If you have been fortunate enough to have been granted a permanent Australian visa, then you now have the right to consider yourself as one of the country’s growing number of permanent residents. Through a permanent visa, you’re allowed to leave or return to Australia within five years from your visa’s issue date.
During this period, you have the option to apply for citizenship in Australia or retain your nationality. If you choose the latter option, then you’ll be required to renew your travel facility in order to return to Australia after travelling overseas after a certain period of time.
Unfortunately for many permanent residents like you, they fail to realise that a permanent visa’s validity can expire after five years. But, even if it has already expired, there’s still something that they can do that will allow them to re-enter Australia safely and legally, which is by obtaining a Resident Return visa.
What is a Resident Return Visa?
Basically, a Resident Return visa provides permanent residents or visa holders with a travel facility, which enables them to travel in and out of the country. Without one, you won’t be able to return to Australia as a permanent resident if your travel validity expires.
Since the travel validity of a permanent visa expires in five years, you should consider applying for a Resident Return visa if you’re planning on travelling out of the country within or after this period. Aside from permanent visa holders in Australia, those residing outside the country for an extended period of time can also apply for a Resident Return visa.
What’s the Difference Between Subclass 155 and 157?
Resident Return visas have two subclasses: 155 and 157. Generally, the main difference between these two is their validity period. A Subclass 155 visa is granted for a period of 12 months or five years. On the other hand, a Subclass 157 is granted for a period of only three months.
Who can Apply for a Resident Return Visa?
You can apply for a Resident Return visa if you are already a holder of a valid permanent resident visa. If you’re a former Australian citizen or permanent resident, you are still eligible to get one as long as your permanent visa has not yet been cancelled.
What are the Requirements for Resident Return Visas?
As mentioned earlier, one of the main requirements of a Resident Return visa is that you must already be a permanent resident or visa holder of Australia. Specifically, you must be residing in the country for at least two years during the 5-year validity period as a permanent resident.
You should also be able to prove that you have substantial connections with Australia. These can include your personal or family, business, employment, or cultural connections in the country. In addition, you must be able to prove that you weren’t absent for five continuous years since the granting of your permanent residence visa.
Other requirements include meeting the character standards set by the Australian Immigration Office. Some of these include not having a substantial criminal record or engaging in criminal conduct.
You also have to gather the necessary documents related to your visa application. These are your valid passport, national ID card, family certificates, and other documents required by the Immigration Office.
Expert Tips on Applying for a Resident Return Visa
Once you’re sure that you are eligible for a Resident Return visa and you’ve gathered all the required paperwork, you can now start the application process for this type of visa. There are two basic ways to do this. One is by physically submitting a paper visa application to the proper agency. Even if you’re in a different country, you can still do this by contacting an Australian representative office in your location and asking for assistance regarding your visa application.
The other method involves submitting an online application. This can be conveniently accomplished using the ImmiAccount dashboard of the Department of Home Affairs. In addition to completing an online form, this method will require you to upload scanned copies of your documents.
By applying for a Resident Return visa after or even before your travel validity expires, you’ll be able to return to Australia as a permanent resident without encountering any issues related to your travel facility.
Although you can apply for a Resident Return visa on your own, the entire process can be made easier by availing of the services provided by trusted and experienced migration specialists, such as Migration Ways.
