Resident Return visa (Subclass 155 and 157)

AustraliaLong-term residence

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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What exact status does accumulated residence lead to?

The target status is a Resident Return visa (RRV, subclasses 155 and 157) — a travel facility that lets a person who is already an Australian permanent resident, a former permanent resident whose last permanent visa was not cancelled, or a former citizen who lost or renounced citizenship, leave and re-enter Australia as a permanent resident. It does not itself grant new permanent residence; without it a person cannot return as a permanent resident once their existing travel facility expires.

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Overview tab
If you leave Australia after the travel facility on your visa expires, or it expires when you are outside Australia, you will not be able to return to Australia as a permanent resident. This visa allows you to return to Australia as a permanent resident.
Eligibility tab — Be a current or former permanent resident or citizen
an Australian permanent resident a former Australian permanent resident whose last permanent visa was not cancelled, or a former Australian citizen who lost or renounced citizenship.

What qualifying residence period is required and when does the period begin?

The main pathway (Option 1) requires having been present in Australia for 2 of the last 5 years (730 cumulative days) as a permanent visa holder or citizen, granting a 5-year travel facility. Four alternative options instead require demonstrating substantial ties without meeting the 2-in-5-years test, but cap the travel facility at 12 months; if a person does not qualify for the subclass 155 RRV under any option but qualifies for subclass 157, the maximum travel facility is only 3 months.

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Eligibility tab — Option 1: Present in Australia for 2 of the last 5 years
To meet this option, you must have been present in Australia for 2 years in the last 5 years as the holder of a permanent visa, or as an Australian citizen.
Eligibility tab — Option 1: Present in Australia for 2 of the last 5 years
If you meet this criterion, you will get a 5-year travel facility.
Eligibility tab — Option 2: Outside Australia and not absent for more than 5 continuous years
If you meet this criterion, you can only be given a maximum 12-month travel facility.
Eligibility tab — Be a current or former permanent resident or citizen
The maximum travel facility that can be granted with a subclass 157 RRV is 3 months.

Which types of residence count fully, partially or not at all where the official rules specify this?

For the 2-in-5-years test, the 2-year requirement is counted as 730 cumulative days in Australia within the 5 years immediately before lodgement (counted back from the lodgement date, not the decision date); both the arrival day and departure day count, a same-day arrival-and-departure or same-day visa-expiry-and-regrant counts as one day, and a part-day in Australia counts as a full day.

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Eligibility tab — Option 1: Present in Australia for 2 of the last 5 years
2-year period is counted as 730 cumulative days spent in Australia in the last 5 years immediately before lodgement of your application
Eligibility tab — Option 1: Present in Australia for 2 of the last 5 years
date of arrival and date of departure are both included in the count of days in Australia. Only one day is counted if the applicant arrives and departs on the same day. Only one day is counted if a visa expires and another one is granted on the same day. A part-day spent in Australia by a permanent visa holder is counted as a full day.
Eligibility tab — Meet our residence, substantial ties, or member of the family unit requirements
You must demonstrate 'substantial ties' as being both substantial and of benefit to Australia. Your ties can be: business ties cultural ties employment ties personal ties (including family ties).

What absence/continuity rules affect accumulation of the qualifying residence period?

Applicants who cannot meet the 2-in-5-years test may rely on absence-based options: being outside Australia and not absent for 5 or more continuous years before applying (Option 2); being outside Australia, having been a citizen or permanent resident less than 10 years before applying, and not having accumulated more than 5 years' total absence since then (Option 3); or being inside Australia and not absent for 5 continuous years since the last permanent visa grant or loss of citizenship (Option 4). In each case compelling reasons can excuse exceeding the absence limit, and substantial ties to Australia are still required.

See recorded sources

Eligibility tab — Option 2: Outside Australia and not absent for more than 5 continuous years
were not absent for 5 continuous years or more before the date of application (unless you have compelling reasons), and
Eligibility tab — Option 3: Outside Australia and not absent for more than 5 years total
were an Australian citizen or permanent resident less than 10 years before you applied, and were not absent from Australia for periods that total more than 5 years (unless you have compelling reasons) between the date you left Australia as a permanent resident or citizen and the date of application, and
Eligibility tab — Option 4: Inside Australia and not absent for 5 continuous years
have not been absent for 5 continuous years since grant of your most recent permanent visa or when you stopped being an Australian citizen (unless you have compelling reasons).

What other major conditions apply, how is the status obtained, and what renewal, document-validity, retention or loss rules matter?

Applicants apply online and must meet the character requirement; a lower cost applies from 1 July 2026 for eligible Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens. The visa is unavailable to Australian citizens (any existing RRV ceases and a new application is invalidated with the charge refunded), former permanent residents whose last permanent visa was cancelled, holders of an Authority to Return or Return Endorsement, Pacific Engagement (subclass 192) Treaty stream (Tuvalu) holders (who already have unlimited travel rights and would have that visa cease if granted an RRV), and holders of certain cancelled or under-cancellation-review business skills visas or their dependent family members. Once granted, it lets the holder travel in and out of Australia as often as wanted until the travel facility (up to 5 years) expires.

See recorded sources

Overview tab — Cost
to apply online
Eligibility tab — Meet character requirement
You must meet our character requirement.
Eligibility tab — Not be an Australian Citizen
you are not eligible for an RRV, and you do not need one to travel overseas and enter Australia any RRV already granted to you (if applicable) will cease to be in effect any future RRV application will be invalidated, and Visa Application Charge (VAC) will be returned.
Eligibility tab — Not be a former permanent resident who has had their previous permanent visa cancelled
You are not eligible for an RRV if you are a former permanent resident who has had your most recent permanent visa cancelled.
Overview tab — With this visa, you can
travel in and out of Australia as many times as you want until the travel facility on your visa expires

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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Resident Return visa (Subclass 155 and 157)

What exact status does accumulated residence lead to?

What qualifying residence period is required and when does the period begin?

Which types of residence count fully, partially or not at all where the official rules specify this?

What absence/continuity rules affect accumulation of the qualifying residence period?

What other major conditions apply, how is the status obtained, and what renewal, document-validity, retention or loss rules matter?

Your story.Your next step.

Your story.
Your next step.