Resident Return Visa Information
A Resident Return Visa (RRV) is required for the period after you have gained your Permanent Residency (PR), and your initial entry visa has expired, but before you get your Citizenship…
The RRV allows you to re-enter Australia as a Permanent Resident, but using your British Passport.
Resident Return Visa (RRV)
A Resident Return Visa is valid for 3 months or 5 years (depending on circumstances).
It allows Australian permanent residents to travel to and from Australia as often as they wish within the validity of the visa, while maintaining their status as permanent residents.
A 5 year RRV costs AUD$260 (July 2010) regardless of whether you apply within Australia or overseas.
How do I apply for a Resident Return Visa (RRV)?
To be eligible for a Resident Return Visa (RRV), you must be:
- a permanent resident holding a valid permanent visa,
- a former permanent resident whose last permanent visa was not cancelled, or
- a former Australian citizen who has lost or renounced their Australian citizenship.
In addition to the above, to be eligible for a five year RRV:
- you must be lawfully present in Australia for a total of at least 2 years in the 5 years immediately before lodging the application for the visa, or
- you must have substantial and beneficial business, cultural, employment or personal ties to Australia and compelling reasons if you have been absent from Australia for more than 5 years, or
- you must be a member of the family unit of a person who holds a valid RRV or who has applied for and met the criteria for an RRV.
If you do not meet these criteria, but have to leave Australia for compassionate and compelling reasons, you may be eligible for a 3 month RRV. If you are unable to meet the RRV requirements in your own right, but you are a member of the family unit of a person who holds an RRV, you may be granted an RRV with the same validity period as the family head’s RRV.
The cost of the RRV may be adjusted each July.
More details at:
Resuming Australian Residency after Resident Return Visa RRV expires.
Most Australian Permanent Residents will have a 5 year RRV when they leave Australia, so that they can prove Resident status on their return.
If that RRV expires during their absence from Australia, they can be refused re-entry into Australia.
For most people this will mean re-applying for residency…
This can be a long and complex process, without a guarantee of success.
For those with an Australian partner and/or children, the process is easier, but can still involve interviews with the Immigration Department.
Hi, I am a British Citizen who has lived in Australia for 46 years I have a return visa which expires next year, Just wanted to know where I lodge the application for a renewal. I live at the Gold Coast Queensland, Can I lodge on a website or do I need to go into an office.
regards
Lindsey Mooney
This can be done online: http://www.immi.gov.au/migrants/residents/155/apply-online.htm
Personal applications can be done, but your nearest office is 299 Adelaide Street, Brisbane.
The Gold Coast Regional office at Southport closed on 1 July 2011.
http://www.immi.gov.au/contacts/australia/fact-sheet-southport-close.pdf
Mine has expired, and I think it may be worth considering becoming an Australian now, and get an Aussie Passport.
Hi,
I have a Permenant Residency visa but will only been living in Australia for 6 months of the 5 year visa. My brother is an australian citizen.
Is this good enough for me to get another Residency visa after this one (which is up soon)??
For a Five year Resident Return visa: You must have spent two of the last five years in Australia as a permanent resident, or prove substantial business, cultural, employment or personal ties of benefit to Australia. OR provide evidence of compelling reasons for your absence over the five years. I assume that the 2 years they mention is equal to a total of 24 months, during the last 5 year period.
For a Three month Resident Return visa: You must have spent at least one day in the last five years in Australia as a permanent resident or an Australian citizen and provide evidence of compelling and compassionate reasons for your departure.
A brother with citizenship will not be sufficient. My sister with citizenship was not for me, when I had the same problem. My Australian wife and child were though, although it entailed a couple of interviews at immigration. At first they wanted me to re-apply for PR.
Thank you,
I had thought this was the case but was not sure what “substantial personal ties of benefit to Australia” meant as it sounds very undefined. I thought maybe a brother with citizenship might do the trick but this does not seem to be the case.
Thanks again for your help,
It looks like its back to square one unless I can figure out what a “compelling reasons for my absence over the five years” might be or what constitutes a “compelling and compassionate reasons for my departure”.
If anyone knows, let me know but I think I’m all out of luck???
I am outside Australia at present and my PR visa has expired. I spent less that 2 years (1 year 8 months) in Australia during the 5 year validity of my visa. I want to return to Australia and I do have compelling reasons to return.
Q. Should I apply for the 3 month RRV or the 5 year RRV?
Obviously without knowing the “compelling reasons” I can’t say with any certainty how the Immigration department might react.
However, I would also add the third option, to apply for PR again, to your list. It may be something you may need to consider.
When I was in your shoes, my compelling reasons included, having lived in Australia for 10 of the previous 14 years, having an Australian wife, and an Australian child, and a House in Australia. I still had to go through hoops to get my PR back.
If your reasons are good enough, and only Immigration will judge that, then you should be OK, with an interview or two, and a load of paperwork. I came back on a Tourist Visa, and applied locally while I was back. I preferred to be here, and have the hassle, rather than doing it from afar.
I wish you good luck.
Hii
My name is suchet handa. I am a PR since September 2007. My PR is expiring in September 2012. I left Australia in two months after getting my PR. Now I have 6 months remaining and I want to go back to Australia to renew my PR. I do not have as compelling reasons as required by the Australian immigration. Do you think or have any case study whereby the PR was renewed in such a case. Please suggest.
Thanks & Regards
The Australian Government grant a certain number of Permanent Residencies each year for people who want to live and work here in Australia.
Other people who have applied, and want to be here, are still on waiting lists.
The main criteria for the standard 5 year RRV is: You must have spent two of the last five years in Australia.
Do you have a compelling reason to give to immigration, to keep your PR status at the cost of someone who actually wants to be here, not being able to get PR themselves ?
That will be the thinking of the case officer, but if you can prove something to explain why you have not used your PR as intended, then they may allow it; otherwise, the best you will get will be a 3 month RRV.
Dear ABCDiamond
Many thanks for your reply.
I am returning to Australia in first week of April 2012. Then I will be having 6 months to reside and work in Australia as I have done Post Graduate Diploma in Accounting from Macquarie University. Will it be feasible enough for me to apply for my wife’s Temporary Residency now only or should I wait till I get my RRV. Please suggest.
Thanks
Suchet Handa
I would begin the application ASAP. You mention you have 6 months to reside and work? An RRV is only for Permanent Resident Visa holders.
Hi,
I had investment apartment in Melbourne, i only stay about 3 months during last 5 years in Australia? Can i apply for 5 years RRV? If they dont grant RRV, what will happen with my apartment if i dont have visa to come back to Australia?
My guess is that a 5 year RRV is out of the question. Maybe a 3 month one? Otherwise tourist visa is always an option to come and go to check your property. As you may end up not actually being a resident. it may be worth checking current rules with the FIRB on property owned by non-residents.
Dear ABCDiamond
My RRV expired in 2008 and it has been over 10 years since I was in Australia. Both my parents are Australian citizens (but not residing in Australia but hoping to relocate there preferably with my daughter and me). I have an aunt and cousin who are citizens and living in Australia over 40 years.
Do I stand any chance of obtaining even a 3 month RRV?
Thanks in advance.
Anna
I have family members who emigrated to Australia in 2005. The parents have become Australian citizens, who work and pay taxes here. The two girls have completed school, but haven’t become citizens. Both are at UNI, but the one who started Uni this year has been kicked out because she is not an Australian citizen. Can anyone tell me the rules? Seems rather unfair.
Thanks
Some Full university cost rebates or assistance are only available for Citizens, not for Permanent Residents. This is one of the few areas that are different between citizen and PR.
However, to be kicked out does seem odd. I would be double checking that with the Uni, for the exact reason.
The two girls should apply immediately for citizenship, otherwise the following apply:
Permanent Residents of Australia undertaking an undergraduate program are Commonwealth Supported but
must pay the relevant Student Contributions upfront without a discount.
Permanent Residents of Australia who commenced their program from 2005 onwards are not eligible for HECSHELP or FEE-HELP and must pay their fees upfront without a discount by the fee due date.
Some Permanent Residents of Australia may be eligible for a Commonwealth supported place in a postgraduate program. Permanent Residents of Australia in all other postgraduate programs will be charged DTF rates.
Please check with your relevant College as not all colleges have this option available.
DTF = domestic tuition fee
Citizenship can be obtained very quickly if needed with good reason. I did mine in 23 days between citizenship test and ceremony.
Dear ABCDiamond,
I have my PR visa for Australia that expires in 2012.
I haev not stayed in Australia for more than 2 years in the last 5 years.
I would like to request for an RRV as,
1) I have purchased a property in the current country that i am residing.This property was purchased before the propert crash and recession.With my current income and savings, i shoul dbe able to clear this debt in 2 years and then be ready to move to Australi.
2) My current employer requries me to stay in this current role for atleast 2 years, after which i will be considered for a job in Australia
3) I have 2 kids and their future is in concern. I would not want to leave in debt especially since i will not have a job
Can you advise
You should direct this question to Immigration, together with those reasons. My answer would only be a guess, but I think it would be well worth trying. There is some flexibility…