Plan your travel from and return to Australia and protect your long-term status.
Australian permanent residence and the right to re-enter Australia are not always the same thing. As a permanent resident, you do not have an automatic right to return to Australia from overseas. Your ability to re-enter depends on whether the travel facility on your permanent visa is still valid or whether you hold a Resident Return visa. You need to understand how that status works in practice once you have spent time overseas, need to travel frequently, or are deciding whether to move on to citizenship.
A Resident Return visa (RRV) is the visa that allows a permanent resident to return to Australia as a permanent resident after travel overseas.
Broadly, there are two RRV subclasses:
Subclass 155
Subclass 157
An RRV may be needed if the travel facility on your existing permanent visa has expired or will expire before you return to Australia. You need to make sure that you have a valid RRV before departing Australia.
Travel frequently
Have lived outside Australia for extended periods
Are returning after a long absence
Are not yet Australian citizens
Long absences can affect the Resident Return visa pathway available to you. Depending on your travel history, you may need to show substantial ties to Australia and explain how your plans continue to connect you to the country.
Understand residency requirements before any prolonged absence from Australia.
An overseas job does not automatically end your ability to return, but it can change how a future Resident Return visa application is assessed. Review your travel history, ties to Australia and likely return plans before accepting the role.
Review your plans before you commit, and calculate your time in Australia carefully.
Review your travel history early, especially before extended travel or an overseas move, so you understand how your current travel facility and ties to Australia may affect your plans.
Becoming a citizen by conferral is the common way for permanent residents to become Australian citizens. In practical terms, repeated reliance on Resident Return visas may not always be the strongest long-term strategy.
In other cases, it might make more sense to stay on as a PR. Common examples deal with dual citizenship laws and tax related considerations. Many people also stay ones PRs because it affords most benefits that people usually care about.
Your residence history, travel plans, dual citizenship considerations and long-term intentions all matter. Talk to us about your options.
Book a consultationThis is one of the most common and most important questions in this area.
If you are not sure whether your travel facility is still valid, whether you need a Resident Return visa, whether your time overseas affects your position, or whether you should be applying for citizenship instead, it is usually better to review the issue early rather than assume everything is fine. A short consultation with us is usually the easiest step.
Before you apply, consider:
Whether they have held permanent residence for long enough
Whether their time in and out of Australia fits the residence requirement
Whether they are ready to lodge now or should wait until their timing is stronger
Citizenship is not always immediate, and approval is usually not the final step.
Processing time
8 months
90% of applications are processed within this timeline.
Ceremony wait
7 months
90% of approved applicants attend a ceremony within this period.
The time taken can vary depending on the individual case and the wait time for a ceremony in the relevant local government area.
That means a person may be approved, but still need to wait for a ceremony before citizenship is finalised.
We help permanent residents and long-term visa holders understand their position and decide on the strongest next step.
Possibly, but timing matters. Before leaving Australia, make sure your current travel facility will still allow you to return, or that you hold the Resident Return visa you need. A review before departure can help avoid problems while you are overseas.
Long periods overseas can affect the Resident Return visa pathway available to you. Depending on your circumstances, you may need to show substantial ties to Australia that benefit the country, with your travel history assessed against the relevant period before you apply.
Usually, travel should be avoided during this period. Leaving Australia can have implications for your place in the ceremony queue, and in some cases you may need to notify the Department before travelling. Check your position before making arrangements.
