What is a Resident Return Visa (RRV)?
The Resident Return Visa (RRV) — subclasses 155 and 157 — allows current or former Australian permanent residents (and certain former Australian citizens) to retain their permanent status after travelling overseas. This visa enables the holder to continue living and working in Australia as a permanent resident, subject to the travel facility’s validity period.
To be eligible, applicants generally must be holders of, or have previously held, Australian permanent resident status (provided their last permanent visa was not cancelled). For the five-year travel facility (Subclass 155), the applicant typically must have been physically present in Australia for at least two of the last five years as a permanent resident or Australian citizen. If that residence requirement is not met, they may still qualify by demonstrating substantial personal, business, cultural, or employment ties of benefit to Australia — in which case they may be granted a shorter travel facility (often one year) or the three-month travel facility under Subclass 157.
The key benefit of the RRV is that it preserves the right to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident even after a period abroad. Without this visa (or if the travel facility under the original permanent visa has expired), an individual may retain their permanent resident status but lose the travel component that allows re-entry — meaning they would not be able to return to Australia as a permanent resident.
Reference
Department of Home Affairs. (n.d.). Resident Return visa (subclasses 155 and 157). Australian Government. Retrieved from https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/resident-return-visa-155-157#About
