Permanent residents travelling overseas

Are you an Australian permanent resident looking to travel overseas this Christmas? Before departing Australia, you need to ensure that you have a visa that is valid for re-entry, otherwise, you may face difficulties returning to Australia as you do not have an automatic right to return to Australia.

Australian permanent residency is granted to individuals generally with a 5-year travel facility, meaning you can freely enter and depart Australia whenever you like within the first 5 years from the visa grant date. If, within this 5-year period, you do not become an Australian citizen, the 5-year travel facility will expire. If you then depart Australia (or the travel facility ceases whilst you are away), you will not be able to return to Australia without applying for and being granted a Resident Return Visa (RRV).

An RRV (subclass 155 and 157) permits Australian permanent residents to depart and re-enter Australia whilst maintaining their permanent residency status. There are no limits on the number of RRVs an individual can be granted; however, the RRV validity period will depend on your circumstances and ranges from 3 months to 5 years.

Get in touch with one of our Registered Migration Agents today to ensure you don’t get stranded overseas this holiday season.

Disclaimer: The information provided herein is of a general nature only and does not constitute immigration advice. For more detailed and case-specific information or advice, please contact SCA Connect.