Renewing your PR travel facility — Resident Return Visa (RRV 155/157)
Your permanent residency (PR) travel facility does not last forever. Learn how to check it before it expires and, if needed, renew it with an RRV (155/157).
What is an RRV — understanding the travel facility
An Australian permanent residency (PR) visa lets you stay in Australia indefinitely, but the travel facility is only valid for 5 years from the date the visa is granted. Even after it expires, your stay remains lawful while you are in Australia. However, once you leave, you cannot re-enter as a permanent resident. The Resident Return Visa (RRV, subclass 155/157) renews this travel facility and is an essential mechanism for long-term permanent residents who have not yet obtained citizenship.
Subclass 155 vs 157
Subclass 155 is the usual pathway: it grants a 5-year travel facility if you meet the residence requirement, or usually 1 year if you demonstrate substantial ties. Subclass 157 grants a short 3-month travel facility in limited situations, such as when you have spent less than 2 years in Australia in the last 5 years. Which one applies depends on your individual history, so check the detailed requirements on the official Home Affairs page.
Requirements and application process
The core requirement is whether you have lived in Australia as a permanent resident (or citizen) for a cumulative 2 years (730 days) or more within the 5 years immediately before your application date. If you meet it, you can receive a 5-year travel facility under subclass 155. If not, you can demonstrate substantial ties to Australia (business, employment, family, assets, etc.) that are of benefit to Australia to receive 1 year (155), or consider the 3-month (157) pathway depending on your circumstances.
Apply online via ImmiAccount
Applications are usually lodged online through ImmiAccount and can be made from inside or outside Australia. That said, applying and getting the grant before you depart is by far the safest option. If you apply after your travel facility has expired while overseas, your return date can become uncertain until the outcome is decided.
- Check your current travel facility expiry date ('Must not arrive after') on VEVO
- Add up your days of residence in Australia over the last 5 years using your movement records
- Apply online via ImmiAccount → receive the grant notice → re-check the new expiry date on VEVO
Cases that clearly meet the 2-year residence requirement are relatively straightforward to assess, but the substantial ties pathway carries a heavier burden of proof. Check the latest fees and processing times on the official Home Affairs page.
Documents and supporting evidence
At a minimum you will need your passport, current visa details and travel history. If you are applying via the substantial ties pathway because you don't meet the residence requirement, prepare concrete evidence showing that your ties benefit Australia (running a business, employment, family living in Australia, assets such as property, cultural and community involvement, etc.). You may also be asked for compelling reasons for your extended absence, so organise supporting evidence for that as well.
- Passport bio page and the grant notice for your current permanent visa
- A summary of your travel history over the last 5 years (refer to flight tickets, passport stamps, your own records, etc.)
- If you don't meet the requirement: evidence of substantial ties (business, employment, family, assets) and documentation explaining your time overseas
Documents not in English may need certified translation (see our NAATI translation guide). What counts as effective evidence varies case by case, so for complex situations we recommend consulting an OMARA registered migration agent.
Which scenario applies to me — four cases
The length of the travel facility you receive with an RRV depends on your residence history and evidence of ties. Compare these four typical scenarios. The final determination rests with the Home Affairs assessment.
The simplest case. You can receive a 5-year travel facility under subclass 155, and the assessment is relatively straightforward.
If you demonstrate substantial ties that benefit Australia — business, employment, family, assets and the like — you may be granted a travel facility of usually 1 year under subclass 155.
In some situations, such as having spent less than 2 years in Australia in the last 5 years, only a short 3-month travel facility is granted under subclass 157. Check the detailed requirements officially.
You can still apply from overseas, but this is a risk zone where your return could be delayed depending on the assessment outcome. Prepare thorough evidence of your ties and, if needed, consult a registered migration agent.
Pre-departure checklist
The key with the RRV is to deal with it 'before you depart', not 'after a problem arises'. Whether it's a long trip, working overseas or visiting family, make these five checks a habit before every departure.
- Check VEVO before every departure — make sure your travel facility expiry date is comfortably later than your planned return date
- If you're planning a long stay overseas, apply for and secure an RRV before you depart
- Keep your own record of entry and exit dates so you can calculate your residence days for the last 5 years at any time
- If you meet the citizenship residence requirement, consider applying for citizenship first instead of repeated RRVs (the fundamental solution)
- Check the travel facility expiry dates for each family member (partner and children) too — the dates can differ from person to person
Warnings and common mistakes
There is often no expiry reminder for the travel facility, so if you don't keep track of it yourself, you may only discover the problem at the airport. Check these common mistakes in advance.
- Assuming 'PR = permanent right to travel in and out' — unlike your right to stay, the travel facility lasts only 5 years from the grant date
- Confusing the expiry date with your passport validity — what matters is your visa details in VEVO, not your passport
- Letting it expire during a long stay overseas — once your residence record lapses, the burden of proving substantial ties grows
- Applying at the last minute before departure — processing can take time and may not fit your travel schedule
- Relying on unregistered 'migration consultants' — Australian immigration advice is only safe from an OMARA registered migration agent or a qualified lawyer
Useful official links
- Home Affairs — Resident Return Visa (subclass 155/157)(opens in a new window)
Official Resident Return Visa (subclass 155/157) information — latest requirements, fees and processing times
- VEVO — 비자 조건·만료일 확인(opens in a new window)
VEVO — check your visa conditions and travel facility expiry date ('Must not arrive after') for free
- ImmiAccount(opens in a new window)
ImmiAccount — online visa application portal, including the RRV
- Home Affairs — 영주권자의 시민권 신청(opens in a new window)
Australian citizenship for permanent residents — the fundamental path that ends the need for travel facility renewals
- OMARA — 등록 이민대리사(opens in a new window)
OMARA — search for and verify registered migration agents (consult a registered agent for individual cases)
Frequently Asked Questions
If my travel facility expires, do I lose my permanent residency?▾
No. As long as you remain in Australia, your stay is still lawful. However, if you leave Australia after your travel facility has expired, you will not be able to re-enter as a permanent resident — so before any overseas trip, always check your expiry date and, if needed, obtain an RRV first.
What is the difference between RRV subclass 155 and 157?▾
Subclass 155 grants a 5-year travel facility if you have lived in Australia for 2 of the 5 years immediately before applying; if you don't meet that, you can still receive a travel facility of usually 1 year by demonstrating substantial ties that are of benefit to Australia. Subclass 157 has different requirements and grants a shorter 3-month travel facility. Check the detailed requirements on the official Home Affairs page.
Does the 2 years of residence have to be continuous?▾
No. A cumulative total of 2 years (730 days) within the 5 years immediately before your application date is sufficient. Calculate precisely from your movement (travel) records, and if the day count is borderline, verify it with some margin before applying.
I'm overseas and my travel facility has already expired. What do I do?▾
You can apply for an RRV from overseas. However, if you haven't met the residence requirement, the outcome may depend on your evidence of substantial ties — which carries assessment risk — and you cannot return to Australia as a permanent resident until it is approved. Renewing before a long stay overseas is the safest approach; for complex cases, consult an OMARA registered migration agent.
Do I still need an RRV once I get citizenship?▾
Yes. Once you become an Australian citizen, you can enter and leave Australia freely on an Australian passport, so travel facility renewals are no longer needed. If you meet the residence requirement, citizenship is the fundamental solution; if you don't and long overseas stays continue, you will need to obtain RRVs repeatedly. See our citizenship guide for details.
Where can I check my travel facility expiry date?▾
You can check for free using Home Affairs' VEVO (Visa Entitlement Verification Online). The 'Must not arrive after' field in your visa details is the last date you can re-enter Australia as a permanent resident. See our visa conditions and VEVO guide for detailed instructions.
How much is the fee and how long does processing take?▾
Fees and processing times change frequently, so check the latest information on the official Home Affairs page. Online applications that clearly meet the 2-year residence requirement tend to be processed relatively quickly, but cases requiring a substantial ties assessment can take longer.