Resident Return Subclass 155 visa

Resident Return Visa

You might be granted a subclass 155 visa if you either:

• meet the resident requirement (5 year travel facility)
• have ties of benefit to Australia (1 year travel facility)
• are a family member of someone who holds, or has applied for, a Resident Return visa and satisfies the criteria for grant (up to 1 year travel facility).

Meet the resident requirement

You meet the residence requirement if you spent a total of at least two of the last five years in Australia as an Australian permanent resident or citizen.

Have ties of benefit to Australia

If you do not meet the residence requirement, you might be eligible for the subclass 155 visa if you have substantial business, cultural, employment or personal ties of benefit to Australia:

Business ties of benefit: You have substantial ownership in a business and personal involvement at a senior level in the day-to-day operations and management of a business. The business activity must be ongoing, commercial in nature and have a record keeping and management system that supports the business activity.

Cultural ties of benefit: You undertake intellectual, artistic, sporting or religious pursuits that are adding to Australia’s cultural life.

Employment ties of benefit: You are currently employed or have a formal employment offer in Australia, or are employed outside Australia by an Australian organisation, or are employed by a non-Australian organisation that clearly benefits Australia, for example, you work as a representative of Australia for an international organisation.

Personal ties of benefit: You are, or have been, a participating member of the Australian community and economy. We also take into account living in Australia for a substantial period of time or living overseas with an Australian citizen partner, and having personal assets or close family members who live in Australia that are both substantial and of benefit to Australia.

If you have been absent from Australia

You will also need to provide information about absences if you are:

• applying in Australia but were absent from Australia continuously for more than five years
• applying from outside Australia and were a permanent resident or citizen when you last departed Australia and you were absent from Australia continuously for more than five years
• applying from outside Australia and were a permanent resident or citizen in the last 10 years and you were absent from Australia for periods that total over five years.