Resident Return Visa

Resident Return Visa

Are you an Australian permanent resident planning to travel overseas? Make sure you can leave and come back into Australia as a permanent resident.

Your first permanent residency visa generally comes with a 5-year travel facility which allows you to travel in and out of Australia without losing your permanent resident status. After the first 5 years, you can maintain this travel facility by applying for a Resident Return Visa (RRV).

What Is A Resident Return Visa (RRV)

An RRV lets you travel in and out of Australia as a permanent resident. It is not necessary to hold an RRV if you have become an Australian citizen or if you are not planning to exit Australia after the expiry of your first permanent visa.

Requirements And Conditions

To be eligible for an RRV, you must have spent time in Australia as a permanent resident. The type of RRV you will be granted depends on the length of time you have been in Australia prior to the visa application.

There are 2 types of resident return visas:

Resident Return Visa (5-year) (Subclass 155)

For the grant of the 5-year RRV, you must have been resident in Australia for at least 2 years (730 days) out of the last 5 years.

Resident Return Visa (1-year) (Subclass 157)

If you have not been in Australia for 2 out of the last 5 years, you may be eligible for a 1 year RRV if you have substantial ties to Australia and have the intention to reside in Australia in the near future.