Resident Return Visa Australia: Keep Your Right to Return
If your permanent visa's travel facility is expiring, a Resident Return Visa (RRV) lets you keep travelling in and out of Australia as a permanent resident. We handle the eligibility check, the ties evidence, and the lodgement — so you're not caught overseas without a way back.
Figures are general benchmarks current at time of writing — always confirm your own dates and current fees at your assessment.
Who qualifies for a Resident Return Visa
The RRV is for current or former Australian permanent residents, and some former Australian citizens whose last visa wasn't cancelled, who want to renew their travel facility. Which pathway applies to you depends on how much time you've spent in Australia.
- ✓2-in-5-years residence rule — you've lawfully spent at least 2 of the last 5 years in Australia as a permanent resident or citizen: standard 5-year subclass 155.
- ✓Substantial ties — if you don't meet the residence rule, but have significant business, employment, cultural or personal ties to Australia: 1-year subclass 155.
- ✓Family member pathway — you're the family member of someone who holds, or has applied for, an RRV and meets the criteria: up to a 1-year subclass 155.
- ✓Compelling and compassionate reasons — you can't meet either 155 pathway, but have circumstances like a medical emergency or urgent family situation: 3-month subclass 157.
- ✓Valid passport and, for the 157, at least one lawful day in Australia in the past 5 years immediately before applying.
155 vs 157: which one do you need?
Meets the 2-in-5-years residence rule. The most common and fastest-decided RRV pathway — often processed within days once evidence is uploaded.
Substantial ties to Australia, or a qualifying family member of an RRV holder/applicant. Typically takes longer to assess — realistically a few months.
For those who can't meet either 155 pathway but have compelling or compassionate circumstances. Processing time varies widely with the circumstances.
How the Resident Return Visa application works
Check your travel facility
We confirm via VEVO exactly when your current permanent visa's travel facility expires, so you're not left stranded overseas.
Identify your pathway
We work out whether you meet the 2-in-5-years rule, need to rely on substantial ties, or fall into the compelling and compassionate 157 category.
Gather your evidence
Residence history, travel records, and — where needed — ties or compassionate-circumstances evidence are compiled and reviewed.
Lodgement
Your application is submitted through ImmiAccount, onshore or offshore, with the government fee paid.
Responding to requests
If the Department asks for further information, we help you respond quickly to keep processing on track.
Grant & travel
Once granted, you can travel in and out of Australia as a permanent resident for the length of your new travel facility.
Documents and evidence you'll need
- Current passport, and evidence of any name changes
- Current or most recent permanent visa grant details
- Full travel history for the past 5 years
- Evidence of time physically spent in Australia (leases, payslips, school enrolments)
- Employment or business ownership evidence
- Property, family, or long-standing cultural/community ties
- Medical certificates or a doctor's letter, where relevant
- Evidence of the circumstances preventing your return, such as caring for a family member
Government fees and processing time
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Resident Return Visa (155 or 157), online application | AUD $490 |
| Resident Return Visa (155 or 157), paper application | AUD $570 |
| AIC service fee | Fixed quote after your assessment |
Government fees are set by the Department of Home Affairs and reviewed periodically — always confirm the current amount at your assessment or on the Department's Visa Pricing Estimator. Our service fee is a fixed quote agreed upfront, never hourly billing.
Where Resident Return Visa applications go wrong
Left it too late
The most common and costly mistake is applying after your travel facility has already expired while you're overseas — or worse, discovering it's expired only once you try to board a flight.
Thin ties evidence
The substantial ties pathway is assessed on the weight of the evidence, not just its existence. A single document rarely tells the full story of your connection to Australia.
Wrong pathway chosen
Applying under the wrong category, or without a clear compelling and compassionate case for a 157, wastes time and can mean reapplying from scratch.
As a MARA-registered agent, Fahad Shamim (MARN 2619225) checks your residence history against VEVO records, helps build a substantial ties or compassionate-circumstances case where needed, and times your lodgement so your travel plans aren't disrupted.
Common questions about the Resident Return Visa
Who can apply for a Resident Return Visa?
Current and former Australian permanent residents, and some former Australian citizens whose last visa wasn't cancelled, can apply to renew their travel facility and keep or regain permanent resident status.
What is the difference between subclass 155 and subclass 157?
Subclass 155 is the standard RRV — a 5-year facility if you meet the 2-in-5-years residence rule, or a 1-year facility on substantial ties. Subclass 157 is a short 3-month facility for those who can't meet the 155 criteria but have compelling or compassionate reasons for their absence.
Can I get a Resident Return Visa after living overseas for 5 years or more?
It's harder but not automatically impossible. Without the 2-in-5-years residence, you'd need to show substantial ties for a 1-year subclass 155, or compelling and compassionate reasons for a 3-month subclass 157 — and the longer you've been away, the stronger that evidence generally needs to be.
How much does a Resident Return Visa cost?
The online application fee is AUD $490, and paper applications are AUD $570. Fees are reviewed periodically by the Department, so always confirm the current amount at your assessment.
How long does a Resident Return Visa take to process?
Applications clearly meeting the 2-in-5-years rule are often decided within days once documents are uploaded. Substantial ties cases typically take a few months, and compelling and compassionate 157 cases vary widely.
Can I include my family in one application?
No. Each family member, including children, must lodge their own separate Resident Return Visa application and meet the eligibility criteria in their own right.
What happens if my travel facility expires while I'm overseas?
You cannot re-enter Australia as a permanent resident without a valid travel facility. You'd need to apply for an RRV from overseas, or look at other visa options, before you can return.
Don't risk your right to return
Send Fahad your travel facility expiry date and time spent in Australia on WhatsApp for a free, no-obligation check of your Resident Return Visa options.
This page is general information only, not legal or migration advice, and doesn't guarantee an outcome. Requirements, fees and processing times are set by the Department of Home Affairs and reviewed periodically — always confirm current details at immi.homeaffairs.gov.au or at your assessment with Fahad Shamim (MARN 2619225). Return to the Australian Immigration Consultants homepage.