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This visa is applicable if:

  • If you are the holder of a permanent resident visa for Australia and you pass your 5 years period to travel (or about to reach it and) you are not an Australian citizen;
  • If you were a permanent resident of Australia previously and your visa has expired and you wish to re-enter Australia.
  • If you were formerly an Australian citizen and wish to return to Australia after losing or renouncing your citizenship.

If you have either an Authority to Return (ATR) or Return Endorsement (RE) document, you will not require a Resident Return Visa.

Subclass 155 – RRV

You will be eligible to apply for this Subclass if you meet the residence requirement or show sufficient ties to Australia.

  • The residence requirement:
  • You must have spent two years in the last five years in Australia as either an Australian permanent resident or a citizen.
  • If you do not meet this residency requirement, you must have substantial business, cultural, employment or personal ties of benefit to Australia, and:
  • If you are lodging your application while you are in Australia, you must show compelling reasons for any continuous absence from Australia of more than five years;
  • If are lodging your application while overseas, were a permanent resident or citizen when you last left Australia and can show compelling reasons for any continuous absence from Australia of more than five years;
  • If are lodging your application while overseas, you must have been a permanent resident or citizen in the last 10 years and can show compelling reasons for absence(s) over five years.

If you meet the residence requirement you should be granted a 5 years travel facility. If you do not meet residence requirement and can prove substantial ties for the benefit of Australia, then your travel facility will be for one year.

If you are the partner of a person who holds a Subclass 155 visa, or who has also applied for a Resident Return visa, you can apply for this visa if you satisfy the criteria for grant. You will then be granted a travel facility for one year or less.

Subclass 157 – RRV

This is a less desirable Subclass in the RRV group.

You might be able to be granted this visa if you:

  1. You have lawfully spent at least one day and less than 2 years  in the past five years in Australia as a permanent resident or an Australian citizen; and
  2. can show a compelling and compassionate reason for leaving Australia or, if you are outside Australia, for leaving when you did; and
  3. If you spent more than three continuous months outside of Australia immediately before applying, you must show that you were absent for a compelling and compassionate reason, only.

A Subclass 157 only grant you a travel facility for 3 months from the day of grant.

Substantial Ties Meaning

    1. Business tiesYou must:
      • have substantial ownership interests in an Australian business and
      • be personally involved at a senior level in the day-to-day operations and management of the business, and
      • show you are a benefit to Australia.

      The business activity needs to:

      • be ongoing,
      • have regular activity,
      • be commercial in nature,
      • have an intention to make a profit and
      • have a system of record keeping and management that substantiates the business activity claimed.
    2. Cultural tiesInclude  a range of intellectual, artistic, sporting or religious activities pursuits and you need to provide proof your role in adding to Australia’s cultural life. This can include publications you have written, your membership of cultural associations, any media articles about you or proof of your performances.
    3. Employment tiesYou must show that
      • you are currently employed, or
      • have a formal offer of employment in Australia, or
      • are employed overseas by an Australian organisation, or
      • that your employment by a non-Australian organisation has a demonstrable benefit to Australia, for example, working as a representative of Australia for an international organisation.
    4. Personal tiesPersonal ties include substantial ones that could benefit Australia if you are, or have been, a participating member of the Australian community and economy.For example, living in Australia for a long time or living overseas with an Australian citizen partner is taken into account. You can prove that you have personal assets or family who live in Australia if they are both substantial and of benefit to Australia.
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