How To Renew Australian Permanent Resident Visa

The renewal of your Australian Permanent Residency is required when the period of your permanent residency visa has been terminated or is about to expire. There are two pathways for applying for the renewal: either Australian citizenship or Resident Return Visa (Subclass 155 or 157)

With a Permanent Residency program, you are allowed to leave and re-enter Australia for five years. To hold the benefits as previously, you have to renew your visa before the expiry of the PR visa. Below is the whole process involved:

Australia Permanent Residency Renewal Process

You must apply for Resident Return Visa in other to maintain your Australian Permanent Residency visa status.

Resident Return Visa (RRV):

This allows you to travel abroad when your Australia permanent residency visa is about to terminate or has lapsed. It is categorized into two types – Resident Return Visa (Subclass 155) and Resident return visa (subclass 157).

Both of these subclasses of visa are a travel facility program under Australian Immigration that helps maintain your permanent residency status even when you travel abroad. Leaving Australia before applying for RRV may affect your citizenship, hence, you can go for it if the travel facility date of your Australian permanent residency visa is about to end, or is expired.

Requirements for the Resident Return Visa Subclass 155 and 157:

1. You have lived in Australia for 2 years out of five years.
2. You should be an Australian permanent resident.
3. You must live for at least two out of the five years in Australia to be eligible for a 5-year 155 Resident Return Visa,
4. There should be no changes or addition to your birth document (i.e., date of birth and name) since the time after your last visa.
5. You must spend at least 1 day legally under your Australia Visa program for five years to be eligible for a 155 Resident Return Visa.

Resident Return Visa Subclass 155 and 157 Criteria:

1)    You cannot apply for this visa program if your last permanent resident visa is canceled.

2)    Your application will be rejected if you have already received a notice from higher authorities that your permanent resident visa might get canceled.

Resident Return Visa Subclass 155 and 157 Benefits:

These are the permanent visas that allow you to access the following benefits.

1. You can study in Australia.
2. You can live and work in Australia.
3. If you meet the eligibility requirements you can apply for Australian Citizenship.
4. You are free to sponsor your eligible family members for permanent residency.