa 155 & 157
155 & 157 Visa Australia
Resident Return Visa 155 & 157 Australia
If you leave Australia after your travel validity expires, or it expires when you are outside Australia, you will not be able to return to Australia as a permanent resident. This visa allows you to return as a permanent resident.
Stay: Permanently
- you must an Australian permanent resident
- you must a former Australian permanent resident whose last permanent visa was not cancelled
- you must a former Australian citizen who lost or renounced Australian citizenship
With this visa, you can
- travel in and out of Australia as many times as you want until the travel validity expires
- the validity varies depending on your circumstances. See About this visa.
You must be either
- an Australian permanent resident
- a former Australian permanent resident whose last permanent visa was not cancelled
- a former Australian citizen who lost or renounced Australian citizenship
With this visa you can
- travel to and from Australia as a permanent resident until the travel validity of your visa expires
If you leave Australia after your visa travel validity has expired, you will not be able to return to Australia as a permanent resident. If you wish to return to Australia as a permanent resident, you must apply for and be granted this visa before your arrival in Australia.
If you are already in Australia as a permanent resident, you do not need to apply for this visa if you do not wish to travel.
There are no limits on the number of Resident Return visas you can apply for.
How long this visa lasts
Travel validity will vary depending in your circumstances:
- If you have lived in Australia for 2 years (730 days) in the last 5 years as a permanent resident, former citizen or former permanent resident, then you meet what is known as the residence requirement and might be given a 5 year travel validity on your visa.
- If you have not lived in Australia for 2 years in the last 5 years as a permanent resident or former citizen or former permanent resident, then you might be given a maximum of 12 months travel validity on your visa if you can demonstrate substantial ties that benefit Australia. Check the substantial ties documents that you need to provide under Step by step, Gather your documents.
- If you meet the requirements only because you are a member of family unit of a person who holds this visa, then you can only be given a maximum of 12 months travel validity on your visa.
- If you don’t meet the requirement, but have compelling and compassionate reasons for departure, then you might only be given 3 months travel validity on your visa.
If you hold a Resident Return Visa (RRV), you should be aware of your travel validity’s expiry date. You can check this on VEVO. We will not send reminders to you when your travel facility is about to expire. If you need to travel, you should apply for a new RRV before your existing travel validity expires in order to avoid delays.
If you return to Australia without a permanent visa and a valid travel facility (for example, a visitor visa), this might impact your:
- entitlements as a permanent resident
- ability to satisfy the permanent residence requirements when applying for Australian citizenship or another Resident Return visa.
If your travel validity has expired and you do not wish to travel, you do not need to apply for a Resident Return visa.
Include family
You can’t include family members in your application.
If other family members are also applying for this visa separately, then you can have your applications processed together, if you declare your family members in your application.
Apply from
You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for the visa but not in immigration clearance. If you apply in Australia using a paper form, you must send your application to the specified address. You cannot apply in person.
If you need to travel urgently, and have already applied for this visa but not received it, contact us.
Processing times
Subclass 155
- 75% of applications: 87 days
- 90% of applications: 3 months
Subclass 157
- 75% of applications: 3 months
- 90% of applications: 4 months
Generally, applications that:
- meet the residence requirements will be processed within 5 working days from lodgement
- do not meet the residence requirement will take longer to process. For example, this can be 12 weeks from lodgement
Your application can also take longer to process if:
- you do not fill it in correctly
- you do not include all the documents we need
- we need more information from you
- it takes us time to verify your information
We can’t process your application if you do not pay the correct visa application charge. We will notify you if this is the case and return your application if necessary.
Your obligations
You must obey all Australian laws.
Travel
From the date we grant the visa, you can travel for a specified period of time depending on your circumstances.
After that period, you will need another Resident Return (RRV) visa (subclasses 155 and 157) to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident. Alternatively, you may wish to consider your eligibility for Australian Citizenship so you can travel on an Australian passport.
See when your existing travel component ends in VEVO.
Visa label
We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.
Be either
- an Australian Permanent resident
- a former Australian permanent resident whose last permanent visa was not cancelled, or
- a former Australian citizen who lost or renounced citizenship
Age requirement
There are no age requirements for RRV applicants.
Meet our residence or substantial ties requirements
You must either:
- have lived in Australia for 2 years (730 days) in the last 5 years as the holder of a permanent visa (or entry permit), or as an Australian citizen
- be able to demonstrate substantial ties to Australia that are of benefit to Australia
Have substantial ties
Your ties must be both substantial and of benefit to Australia. They include:
- business ties
- cultural ties
- employment ties
- personal ties
Substantial personal ties may be of benefit to Australia if the applicant is, or has been, a participating member of the Australian community and economy, and their ties enrich the lives of individual Australian residents and citizens.
Substantial personal ties may be that you regard Australia as home or have an intention to reside in Australia. You can see how examples of how to demonstrate these ties in Step by step under Gather documents.
Not hold an Authority to Return or Return Endorsement
You are not eligible for this visa if you hold either an:
- Authority to Return (issued between 1 March 1976 to 31 August 1979)
- Return Endorsement (issued between 1 September 1979 and 31 December 1986)
Meet character requirement
You must meet our character requirement.
Not have cancellation action against your business skills visa
You might not be eligible for this visa if you have cancellation action on business grounds for your business skills visa – as listed below:
- Class EA subclass 132 visa
- Class BH subclass 840-846 visas (repealed)
- Class EB subclass 188 visa
- Class UR subclass 160-165 visas
- Class EC subclass 888 visas
You might not be eligible for this visa if you are, or were the holder of one of the above visas and have:
- been granted a subclass 155, 157 or 159 visa
- cancellation action for your subclass 155, 157 or 159 visa on the same business visa grounds.
If you are or were a family member of a person affected by the above, and either hold or have held one of the above visa subclasses as a dependant family member, you might not be eligible for this visa.
Not have had a visa cancelled or a previous application refused
You might not be granted this visa if you previously had a visa cancelled or refused while you were in Australia.
Read And Associates offer Professional Guidance
Here at Read and Associates our team of migration agents can provide you with the appropriate guidance and advice which will help you put forth the best visa application possible. Specialising in applications for medical professionals, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss how we can work with you. Book a consultation to find out more.
