If your Australian PR travel facility has expired, or is about to, you need a resident return visa 155 before you board a flight back to Australia. Your permanent residence itself has not ended. What has ended is your right to re-enter Australia as a permanent resident, and the Resident Return Visa (RRV) is how you get that right back. From 1 July 2026 the government charge for the subclass 155 jumped from $490 to $1,475, so getting the application right the first time matters more than it used to.

This guide covers who qualifies for the 155 (and the backup subclass 157), how long the new travel facility lasts, the 2026 fee, the documents to prepare, and the mistakes we see most often from PR holders living in India, Malaysia and elsewhere. Information is current as of 31 October 2026.

Resident return visa 155: key facts at a glance

• What it is: a permanent visa that gives a current or former Australian permanent resident (or a former Australian citizen) a new travel facility to re-enter Australia.
• Main eligibility route: at least 2 years physically in Australia as a permanent resident or citizen in the 5 years before you apply.
• Travel facility: up to 5 years if you meet the 2-of-5-years rule; generally up to 1 year if you rely on substantial ties or the family member route.
• Subclass 157: a 3-month travel facility for people with less than 2 years in Australia in the last 5 years and a compelling and compassionate reason to travel.
• Government charge (lodged on or after 1 July 2026): AUD 1,475 per applicant for both the 155 and 157. There is no family pricing: every person applies and pays separately.
• Where to apply: online, from inside or outside Australia. It must be granted before you leave (if you are in Australia) or before you arrive (if you are overseas).
• Not eligible: anyone whose last permanent visa was cancelled.

Why you need an RRV: the travel facility explained

Most Australian permanent visas, whether you got PR through a 189, 190, 186, partner or parent visa, come with a travel facility that lasts 5 years from the date the visa was granted. During those 5 years you can leave and re-enter Australia as many times as you like. After the 5 years:

• If you stay in Australia, you remain a permanent resident. Nothing lapses.
• If you leave Australia, you cannot come back as a permanent resident on that visa. You need a Resident Return Visa or Australian citizenship.
• If you are already overseas when the facility expires, you are effectively locked out as a PR until an RRV is granted.

You can check your travel facility expiry date in VEVO or in the grant letter for your permanent visa. The Department explains how to prove your status on its evidence of permanent residency page.

A common misunderstanding is that the RRV "renews" PR. It does not. It is a separate visa that restores travel rights. If your situation allows it, citizenship is usually the better long-term fix because citizens do not need a travel facility at all (more on that below).

Who can apply for the subclass 155

You must be one of the following:

• a current Australian permanent resident;
• a former permanent resident whose last permanent visa was not cancelled; or
• a former Australian citizen who lost or renounced citizenship.

You also need a valid passport and must meet the character requirements. People holding an old Authority to Return, Return Endorsement or BF-111 record are handled differently and should not lodge a 155 without advice.

Within the 155 there are three routes. Home Affairs assesses each application against both the 155 and 157 criteria, so you do not pick a subclass yourself. You do, however, need to give the evidence that fits the route you rely on.

Route 1: the residence requirement (2 of the last 5 years)

This is the simplest path. If you have been physically in Australia for a total of at least 2 years in the 5 years immediately before you apply, as a permanent resident or citizen, you generally qualify for a travel facility of up to 5 years. The 2 years do not need to be continuous. Days spent in Australia on a temporary visa before your PR was granted do not count.

Count your days carefully from your passport stamps and airline records. Being a few weeks short is the most common reason people end up on the harder routes below.

Route 2: substantial ties of benefit to Australia

If you do not meet the 2-of-5-years rule, you may still get a 155 by showing substantial business, employment, cultural or personal ties to Australia that are of benefit to Australia. Examples that tend to carry weight:

• you are working overseas for an Australian employer, or on secondment from an Australian company;
• you own or run a business in Australia, or are building trade links into Australia;
• you own property, pay tax and hold bank accounts and superannuation here;
• your spouse or children live in Australia.

Owning a house alone is rarely enough. The key words are "of benefit to Australia", so explain in a written statement how the ties benefit Australia, not just you. If you have been absent for a long continuous period, you should also explain why you were away. Approval on this route generally gives a travel facility of up to 1 year, not 5.

Route 3: family member of an RRV holder or applicant

A family member who cannot qualify on their own may be eligible for a 155 as the family member of someone who holds, or has applied for, an RRV and meets the criteria. This usually also gives a travel facility of up to 1 year. Each family member still lodges and pays separately.

Subclass 157: the short-stay backup

The subclass 157 is for people who:

• spent at least 1 day but less than 2 years in Australia as a permanent resident or citizen in the 5 years before applying; and
• have a compelling and compassionate reason for leaving Australia, or for being away (for example, caring for a seriously ill parent, a medical emergency, or a family death).

The 157 gives a travel facility of only 3 months. It is a way to get back to Australia, not a long-term travel solution. Once you are back, plan your next step: stay long enough to qualify for a 5-year 155, or work toward citizenship.

Resident return visa 155 cost in 2026

The Visa Application Charge rose sharply on 1 July 2026, a change reported by the ABC as an increase of more than 200 per cent. The charge depends on the date you lodge, not the date of grant.

Visa	Lodged before 1 July 2026	Lodged on or after 1 July 2026
Subclass 155 Resident Return	AUD 490	AUD 1,475
Subclass 157 Resident Return	AUD 570	AUD 1,475
Additional family members	Separate application each	Separate application each (AUD 1,475 per person)

A family of four with expired travel facilities is now looking at AUD 5,900 in government charges alone. A non-internet (paper) lodgement charge may also apply, and a lower charge applies to some Pacific Island and Timor-Leste citizens. Always confirm the current amount on the Department's fees and charges page before you pay. For a full list of what changed on that date, see our guide to Australian visa changes from 1 July 2026.

How to apply for a resident return visa 155: step by step

1. Confirm your travel facility expiry. Check VEVO or your grant letter. If it expires while you are overseas, apply before you leave Australia.
2. Count your days in Australia. Work out exactly how many days you spent in Australia as a PR or citizen in the 5 years before your planned lodgement date. This decides your route.
3. Pick your timing. If you are close to 2 years, it can be worth waiting until you cross the line, so you get a 5-year facility instead of 1 year.
4. Gather documents. See the checklist below. Translate anything not in English using an accredited translator.
5. Lodge online in ImmiAccount. Each family member needs a separate application. If you have met the residence requirement and your name and date of birth have not changed since your last visa, you may be able to apply without attaching documents.
6. Pay the AUD 1,475 charge per applicant.
7. Respond quickly to any request for information. Delays on the ties and 157 routes usually come from incomplete evidence.
8. Do not book non-refundable travel until the grant arrives. If you are in Australia, the visa must be granted before you depart. If you are overseas, it must be granted before you travel to Australia.

Documents checklist

• Current passport and any passports you used in the last 5 years
• Your permanent visa grant letter, or evidence of former citizenship
• An accurate list of every departure from and arrival in Australia in the last 5 years
• Evidence of any change of name (marriage certificate, deed poll)
• For the substantial ties route: employment letters, business records, tax returns, property documents, bank and super statements, and a written statement explaining how your ties benefit Australia
• For the 157 or a long absence: a statement of reasons with supporting evidence such as medical certificates, hospital letters or death certificates

Processing times

Home Affairs does not guarantee a fixed timeframe. In practice, straightforward 155 applications that meet the 2-of-5-years rule and have a clean travel history are usually decided much faster than applications relying on substantial ties or compelling reasons, which can take weeks if the Department asks for more information. Check the current figures on the Home Affairs Resident Return visa page and build a buffer into any travel plans.

Common mistakes that cost time and money

• Leaving Australia after the facility has expired. If you depart without a valid travel facility, you cannot return as a PR until an RRV is granted. Apply before you fly out.
• Miscounting days. Counting from the visa grant date instead of from your actual arrival, or counting time spent here on a temporary visa, can push you onto the 1-year route by mistake.
• Weak ties evidence. Listing assets without explaining the benefit to Australia is the classic reason ties-based applications fail.
• Assuming one application covers the family. It does not. Each person lodges and pays separately, including children.
• Repeating the RRV cycle when citizenship is available. At AUD 1,475 per person per application, renewing RRVs indefinitely gets expensive.
• Applying after a cancellation. If your last permanent visa was cancelled, the RRV is not available. Get advice on other options.

For PR holders living in India and Malaysia

We see three situations again and again from clients based in Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kuala Lumpur and Penang:

• Got PR, moved back home, and the 5 years ran out. Many applicants landed in Australia once to "activate" their PR, then returned to work in India or Malaysia. With little time spent in Australia, the 2-of-5-years route is usually not met. The substantial ties route is possible but needs strong evidence, and approval usually gives only 1 year.
• Caring for elderly parents. Long stays in India or Malaysia to look after a sick parent can push you below the 2-year threshold. Keep hospital records and doctor's letters; they matter for the 157 and for explaining long absences.
• Children born or living overseas. Children who hold PR need their own RRV if their travel facility has expired. Check every family member's expiry date, not just yours.

Keep copies of every passport you have used. Indian passport holders who renewed their passports often lose track of old stamps, and the Department will ask for travel history across the whole 5-year period.

RRV or Australian citizenship?

If you are in Australia and eligible, citizenship is usually the stronger long-term option. Citizens do not need a travel facility and can come and go freely. Citizenship by conferral generally requires 4 years of lawful residence in Australia, including 1 year as a permanent resident, with limits on time spent overseas. If you are not yet eligible, a 5-year RRV keeps your travel options open while you build up residence.

Note that India does not allow dual citizenship, so Indian nationals who become Australian citizens lose Indian citizenship and usually apply for an OCI card. That trade-off is why some long-term PR holders from India choose to stay on RRVs. Malaysia also does not generally permit dual citizenship for adults. Weigh the cost of repeated RRVs against what you would give up.

How EazyViza can help

EazyViza is backed by Collins Quarters, a migration and commercial law firm with offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Chennai and Kuala Lumpur. For Resident Return visas we:

• count your days in Australia precisely from your travel records and tell you which route you qualify for;
• advise on timing, so you can wait for a 5-year facility instead of settling for 1 year where that makes sense;
• prepare substantial ties and compelling reasons submissions with the right evidence;
• lodge separate applications for every family member; and
• help with refusals and review options, including appeals after a visa refusal.

Not sure where you stand? Try our free eligibility checker or send us an enquiry and our team will review your travel history.

Disclaimer

This article is general information only and is not legal advice. Australian migration law, fees and policy change often. Information is current as of 31 October 2026. Check the Department of Home Affairs website or speak with a registered migration agent or lawyer about your own circumstances before you apply or travel.