Resident Return Visa Eligibility

The Australian Visa Bureau is a division of Visa Bureau. Visa Bureau is not affiliated with the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) and is a website specialising in visa and immigration information to Australia.

Australian Resident Return Visa

A Resident Return Visa is required for all non-citizen permanent residents of Australia who wish to temporarily leave the country, typically once the initial five year validity period of their residence visa has expired.

Click Here to Complete the Free Online Australian Resident Return Visa Assessment

Australian Visa Bureau's free online Resident Return Visa assessment will provide you with an immediate understanding of whether you meet the basic criteria for the visa. Upon completion, you will be given an option to request a free telephonic or email consultation with an experienced migration consultant specialising in evaluating your eligibility for the Resident Return Visa. As part of this initial free consultation, the consultant will discuss the visa application process with you.

Additionally, should you decide to use us to assist you with your Resident Return Visa application, your migration consultant will explain our service charges. Our service charges are dependent on the complexity of the application and your own individual circumstances, with the service charge for the Resident Return Visa starting from £400. This is not inclusive of VAT, the Australian government fees or any other costs associated with the application. You are not obliged to use our services at any point and we encourage you to take the free online assessment to assess your eligibility. Should you choose to use our services, your application will be handled by a MARA-registered migration agent initially and you will be assigned a personal caseworker who will guide you through every step of the process, from confirming your eligibility and gathering documents to checking your final application before lodging it to the Australian government.

You can also begin the process of applying for an Australian Resident Return Visa by going to the Australian Government website. The government fee for the Resident Return Visa is AU$300.

Click Here to Apply Online on IMMI.gov.au (official site)

Eligibility for a Resident Return Visa (RRV) is relatively broad in comparison to other Australian visa streams.

Typical Requirements

In order to be eligible for a Resident Return Visa which will allow you to leave and re-enter Australia freely for five years, you must be:

A permanent resident of Australia
A former permanent resident of Australia whose last visa was not cancelled
A former Australian citizen who lost or renounced their citizenship

As well as one of the above requirements, you should have spent at least two years in Australia within the last five.

Exceptional Cases

If you have not spent two years in Australia within the last five, you may still be eligible for a Resident Return Visa. However, the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) will judge each application on a case by case basis and this can also affect the validity period of an RRV.

Reasons why an RRV application may be granted include:

Being able to prove a compassionate and/or compelling reason why the residency requirement could not have been met
Having personal ties to Australia
Having employment or other business ties to Australia
Having a partner or family member in possession of a valid Resident Return Visa

Ineligible Visa Holders

If the last visa you were in Australia on was one of the following business visas, you are not eligible for a Resident Return Visa:

Business Owner visa (Subclasses 127 and 840)
Senior Executive visa (Subclasses 128 and 841)
State/Territory Sponsored Business Owner visa (Subclasses 129 and 842)
State/Territory Sponsored Senior Executive visa (Subclasses 130 and 843)
Investment-Linked visa (Subclasses 131 and 844)
Business Talent visa (Subclass 132)

If you are unsure of whether you meet the above requirements, or believe you may have a compelling reason to be granted a Resident Return Visa, please contact us to discuss your circumstances further.