The Visa Guide

The purpose of a Resident Return Visa (RRV) is to facilitate the re-entry into Australia of non-citizen permanent residents.
The RRV ensures that only those people who have a genuine commitment to residing in Australia or who are contributing to Australia's well being, retain the right to return to Australia and remain permanently.

RRVs are usually issued with a validity of 5 years or 3 months. An RRV allows Australian permanent residents to travel from, and return to Australia as often as they wish within the validity of the visa, whilst maintaining their status as permanent residents.

Do I need a Resident Return Visa (RRV)?

Everybody, except Australian citizens and New Zealand citizens travelling on their New Zealand passport, must have a visa to travel to Australia. If you are a permanent resident of Australia and intend to travel away from Australia, you should ensure that you have a visa, which is valid for re-entry, on your return to Australia. This visa can be your original permanent resident visa, or a Resident Return Visa, as long as it authorises travel to Australia on the date you return. The visa can be in your current passport or in an expired passport that you also carry with you while you travel.

Permanent Residents should obtain their RRVs before leaving Australia, to avoid travel delays and the need to obtain an RRV through an Australian diplomatic office overseas.

Visa requirements for a Resident Return Visa (RRV)

To apply for a Resident Return Visa (RRV) you must be:

• a permanent resident holding a valid permanent visa,
• a former permanent resident whose last permanent visa was not cancelled, or
• a former Australian citizen who has lost or renounced their Australian citizenship.

For a five-year RRV:

• you must be lawfully present in Australia for a total of at least 2 years in the 5 years immediately before lodging the application for the visa;
• you must have substantial and beneficial business, cultural, employment or personal ties to Australia; and
• if you have been absent from Australia for more than five years, you must also have compelling reasons for your absence.

If you do not meet these criteria, but have to leave Australia for compassionate and compelling reasons, you can apply for a 3 month RRV.

If you are unable to meet the RRV requirements in your own right, but you are a member of the family unit of a person who holds an RRV, you may be granted an RRV with the same validity period as the family head's.